Strategic Plan 2007 - 2010

Download a pdf version of the Strategic Plan 2007-2010

Our vision

IAVE believes that volunteering brings to life the noblest aspirations of humankind - the pursuit of freedom, opportunity, safety and justice for all people. It is a means by which human values of community caring, service and participation are sustained and strengthened; individuals exercise their rights and responsibilities as members of communities; and connections are made across differences which can push us apart. 

IAVE’s commitment is to volunteering that it:

• Invites the involvement of the entire community in identifying and addressing the challenges, opportunities and problems which face it
• Encourages and enables people of all ages and from all sectors of society to take leadership through participation in service and social action
• Provides a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves
• Gives anyone the opportunity to participate
• Complements but does not substitute for responsible action by other sectors and the efforts of paid workers
• Enables people to acquire new knowledge and skill to fully develop their personal potential, self-reliance and creativity
• Promotes family, community, national and international solidarity.

Context

As integral parts of social and community life in all parts of the world volunteering and voluntary action are also affected by and respond to wider shifts and developments. Increased globalisation, for example, is heightening the scale and importance of international volunteering, leading to the development of international and global networks and structures. At the same time, however, funders’ priorities are moving away from networking and infrastructure. In many parts of the world, growing anger and frustration with political decisions are leading to more political activity through civil society organisations outside political parties, often in the form of protest, campaigning and demonstrations. The high incidence of man-made and natural disasters is generating a matching volunteer response in help and preventive action. Increasing poverty in some communities creates a need to mobilize human resources, but the resources to underpin action are lacking. Forms of volunteering which have been rooted in charity are becoming reoriented towards social activism. Through the Millennium Development Goals articulated in 2000, the United Nations built a framework for combined action to tackle the greatest threats and challenges and build new opportunities for progress. Volunteering and civil society have been recognised as key actors.

The place of volunteering

This new century has seen remarkable growth and development of volunteering worldwide, especially since the International Year of the Volunteer in 2001. Volunteering in all its forms, from philanthropic giving and service through to activism and campaigning is now truly a global movement bringing new energy and commitment to the challenge of global needs and opportunities. Volunteering has a new, high profile at national, international, regional and world levels, where it is clearly identified as part of the solution to the urgent problems we face, and as one of the means of attaining our highest dreams and ambitions. Volunteers are helping to address the Millennium Development Goals, to rebuild communities after war and major disasters, to run the Olympic Games, and at local levels continue to make our communities better places in which to live and raise families.

Our role

IAVE has responded to these changes by developing a new, wider vision of its role and of how to achieve its aims of promoting, supporting and strengthening the development of volunteering worldwide. The challenge in the next four years will be to continue to strengthen IAVE as an international network for volunteering, underpinned by a diverse and active membership and a democratically elected Board. At the same time, IAVE must continue to enhance its leadership role, expanding its capacity as an organisation for the development of volunteering by identifying key areas of strategic interest and importance and working proactively to create new initiatives and projects. A primary task is to build a small staff team to take work forward and to provide more effective support for its members and key networks. Further development of partnership working with other networks and leaders in the field will continue to give added value to IAVE and to advance the development of volunteering worldwide.

Strategic goals

IAVE’s strategic goals are to:

1. Strengthen IAVE’s position as a key leadership organisation for volunteering worldwide
2. Build capacity in policy and practice development through strategic partnerships and global interest based networks and activities
3. Expand membership in strategic areas of interest, and build capacity through enhanced membership services and network support
4. Maintain good governance and efficient management of the organisation.

Goal 1. Strengthening IAVE as a leadership organisation
In order to achieve its first goal of strengthening IAVE’s position as a key leadership organisation for volunteering worldwide, IAVE will:

1. Maintain the sequence of IAVE World Conferences as a unique platform for volunteering interests worldwide, for membership networking and for Board/membership accountability
2. Support IAVE Regional Conferences as key opportunities for capacity building through networking, training and shared learning
3. Develop and sustain strategic partnerships in all three sectors, government, civil society, and business, to maximise resources and enhance impact
4. Enhance IAVE’s profile in the field of policy development and act as a voice for volunteering in wider forums and contexts.

Goal 2. Building capacity in policy and practice
In order to achieve its second goal - that of building capacity in policy and practice development through strategic partnerships and global interest-based networks and activities - IAVE will:

1. Create a platform and/or convening point within the World Conference for each of its current priority areas of interest
2. Develop the IAVE website to support and promote its special interest groups and networks
3. Appoint recognised experts from specific fields to the Board as appropriate
4. Work in the fields of youth volunteering, corporate volunteering, volunteering by seniors/older people, international volunteering, volunteer research and among National Volunteer Centres, as outlined below: 

• Youth volunteering: maintain the sequence of IAVE Youth Conferences within the wider platform of the world conferences. Support the development of IAVE youth volunteering networks at country, regional and international levels.
• Corporate volunteering: continue to lead in the development of the new IAVE Global Corporate Volunteering Council.
• National Volunteer Centres: heighten the profile of National Volunteer Centres (NVCs) as a key strategic network for IAVE and the development of volunteering worldwide. Support the development of new national volunteer centres, especially in developing countries. Explore the potential for an international ‘summit’ of NVCs.
• Volunteering by seniors/older people: build on new connections in the world of volunteering by seniors. Seek opportunities for partnership projects.
• International volunteering: build a profile for IAVE through contact with key networks.
• Volunteering research: continue to develop a presence and profile for IAVE in the international network of researchers in volunteering and service. Develop opportunities for small research projects.

Goal 3. Developing global membership
In order to meet its third goal of expanding membership in strategic areas of interest, and building capacity through enhanced membership services and network support, IAVE will:

1. Develop a strategy for expanding the membership in key areas of interest identified in Goal 2
2. Build capacity through enhanced member services and efficient administration of the membership system
3. Expand the role of the IAVE International Resource Centre in supporting member services, website development and information services for IAVE and the worldwide volunteering community. 

Goal 4. Ensuring good governance
To ensure good governance and efficient management of the organisation IAVE will:

1. Seek resources to build an IAVE staff team in order to create a platform for development and to underpin IAVE’s leadership role
2. Meet governance requirements
3. Ensure sound fiscal management.