1 Introduction This chapter provides background information about the development of the Australian volunteer program, and the current evaluation of the Australian Volunteers for International Development (AVID) program. 1.1 Historical overview International volunteering has a long history in Australia, originating in the 1950s as a means of fostering cultural understanding between Australian and Indonesian students through the Volunteer Graduate Scheme to Indonesia. Cultural exchange has always beenand remainsan important aim of volunteer programs. Between the 1960s and 1996 the Australian aid program provided core funding to selected Australian non-government organisations (NGOs) for their volunteer programs. In 1997, the Australian Government designed the Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development (AYAD) volunteer program and following a two year pilot tendered it on the open market, selecting Austraining International as the service provider in 2001. In 2005, to increase development effectiveness and cost-effectiveness, the government decided to procure services for all volunteer programs through a competitive tender process. The successful tenderers the Australian Government Volunteer Program (AGVP) were: Australian Volunteers International (AVI) Australian Business Volunteers (ABV) Austraining International (who created the Volunteers for International Development from Australia [VIDA] program for this tender). These three volunteer service providers received Australian Government funding to deliver their own volunteer programs. Each had different recruitment processes, management styles, volunteer allowances and public branding. Including the AYAD program, there were four distinct volunteer programs funded by Australia. In 2009, a review of the AGVP recommended designing a new volunteer program that would be streamlined, including rationalising program management and unifying branding. In late 2009, AusAID called for tenders from service providers to assist in the design and delivery of the new volunteer program. The successful tenderers for the new program were: Austraining International Australian Red Cross Australian Volunteers International. On 30 June 2010, ABV’s contract with AusAID concluded and ABV was incorporated as an ‘associate’ under Austraining International’s contract with AusAID. This consortium arrangement remains in place, with ABV mobilising volunteers with specific business skills for short-term placements.
1 Introduction This chapter provides background information about the development of the Australian volunteer program, and the current evaluation of the Australian Volunteers for International Development (AVID) program. 1.1 Historical overview International volunteering has a long history in Australia, originating in the 1950s as a means of fostering cultural understanding between Australian and Indonesian students through the Volunteer Graduate Scheme to Indonesia. Cultural exchange has always beenand remainsan important aim of volunteer programs. Between the 1960s and 1996 the Australian aid program provided core funding to selected Australian non-government organisations (NGOs) for their volunteer programs. In 1997, the Australian Government designed the Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development (AYAD) volunteer program and following a two year pilot tendered it on the open market, selecting Austraining International as the service provider in 2001. In 2005, to increase development effectiveness and cost-effectiveness, the government decided to procure services for all volunteer programs through a competitive tender process. The successful tenderers the Australian Government Volunteer Program (AGVP) were: Australian Volunteers International (AVI) Australian Business Volunteers (ABV) Austraining International (who created the Volunteers for International Development from Australia [VIDA] program for this tender). These three volunteer service providers received Australian Government funding to deliver their own volunteer programs. Each had different recruitment processes, management styles, volunteer allowances and public branding. Including the AYAD program, there were four distinct volunteer programs funded by Australia. In 2009, a review of the AGVP recommended designing a new volunteer program that would be streamlined, including rationalising program management and unifying branding. In late 2009, AusAID called for tenders from service providers to assist in the design and delivery of the new volunteer program. The successful tenderers for the new program were: Austraining International Australian Red Cross Australian Volunteers International. On 30 June 2010, ABV’s contract with AusAID concluded and ABV was incorporated as an ‘associate’ under Austraining International’s contract with AusAID. This consortium arrangement remains in place, with ABV mobilising volunteers with specific business skills for short-term placements.