Rob Jackson Consulting Ltd

This year's theme 'Show Them the Money' As a Volunteer Engagement professional, you know the incredible value of your department, — but does your CEO? This year’s Hybrid Conference, Show Them the… Volunteer Management Hybrid Conference - 2025

I'm excited to be hosting the Volunteer Management Hybrid Conference again this year.

Find out more about this fantastic event and discover our amazing 2025 speakers.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C6e...

My amazing friend and colleague, Tracey O'Neill, CVA, has launched her own business, Tracey O'Neill Consulting.

Please take a look at the eye-catching website and find out more.

www.traceyoneillconsulting.com.au

How will you respond to this challenge?

Let’s make IVMDay 2025 one to remember through working together to make bold and courageous change.

Importantly, as my fellow IVMDay Global Organising Committee member (and wonderful human) Faiza Venzant said when we agreed the theme, “Bold change centers community voices and engages volunteers as true partners.”

How will you encourage other Volunteer Engagement Professionals to be bold and make change in their work?

I’ve been guilty of all those in my time.

The 2025 IVMDay theme encourages us to act differently.

What courageous steps will you take to make change this year?

Yet often we aren’t always bold and courageous in trying to make that change happen. We perhaps avoid powerfully advocating for what volunteers truly contribute to our organisations. We shy away from tacking difficult behaviour by volunteers, or resistance to engaging volunteers by employees.

Over more than thirty years in volunteer engagement, I hear colleagues talking about how their organisation needs to change, or how resistant volunteers are to changes being made — or both.

In three months time, on 5 November, it’ll be International Volunteer Managers Day (IVMDay).

This year’s IVMDay theme is “Be Bold, Make Change”.

It's three months until International Volunteer Managers Day 2025.

My new #200WordTuesday thread explores the theme and encourages you to take action to build our profession.

#LOVols #VolMgmt

Highlights from “The State of Volunteering in Victoria” report The question isn’t whether volunteering will continue, it’s whether your organisation will be part of its future.

Volunteering Victoria recently published some research into volunteering. It is brilliant. An absolute must-read.

In my latest article on the Rob Jackson Consulting Ltd blog I summarise the key findings.

robjacksonconsulting.wordpress.com/2025/08/01/h...

#LOVols #VolMgmt #Research #Australia

“If you are showing up with skill and effort and executing perfectly, all in support of a strategy that doesn't make sense, you've wasted your effort.” Seth Godin

“... anyone can do any amount of work, provided it isn't the work he is supposed to be doing at that moment." Structured Procrastination by John Perry

So true!

I’m looking forward to attending the Heritage Volunteering Group Conference!

🗓 25–26 Nov | ⏰ 9:30–13:15 | 💻 Zoom

Can’t wait to connect with others passionate about the power of volunteering to transform communities.

🎟 Info + tickets: linktr.ee/heritagevolu...

#HeritageVolunteering25

“Volunteers don't see themselves as second citizens, filling the roles their superiors deem necessary. The status quo disheartens them. They view themselves as capable, willing to share skills and enthusiasm, happy to help on their terms and eager to share their good ideas. So, why don't we embrace this modern volunteer?” volunteerplaintalk

You are very welcome

I’m now taking a much-needed summer break. The next #200WordTuesday post will be published on the 5th August.

** John Green, “The Anthropocene Reviewed”**
I came across this book via Adam Grant’s podcast. John wrote the popular novel “The Fault In Our Stars”. In this non-fiction book he looks at, and rates, different aspects of modern life. Wry, funny and thought-provoking.

** Roland Allen, “The Notebook”**
Subtitled, “A Short History of Thinking on Paper”, this fascinating book explores exactly that. Think of a history book merged with a productivity book. A fascinating and entertaining read.

** Jennie Field, “Nobody Believes You”**
A discovery from Tobi Johnson’s ‘Volunteer Nation’ podcast, Jenni explores eight characteristics that make leaders credible, and therefore worth following. Short, practical and insightful.

** Graham Allcott, “Kind”**
I’ve known Graham for almost twenty years and have enjoyed all his productivity books. This one is a little different, exploring kindness — what it is, how it’s a superpower, and why we need it in the modern world. Must read.

With summer breaks looming in the Northern Hemisphere, here are four books I recommend you check out over the holiday season.

Summer holidays are here in the Northern Hemisphere, so that can mean just one thing: my annual summer reading list for Volunteer Engagement Professionals.

#200WordTuesday #LOVols #VolMgmt

Five Things Volunteer Managers Can Learn from Hip Hop This improvisational mindset offers valuable lessons for Volunteer Engagement Professionals.

🎤 New blog drop: "Five Things Volunteer Managers Can Learn from Hip Hop"

Beat drops harder than your recruitment game!

Don't sleep on this track! 🔥

robjacksonconsulting.wordpress.com/2025/07/04/f...

#VolMgmt #HipHop #LOVols

“Great customer service is expensive, but it's also free. It's free because delighting a customer who has an issue is the single cheapest way to not only keep that customer, but have them spread the word.” Customer Service Is a Choice Seth Godin

“For years, many experts in the volunteer engagement field have been sounding a warning that volunteer expectations have been shifting, and the older models of volunteering are losing their appeal. We cannot keep doing the same thing over and over and expect the same results.” volunteerplaintalk

Wise words on the Volunteer PlainTalk blog

New Results from Statistics Canada’s Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating Authors: Jodene Baker, David Lasby, Imagine Canada This post is a collaboration with Volunteer Canada. Statistics Canada’s June 23 edition of The Daily released preliminary findings from the 2023 S…

New data from Canada on giving time and money makes for a sobering read.

Formal and informal volunteering is in decline, just like here in the UK.

How has your 2025 been so far?

What are you excited about for the second half of the year?

Closer to home, I’m running in-person training in Birmingham, Salford and Yorkshire, engaging in some interesting new consulting, training and speaking projects, and will keep writing articles.

Coming up, I have a much-needed holiday in Sicily, celebrating my tenth wedding anniversary. I’m also planning to return to Canada with Better Impact, Al!ve and VMPC in October.