COVAA On-Site Journal, December 5, PM

The delegates are working diligently and thoughtfully.  This is a slow, detailed process that is both exciting and sobering.  Nine sub-groups articulated their five statements for 2010 and then the entire body “clumped” similar ideas from each group into 11 distinct areas. 

• Standards for the profession
• Resources   
• Advocacy 
• Education/professional development 
• Structure  
• Values/culture/beliefs 
• Individual networking and communication 
• Certification 
• Collaboration and partnerships  
• Technology
• Branding and marketing 

We stopped to take two critical votes, using Parliamentary procedure.  Both motions were accepted by the delegates:

1. “That this group form a ‘national entity.’”  (Passed unanimously.)
2. “That this entity be a national membership association.”  (Carried by 58 ayes, 0 nays, and 5 abstentions.)

Based on this clear agreement to move forward, delegates and non-voting participants next physically lined up in front of whichever of the 11 areas above spoke to their individual passions.  These “passion groups” then met to develop a single statement of purpose and determine one or more people willing to commit to a year of leadership work around that topic. 

We ended at 5:00 with a preliminary team meeting together for dinner and plans to give passion group reports tomorrow morning. 

View a copy of the Funders Briefing.

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Special note:  At lunchtime today, a unique meeting was hosted at a Denver restaurant by Liam LeDuc Clark and Jane Justis Leighty, the two funders of COVAA.  They invited funders from the Denver area to meet together and learn about the needs of the volunteer management community.  Thirty-five funders attended!  A brief report of this luncheon will be posted tomorrow.