Report of survey of national representatives: Spring 2002

INTRODUCTION - At its meeting in Tokyo in November 2001 the IAVE Board approved a new three year Strategic Plan.   The Plan included a series of measures designed to review and strengthen the organisation’s operational structures.   It was agreed that a survey of national representatives be carried out to identify more clearly the work which they undertake on IAVE’s behalf.   The aim was to assist IAVE to clarify the role and task of National Representatives and to create more effective systems of selection and support.

This report presents an analysis of the replies and suggests some conclusions based on them. 

...

Conclusions 

1. The level of response at 60% was good for a written questionnaire.
   Nevertheless we cannot assume that this provides a representative sample of the national representatives’ experience and views.
   We cannot be complacent about the remaining 40% nor assume that their responses if received would confirm the generally positive picture drawn from the returns received. 
2. The survey confirms much of what was already known or thought to be the case.   Levels of activity and commitment among National Representatives clearly varies widely and different factors influence this.   These factors include resources, degree of isolation, existence of other networks and extent of volunteering.  
   A second set of factors arise from IAVE’S own capacity to provide clear
   Guidance for national reps on their role, and on-going support and information.
3. Given the diversity of backgrounds and context within which national reps are operating it may be unrealistic to have a standard job description for them.   It may be more useful to identify a few core elements, around which individual plans can be developed, possibly annually, and success measured.   It was significant that over 75% of respondents had some plans for the future and of those who had no plans yet, at least two put that down to lack of clarity as to what was expected.
   It was also clear that the scale and range of activity planned and already achieved was very different from one country to another. 
4. One factor which emerged repeatedly was the difference between national reps from countries where IAVE had its own network and substantial membership and those from countries where IAVE had a low profile and small membership because of the existence of a strong national volunteer centre.
   This clearly created dilemmas for those in the latter group, whose first loyalty was to their own organisation or network, and for whom promoting IAVE, or working on behalf of IAVE became a conflict of interest.
   Two things should be borne in mind:  First, that it would not be appropriate for IAVE to be seen to be in competition with a country’s volunteer centre, either for profile, for resources, or for numbers.    Secondly that the aim of both is to promote and support volunteering.
   The point was well made in several responses that it will be important to identify clearly what is the added value of IAVE and of the international dimension. 
5. The survey fully confirmed the importance of IYV as a catalyst for action and for media and government attention.   It also confirmed that IAVE members in many countries took full advantage of it and contributed much to its success.
   Global Youth Service Day was also acknowledged by a number of respondents as a useful focus for activity and interest.
   IAVE needs to consider how best to help its members create and use regular awareness-raising opportunities, like national volunteer days or weeks. 
6. The question of funding keeps recurring and may become even more problematic now that IYV is past and as economies around the world remain in or near crisis.
   Sadly there are no quick or easy answers.   The challenge for IAVE and its members is to identify ways in which some of its stronger better resourced members and networks could assist in capacity building for other parts of the network, through advice and training. 
7. The results of this survey should be taken into account in planning the content of the training day for national reps, which is to be held in conjunction with the 2002 World Volunteering Conference. 
8. The section on what reps need or want from the Secretariat is in some respects the most challenging.  
   The IAVE Secretariat is very small and under-resourced, a fact which is unlikely to change in the near future.   A more detailed analysis of the list should be undertaken to identify where existing systems could be modified or tightened up, to seek alternative ways of addressing some things like translation, which are clearly of great importance but are beyond our current means, and to identify those which simply cannot be met. 
9. The survey confirms the importance of the national reps network for delivery of its objectives around the world.
   This importance will increase if the proposed new Board structure is approved, leading to one Board member from each world region.
   It will be important to review not only the role of the national reps but also to make support and co-ordination of national reps in the region a main task for regional representatives on the Board.

Resource: 

Backup of IAVE.wbk_.pdf