May 16, 2008

CAVR UPDATE - December 2001

Happy Holidays and Prosperous New Year of 2002

Peace begins in your heart... and reaches around the world.

Once again, it's Christmas. That delightful time of the year, when hearts are filled with gratitude and homes are bright with cheer. When everyone remembers good friends and loved ones and especially those who have made a difference in your life. As we honor our own faith and traditions I am wishing to my good friends and their loved ones a wonderful celebration of peace and love.

The past year has certainly been a challenge. I am thankful for the faithful commitment and dedication of the members of our Executive and Board and for all our CAVR members.

Together we continue to bring forward changes that will strengthen our profession, to build strong relationships with other Associations and to provide leadership to all professionals who manage volunteer resources. May your hearts be filled with LOVE throughout the Holiday Season followed by a NEW YEAR of PEACE and JOY and friendships.

CAVR President Mireille Roy

Certification 2001 Awarded

A new Certification Committee will be established to undertake many of the goals set for this Committee. All CAVR Certification information and documents have been posted on the CAVR web site to facilitate members and visitors access to the information.

The deadline for new Certification submissions has been changed. Due to the June 2002 Conference and AGM, the Certification deadline is March 31st 2002.

Marjolaine Lalonde First Vice President

CAVR Membership Process

As you have likely heard the membership responsibilities have transferred from JTC to the Treasurer. Lots of boxes, disks and files have arrived and are being correlated and cross matched and re-indexed and re-entered with a goal of a beautiful and perfectly accurate membership listing for 2002. It appears the easiest way to do most of this is on a big table. This allows for the adding of bits and pieces of email additions and changes, which can then be captured and incorporated.

Coincidentally this also matches with the period of time that my big dining room table is at peak demand for family type of events - like eating large meals. So if your listing is not absolutely correct please send me a kindly worded email gently pointing out the very small error and we will do an immediate correction. Whatever you celebrate, celebrate with enthusiasm.

Carol Dixon, CAVR Treasurer

The official CAVR mailing address is:

Suite # 322,
24 - 94 Bridgeport Road East,
Waterloo, Ontario N2J 2J9

CAVR Takes Stock of Progress

Over fifty CAVR members from across Canada spent a very productive day at our CAVR Professional Development Day on October 3rd in Toronto. The morning began with a very thought provoking discussion of "What is a Profession?" facilitated by Judy Lister. Members rated our progress on several key characteristics. Our areas of strength include the ever-increasing knowledge base involving intellectual learning, our benefit to society, our professional attitudes and values as demonstrated in our Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, Certification process and our active membership in a national professional association. The characteristics of a profession that we do not actualize are exclusive rights of practice through legislation, compulsory licensing by a professional association and self-regulation i.e. discipline by the professional association. Our areas for future development include a public perception that the management of volunteer resources is a profession, and enhancing the status, recognition and remuneration of practitioners.

Barb Gemmell presented an overview of the new and revised Standards of Practice. Barb and CAVR member Aileen Feicho have completed the revision of our Standards based on the feedback from members in numerous workshops held at the provincial level since 1997, when these Standards were accepted as a living document.

CAVR has developed ten key Standards that can be shared broadly to promote the professional administration of volunteer resources. Along with each Standard are the detailed processes. These will only be available to CAVR members. Feedback is needed by March 1st 2002 to allow sufficient time to incorporate the final changes before being voted on at our Annual General Meting in June.

In the afternoon, participants participated in a new CAVR initiative to develop sample position descriptions and salary levels to help employers determine duties, responsibilities and the apppropriate remuneration for staff involved in the management of volunteer resources. Participants rated themselves in relation to three levels as a practitioner, and then in discussion groups discussed the position descriptions in detail. CAVR will fine-tune the position descriptions and will include them as part of an advocacy package that is being developed. This will also include a brochure, sample advertisement/posting, and interview questions to test knowledge and skill.

Members worked very hard and were very satisfied with the outcome. One member commented: "I am really impressed with the amount of work being done to further the profession." Another hi-lighted "the knowledge and confidence that CAVR is developing promoting high standards for the betterment of the profession." CAVR plans to include a follow-up session at the CAVR conference in New Brunswick in June 2002.

Lenore Good, Past President

CAVR Standards of Practice

At the CAVR Professional Day of October 3rd, we reviewed the revised Standards of Practice. I would like CAVR members to provide feedback (either individually or as a group) to me by MARCH 1, 2002.

Your comments can be sent to me by email to:

bgemmell@mb.symaptico.ca

or mail to:

68 Trowbridge Bay,
Winnipeg, MB R2N 2V6.

You can also contact me at (204) 253-6638 if you have any questions. We have included these revised Draft Standards with the recent mailing of this CAVR UPDATE.

Barb Gemmell CAVR Third VP

Web Page by Elmer Wiens egwald.com