President’s Report

The schools and educational institutions in which we work are complex, interconnected, and intertwined communities. Similarly, our roles in Advancement are interconnected and intertwined as we engage and work across our communities with students, staff, parents, alumni, and key stakeholders. We are privileged to have the conversations and interactions we do, whether with prospective families, nurturing relationships with donors, engaging with alumni or connecting with parents.

Equally, we are privileged to be part of an organisation such as Educate Plus, where members so generously share their expertise, whether through the delivery of SIGs, seminars, mentoring or are simply happy to share ideas over a coffee. The recent International Conference certainly celebrated this. It was great to connect with colleagues from many schools and educational institutions, to learn, listen and be inspired. I left Adelaide with my bucket not just full, but overflowing. 

On behalf of the NSW/ACT Chapter, I welcome our new members. We look forward to meeting you and are here to help in any way, so please reach out. In addition, we invite you to our upcoming online Special Interest Group (SIG) sessions.

• Making data-based decisions – using census results to leverage strategy | Thursday 18 August
• How to use your archives to build engagement and fundraising | Monday 22 August
• Philanthropy and Asian cultures | Tuesday 23 August
• Admissions: Keeping your pipeline flowing  | Tuesday 6 September

In November, USA-based consultant Rachel Bearbower will run a time management webinar, providing practical productivity tips on time blocking, prioritisation, and calendar management.

This year we focused our PD in the ‘regions’ with two successful days held at Frensham and recently at Newcastle Grammar, with over 40 attendees at each event. As we start to plan for 2023, for both the Chapter conference and other activities, we will be looking for your input. We would like to know how we can serve you better, regional and city-based members, and we want your ideas and suggestions so please, take a few minutes to give us your feedback on our Chapter Survey.

Take care

Lyn O’Neill | NSW/ACT Chapter President

AGM – Save the Date!

The NSW/ACT Chapter AGM will be held on Wednesday 14 December. Please save the date and we will be in touch nearer the time with more information. Please also make sure you bookmark the EVENTS page so that you can stay up to date with what’s happening in our Chapter.

Fundraising for girls’ schools

Did anyone else at the fantastic REIGNITE International Conference in Adelaide notice how frequently the presenters were asked about the application of their ideas for fundraising to a girls’ school environment?

It seems that many of us struggle to see how we can emulate the successful campaigns being realised by our colleagues in boys’ schools. And that’s a reasonable doubt to have. After all, it remains rare to hear of mega gifts to girls’ schools, scholarships being endowed, or new sports centres being completed with tens of millions of donations from alumnae and parents.

Whilst we don’t yet have the data here in Australia, the findings of large-scale benchmarking studies in the UK by IDPE have been completely unambiguous: the boys schools are raising much more than girls schools (with co-ed schools sitting somewhere in between). However, the benchmarking also shows us there is more to the story than this…

As a consultant in the UK, I helped run benchmarking for the colleges of the University of Oxford. On more than one occasion the head of a prestigious and ancient college would remark in surprise at how they were being outdone by other colleges that were younger and less well known. Almost inevitably, the data showed that these high-flying colleges were the ones who had got out and met with their alumni, told their stories well, cultivated strong relationships and – crucially – asked more often and for bigger gifts. The lesson from this might sound obvious, but institutions that commit the time and resource to fundraising are going to raise more money.

And when you examine the UK school data you find that the boys’ schools have generally been fundraising a lot longer, and have much bigger teams. For example, the authors of the 2016 IDPE School Alumni Survey* observed that “the average philanthropic income per school increases the longer a Development Office has been operational”, and found that “the vast majority of girls’ schools represented in this report are at the very early stages of their development journey (on average their Development Offices have been established between 4 – 6 years), whilst Development Offices in boys’ schools have been established on average for 11 – 20 years.” They also found that boys’ day schools were investing on average nearly three times as much in fundraising as the girls’ day schools.

Here in Australia and New Zealand, the annual benchmarking of university fundraising conducted by CASE also shows an incredibly strong relationship between investment in fundraising and the level of philanthropic support received. Given the close fit with the UK school data, it seems reasonable to conclude that the same is likely to apply across the educational sector here, not just for universities.

This is a crucial lesson for our schools: if we allow our self-belief to be eroded by historic underperformance by girls’ schools, we risk perpetuating this gender imbalance, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy that boys’ schools will always outdo girls’ schools when it comes to philanthropy. Instead, shouldn’t we embrace the example of our colleagues at the boys’ schools where they have invested consistently and heavily and are now reaping the rewards?

We also need to be direct in our communication with parents and alumnae – unapologetically explaining that our schools have a responsibility to be out there fundraising, to ensure that current and future generations of girls can enjoy the same opportunities as their brothers. Indeed, we need them to step up and be even more generous, because there’s already a big gap in the dollars that have been committed to the education of boys compared to that of girls, and this urgently needs closing.

For me, amongst the many valuable take homes from this year’s International Conference was the title of the Lauriston Foundation’s campaign, which beautifully encapsulates the message that needs telling louder and wider:

“It’s Her Turn!”

Paul Dennett | Director of Development at Queenwood School, NSW 

Coping with the transition to college life with St John’s College within the University of Sydney

What is a college? A college can be a secondary school, an educational institution for higher learning, or a place of residence for students studying at a university.

A residential college such as St John’s College within the University of Sydney is an academic community and supportive environment for students who are committed to their studies and enjoy sharing experiences in a collegial environment. Living within a collegial environment has its challenges and the below journey with S.T.R.E.A.M (verb. a flow of continuous current in a specified direction) can help prepare a student for their next milestone in life.

Stay in touch with family and friends back home
It is comforting to talk with familiar people when so much has changed around you, so it is important to maintain those close relationships.

Time management and routine
Effective time management helps provide stability. Introduce a new routine into your life within your first month on campus. Plan out times to study and complete assignments. Also try to stick to regular meals and a consistent sleep schedule. Students struggle to establish a routine because college provides so much freedom, but taking the initiative to do so will relieve stress.

Resources
Use the resources provided to help you transition to college life. Talk to your Resident Assistant (RA) about campus living. See your Academic Dean for academic assistance. Colleges understand that it takes time to adjust to a new way of life. They want to help you succeed. Take advantage of any resources you need to flourish in this new setting.

Establish new friendships
Some students are excited at the chance to meet so many new people, while others may have more of a shy nature. Regardless of what you are feeling, it is important to make meaningful connections with your fellow students.

Alleviate expectations
The culture sets certain expectations for a college. The common stereotype is this is a fun, carefree time full of independence and opportunities to meet new people. Before entering your first semester of college, make a conscious effort to let go of any expectations you have and enjoy the present moment.

Maintenance
Students mistakenly put all the emphasis on academic performance and social activities. They may even start to neglect their health. Make sure you have adequate rest time, a balanced and nutritional diet, and take care of your wellbeing.

Transitioning from secondary to tertiary education can be an overwhelming experience, so make it an exciting one!

By LeVina Huirua | Registrar at St John’s College within the University of Sydney

New resources for your knowledgebank

Would you like to be inspired, learn something new or keep informed? Do you want to work on your own personal development? How about learning more about your profession by listening to experts in your field?

We have updated the Resources portal to include all of the online SIGs from earlier in the year. Watch or listen to our Special Interest Group discussions to hear your peers openly discuss issues, tried solutions and their positive results. Listen as our members do what Educate Plus members do best, support and help each other through the sharing of knowledge, tools and processes.

You can also subscribe to your favourite podcast channel and listen to our latest recordings on your way to work.

Below is a list of the most recently updated resources:

VIC/TAS Chapter Fundraising SIG: The Donor Relationship Lifecycle | 5 April 2022 | VIEW

Presenter: Penny Richards Fowler

WA Chapter Marketing SIG | 31 March 2022 | VIEW

Facilitator: Clare Underdown

NSW/ACT Chapter Marketing SIG | 30 March 2022 | VIEW

Panellists:  Yvette Graniero, Kelly Mancey and Philippa Zingales

Admissions SIG | 28 March 2022 | VIEW

Presenter: Ben Foley, Clifford Gouldson Lawyers

Leadership SIG: Collaborate with Class | 17 March 2022 | VIEW

Panellists: Nell Anderson, Grant Birse, and Mandy McFarland. Facilitator: Myfanwy Stanfield 

NSW/ACT Chapter Fundraising SIG | 10 March 2022 | VIEW

Presenters: Steven Barwald. Facilitators: Hannah Atwell, and Jackie Dalton 

NSW/ACT Chapter Alumni SIG: Maximising Engagement | 1 March 2022 | VIEW

Presenters: Sandy Goddard & Jack Campion 

2023 NSW/ACT Chapter Summit

As we start to plan for 2023, for both the Chapter Conference (about to be re-branded as a Summit) and other activities, we will be looking for your input. We’re delighted to announce the dates for our 2023 NSW/ACT Chapter Summit on 18 & 19 May 2023, with the location to be announced very soon. Formally known as a Chapter Conference, this Summit will be our peak networking event for 2023 and we are keen to get your thoughts and feedback on what you would like from this event.

We’re also keen to hear your thoughts on our communications and activities and what you, as a member, would like from Educate Plus in 2023.

We are asking you to ‘have your say’. Please spend a few minutes responding thoughtfully to the survey questions in the link below:

SURVEY

What’s On

We have a number of events lined up over the coming weeks and months. These events are a great opportunity to meet colleagues who work in the same areas and streams as you…to ask questions, network with other professionals and leave feeling inspired!

Please take a moment to view the details below – there is something for everyone.

You can also check the EVENTS page for updates.

Making data-based decisions – using census results to leverage strategy | Thursday 18 August | Webinar
Does your school, college or university make fact-based strategic decisions from reliable data and information? Do you know where to find reliable sources of data – both free of charge and by subscription? Do you have a way to cross-match your data with a specific area? For answers to all of these questions…and more, join us and guest speaker Peter Buckingham for this Collaborative Webinar presentation
Register here

Philanthropy and Asian cultures | Tuesday 23 August | Webinar
A three way conversation about how Asian cultures perceive philanthropy, and how best educational institutions can navigate the cultural sensitivities.

Register here

Advancement Practitioner Training | Thurs 1 and Fri 2 September | Face to face training
If you are looking to further your career in Advancement within the Education Sector, then the Advancement Practitioner Training courses are for you. Each course, in your chosen field of either Admissions, Alumni & Community Relations, Marcomms or Fundraising will give you all the practical and theoretical knowledge you need to fulfil the expectations of your role.

Spots are filling quickly so please register soon if you would like to participate this year.

Find out more…

Archives: Using archives to engage your community | Monday 22 August | Online SIG
All schools have a history that is unique, but how can you use your school’s history and Archives to engage your school community? Two School Archivists will join us online to share their ideas and experiences with us. Whether you are not sure where to start, or you have a well-developed Archives, this SIG is for you.
Register here

Admissions: Keeping your pipeline flowing | Tuesday 6 September | Online SIG
Whether your waiting list is long or short, it’s essential to keep families engaged with your institution to acquire, retain and build loyalty.  We will consider how you can improve your engagement with future families, deepening your connection with them and ensuring that your messaging is timely, targeted and engaging.

Register here

Welcome to Our New Members

A very warm welcome to our new members! We look forward to meeting with you at one of our upcoming, PD or networking sessions. Please feel free to jump onto our website forum to ask a question, seek advice or listen to other hot topics. We also invite you to join our Facebook Group to stay updated with latest events and discussions.

Stay Connected!

Stay connected with your fellow Advancement professionals to keep abreast of best practice, discover new approaches and technologies and gain valuable industry insights.

To keep you to up to date with what’s happening at Educate Plus and within your sector, please connect with us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn 

You can also join the NSW/ACT Facebook page, a local hub in which to discuss issues and latest trends, ask questions, share insights or tell us others about your achievements.