National Volunteering Conference Heads to Brisbane
16 June 2011 at 3:30 pm
Less than twelve months after the largest volunteering effort in Queensland’s history, Brisbane is set to hold Volunteering Australia’s National Conference on Volunteering 2011.
The theme of the conference for 2011 – the International Year of Volunteers Plus 10 – is ‘Inspire. Challenge. Influence.’ The conference is to be held at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on November 9-11.
Two of the major keynote speakers for the conference have been announced:
- Ms Donna Keher, Chief of the United Nations Volunteers Partnerships and Communications Division
Donna Keher was appointed Chief of the UNV Partnerships and Communications Division in March 2006. She has over 25 years of experience in fundraising, communications and volunteerism and has been stationed in cities across the globe. Previous appointments include global and regional positions with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF),in Thailand and Singapore from 1998 to 2006 and USA/NY from 1992-1998. Keher started her career as Director of the Volunteer Bureau in Hamilton, Canada.
- Mr Simon McKeon, 2011 Australian of the Year
2011 Australian of the Year Simon McKeon is a social entrepreneur, philanthropist, business man and keen sailor. McKeon is the Executive Chairman of Macquarie Group’s Melbourne office, Chairman of CSIRO and Business for Millennium Development, Director of VisionFund, World Vision International’s microcredit arm, Global Poverty Project and Red Dust Role Models.
He is an Australia Day Ambassador for the Victorian Government and serves on the Federal Government’s Human Rights Grants Scheme Advisory Panel. He previously served as Founding President of the Federal Government’s Australian Takeovers Panel, Founding Chairman of MS Research Australia and Founding President of the Federal Government’s Point Nepean Community Trust.
More details on other keynote speakers and conference program will be released over the next few months.
Volunteering Australia says it acknowledges the important role of research in building evidence-based knowledge of volunteering and this will be featured throughout the conference program. VA is currently working with the Volunteer Research Agenda Advisory Group (VRAAG) to ensure that research is a strong focus at the conference.
For the first time the conference will also be offering the refereeing of papers, and Volunteering Australia is offering a number of Research Student Bursaries to allow honours or research students to attend the conference.
The Research Bursaries will allow four students to attend the conference for $425 (50% of the early bird conference rate of $850). For more information click here (Applications close Friday 5th August 2011).
Following our successful involvement with the 2010 Volunteering Australia Conference, Pro Bono Australia News is again taking on the role of official media partner. Our news team will be attending the conference in Brisbane and reporting live from Brisbane to keep our readers up-to-date with all the conference news via our website and social media channels.
Conference Registration is now open, be sure to make the most of the Early Bird discounted rate.
For more information, please visit: www.volunteeringaustralia.org
