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Voluntary Action Maidstone
39-48 Marsham Street,
Maidstone Community Support Centre
Maidstone,
ME14 1HH
01622 677337
VAM
VAM’s 3rd Annual Voluntary and Community Sector Conference on ‘21st Century Volunteering’ a great success! This year’s conference was another great blend of thought provoking speeches and debate, exciting new initiatives, learning opportunities and fun! The Leader of Maidstone Borough Council Cllr Chris Garland gave an opening address about the value of the voluntary and community sector in Maidstone and how vital it is for us to work together in the borough. Then we heard about the exciting plans for the Olympic and Paralympic Games from Hugh Robertson MP, Minister for Sport and Olympics. The Games are right on our doorstep and Hugh amazed delegates with information about the huge scale of the event and how it is transforming London, as well as the vital importance of the 70,000 volunteers.
Rob Jackson, an international speaker and writer on volunteering then gave the key note speech on the future of volunteering, how volunteers are changing and the sector must adapt to maximise the great potential volunteers can bring. Teresa Coe, of the Kent Event Team, shared her experience of using new media and social networking to promote volunteering and communicate with new audiences.
Before lunch delegates enjoyed 15 minutes of laughter Yoga with practitioner Rachel Smith; relaxing and exhilarating at the same time! Following the buffet lunch, an ideal time to network with the 70 or so delegates from the public and voluntary sector, there was a choice of structured workshops each with a volunteering theme. Fundraising with volunteers, recruiting trustees or the philosophy of volunteering; all were enlightening and engaging.
The day finished with a plenary summing up session and further time for networking and catching up with colleagues.
Feedback from the event was excellent; 100% of respondents said they found the event useful and well organised! Quotes from delegates; ‘I just wanted to thank you and your team for a fantastic day, I really enjoyed it. It made me think about volunteering in a different way, and how I should plan for the year.’
‘Excellent, stimulating and fun!’
‘A very well presented conference, very many thanks’
If you would like any issue or theme covered in next year’s conference, please get in touch! To view the presentations and workshop slides please click on the links below Rob Jackson - The Philosophy of Volunteering Caroline Brinkman - Heart of Kent Hospice Natalie Smith - The Essential Volunteer YOU CAN NOW WATCH THE SPEAKERS ON YOUTUBE!
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