The 2011 Volunteering Conference programme will feature a special focus on the experiences and the learnings for volunteering arising from New Zealand's largest single volunteer involvement, following the catastrophic Christchurch earthquake. The planned additions to the programme will very much reflect the conference theme - Raising the Bar.

It will be an "Action Conference", not the standard share and network event. It is being designed to practically address the challenges, and the experiences of the Christchurch and Canterbury earthquakes, as well as other disasters / emergencies in New Zealand and overseas. Taking lessons learnt through to longer term planning, we will explore strategic management and leadership of the volunteer sector needed for the future. Individual government agencies and organisations have learnt so much between September 2010 and February 2011.

This action conference will bring together the key players in the recent emergency response including from central and local government agencies. It will highlight how the volunteer involving response to the crisis demonstrated the importance of Managers of Volunteers and developing a volunteer management career pathway. Australian perspectives on volunteering in major emergencies will be included. Our Australian colleagues have their own very recent experiences to share.

Susan Ellis, our international keynote speaker, will bring her extensive knowledge and understanding of volunteer involvement in emergencies and the important link to the need for effective management of volunteers.

New Zealand largest ever sporting event happening later this year, the Rugby World Cup, will be supported by 5000 volunteers. RNZ 2011 will tell their story at our conference in the Episodic and Events Volunteering stream. Examples of other large events where volunteers have been key to their success will also be featured.

Active participation will also feature in the conference stream focused on Developing the Leaders and advancing the Management of Volunteers as well as the sessions about building volunteering infrastructure. The new draft programme will be posted on the VNZ website very soon.