David Holloway

Essential for the fulfilment of the organisational objectives of many in the third sector are volunteers. This report investigates the trends about the management of volunteers by comparing the results from a study (completed by Dr. Megan Paull in 1994) with one completed recently online. This initial research report is part of a larger project, which examines the management of volunteers, governance issues and social entrepreneurship issues in the volunteering sector. Volunteering WA has supported this research and encouraged member organisations to participate because the findings will enable organisations to better understand their own people and their volunteers. The need for greater accountability from donor bodies and government also provides an impetus to ensure that our member organisations are achieving their goals in an effective and caring way. The report first sets out to identify the approach used to collect information as well as explaining the main purpose of the research. The idea was to identify what changes had occurred over time. The report identifies the profile of the respondent organisations. The main part of the report identifies and analyses the main practices for the management of volunteers ranging across such important issues as recruitment, training, feedback, recognition and dismissal. Changes from the results obtained in 1994 are an essential part of this analysis. The report findings are relevant to all our members and I would recommend the report to you. I would like to thank all those who have been involved in this project. The need for organisations to learn and improve is a vital part of this type of research.

This report analyses the online survey results from three separate but interrelated issues affecting not-for-profit organisations. The first area is governance structures and practices; the second concerns funding activities and entrepreneurial endeavours; and, the third area focuses on practices affecting managers of volunteers. The intention behind this online survey was to do an initial 'mapping' of the key issues in the Western Australian not-for-profit (NFP) sector. There are significant pressures (both external and internal) being exerted in the third sector in relation to notions of transparency, accountability and value-for-money, These research outcomes will now be followed up by more detailed qualitative case study research to investigate these issues fully. These initial findings are, therefore, exploratory in nature.