These days, "Act local, think global" is the catch phrase for volunteerism. The wider usage of free and offered labor above and beyond the response to natural and man-made disasters could be an effective solution to our social ills. Conference encourages the
spirit of volunteerism
By Gary C.W. Chun
gchun@starbulletin.comIn preparation for tomorrow's Governor's International Conference on Volunteerism at the Hawai'i Convention Center (which owes its existence, in large part, to volunteer labor), Mary Matayoshi, director of the state volunteer services in the governor's office, said her office, like many others, is still feeling the ill effects of Sept. 11.
"Everyone is getting by with smaller staffs and little if any money," Matayoshi said. "After Sept. 11, nonprofit organizations were devastated nationwide. We hope that with this volunteerism conference, some of the concerns that have arisen since the terrorist attacks can be addressed. We expect to share our knowledge and learn from each other, finding ways with coping with common problems."
The conference was delayed, having been originally scheduled to start on Sept. 29. Although some minor changes had to be made, the schedule of guest speakers and workshops and seminars remains intact for this weekend, and events since that time have made volunteerism more timely than ever. Matayoshi said it is important that this conference look at volunteerism in toto rather than dealing with problems closer to home.
"I was always asked, 'Why look at volunteerism on a global level?'" she said. "As we've seen with one incident, it's no longer just our problems that need to be addressed.
"Everyone's pocketbooks and psyches have been affected, and an overall sense of malaise and discouragement has set in. We need to talk to others and ask what are their concerns, whether they be intergenerational (dealing with the aged and disenfranchised youth) or volunteer management and disaster readiness."
Matayoshi said caring for aging parents is of concern both here and in Japan, "where it was once expected that the children would take care of their parents in their old age to the point of taking them in themselves, it's not the case, leading to an increased suicide rate amongst the elderly.
"The same problem of lack of care can be found here, with reports of abuse due to either an inherited practice within the family or due to frustration over lack of employment or losing a job. There's still a lot of aloha out there, though, but we're all trying to cope," she said.
Volunteerism may offer the solution to help alleviate some of society's burdens, and Matayoshi is excited that the conference will feature several noted speakers, like the authorities arriving from Japan and the mainland who had to coordinate thousands of volunteers (more than 50,000 offered their help in New York City) who came untrained in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks, the 1995 Kobe, Japan, earthquake and the bombing in Oklahoma City. Local coordinators who went through Hurricane Iniki and the Kilauea eruption also will attend.
"Nora Silver, executive director of the Volunteerism Project in San Francisco, and Susan Ellis, president of Energize Inc., are two of our guest speakers very experienced in training and will talk about volunteer management," Matayoshi said. "You know, it's very difficult to practice collaboration and partnership. In attempting to work together, you have to know how to give and take and negotiate for the greater good."
Silver will lead a panel made up of representatives of four local organizations, including the Assistive Technology Resource Centers of Hawaii and the local branch of the United Cerebral Palsy Association, discussing how their combined efforts as Hawaii's DiverseAbilities have increased program services, reduced operating expenses and provided a prototype for other nonprofit groups.
"Because of this, all of these organizations are surviving and doing very well," Matayoshi said, "but it took a lot of blood, sweat and tears to work through it."
Where: Hawai'i Convention Center Conference on Volunteerism and 'R U Ready' Expo
When: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. tomorrow, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday
Admission: Free; a $175 registration fee is required for workshops and seminars Monday and Tuesday; admission is $50 for Sunday's dinner recognizing 10 distinguished volunteers.
Call: 586-7200 or online at www.volunteeraloha.com
Expo to feature exhibits on preparing for disaster
The expo will feature interactive exhibits, obstacle courses and edutainment from community, government, military and business groups on how to prepare, survive and recover from a disaster.Featured speakers from the mainland and abroad offer hourlong workshops (except where noted) on disaster relief and volunteerism. The first three workshops listed are free; the others represent a small portion of workshops offered in the paid conference.
>> "When Disaster Strikes, the Helpers Come a-Running": With Debby Hampton, CEO of the American Red Cross Central Oklahoma Chapter, 6:30 p.m. Monday. Free. (Regular conference times are 11:15 a.m. Monday and 8:30 p.m. Tuesday.)
>> "The Kobe Earthquake Experience and Volunteers": With Dr. Tomohide Atsumi, director of the Nippon Volunteer Network Active in Disaster, 6:30 p.m. Monday. Free. (Regular conference times are 10 a.m. Monday and Tuesday.)
>> "Be Good, Do Good, Feel Good: Altruistic Love": With Dr. Ralph Steuber, retired UH faculty member, 6:30 p.m. Monday. Free.
>> "Experiences from New York -- Spontaneous Volunteer Response to the World Trade Center Disaster": With Marilyn Shigetani, voluntary agency liaison from the local Federal Emergency Management Agency office, 10 a.m. Monday.
>> "Strategic Visioning": With Nora Silver, executive director of the Volunteerism Project in San Francisco, 1 to 3:30 p.m. Monday; and "Intergenerational Volunteering," 8:30 a.m. Tuesday.
>> "Cultural Dynamics and Volunteers: Kobe Earthquake and Hurricane Iniki," 1 p.m. Monday and 11:15 a.m. Tuesday.
>> "Interrelationships: The Key to Volunteer Success": With Susan Ellis, president of Energize Inc., 11:15 a.m. Monday.
>> "Sharing Aloha by Cooking for the Homeless": With Catherine Graham, manager of public relations and volunteer services for the Institute for Human Services, 1 p.m. Monday.
>> "Helping Volunteers Deal with Crisis Stress": With Dr. Mike Kellar, department of psychiatry at the Tripler Army Medical Center, 10 a.m. Monday and 11:15 a.m. Tuesday.
>> "Empathy Training for Crisis Counseling": By members of the Crisis Response Center and Suicide and Crisis Center, Helping Hands Hawaii, 11:15 a.m. Monday.
>> "Volunteerism in the Hawaiian Culture": With Ramsey Taum, volunteer coordinator for the Kailua Bay Advisory Council, 11:15 a.m. Tuesday.
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