President’s message

I wish to thank everyone who contacted me to offer congratulations on my appointment as Deputy Chair of the Educate Plus Board. This is my third year as VIC/TAS President and it is my intention to stand down from this role at the conclusion of the year to concentrate on this role. I encourage members to consider a position on the VIC/TAS Committee. Many of you have benefited by the enormous expertise from our Chapter members over the years. You may now wish to contribute to the future of this proud organisation by joining our incredibly passionate Committee.

I have felt enriched over the past few months. The huge number of webinars, SIG’s and professional opportunities available have provided an incredible learning experience. Without the requirement to commute to an office, take the children to sport, social activities or school and with restaurants and bars closed along with all other entertainment options, this has definitely been the year of professional development. And so much of it has been delivered by Educate Plus. I feel privileged to belong to such a giving organisation – one that is led by a team of highly professional staff and supported by the most wonderful group of volunteers. Although we can’t meet in person for now, we can continue to learn and share with each other – and this is what Educate Plus is all about.

To view what’s currently on offer and to register, please visit https://www.educateplus.edu.au/event/. Past events are also available for viewing through the Educate Plus website, simply log in and click on the Resources and then 2020 Recordings.

I am very much looking forward to attending the Fundraising SIG on Thursday 18 June, featuring Penny Bowman (Toorak College) and Alan Watkinson (Marts and Lundy). Register here.

I’m pleased to confirm that the 2020 International Conference has been rescheduled to run from 29 March to 1 April 2021 at the Adelaide Convention Centre. If you have already registered, your registration will be transferred to the new dates. There are still a number of bursaries and travel assistance packages available for members, so please reach out and enquire with Head Office.

To our VIC/TAS partners: Good Things, Somersault Group, Revolution Print, Indaga, My Cause, B2Me, YouTour, Action Words, Marts & Lundy, Global Philanthropic, Trybooking –  thank you for your continued support. Our membership will continue to engage with you as the year progresses in readiness for a huge back half of 2020 and 2021.

On behalf of the Chapter Committee, we look forward to continuing to serve you and to working with all members across Victoria and Tasmania. I invite you to reach out to me any time with your questions, suggestions and feedback so we can continue to improve and develop our work together.

Russell Davidson
VIC/TAS Chapter President

Guidelines for Configuring Zoom Safely and Securely

For most usage, Zoom is safe. However, there may be times when it is necessary to gauge the sensitivity of the content of the meeting and either configure Zoom to be more secure or choose another tool altogether. Below are some ways to configure Zoom for particular use cases.

Use the guide on this page to configure your Zoom account to both maximise your privacy and optimize your experience for different types of remote meetings at your organisation.

Read more…

For the Australian Government eSafety Commissioners guide to Zoom please click on this link: https://www.esafety.gov.au/key-issues/esafety-guide/zoom

Optimizing Prospect Engagement

Article from

Optimizing Prospect Engagement: Getting to the Red Zone

The wrong question: When can we start fundraising again? The right question: How can we create a stronger, more enduring community of shared purpose? Engaging your best prospects in more mission-critical ways, now and in the future, through virtual and actual means, will greatly increase their potential to give – when they’re ready to give again. Engagement can occur at four levels, as detailed below. Each complements the other and many donors progress from one to the other. However, too many organizations have relied too long on Informational and Consumable engagement. When COVID-19 struck, the weakness of those strategies became apparent. When top donors are ready to give again, they will give most generously to organizations that have offered them the most rewarding Experiential and Contributory opportunities. Serious donors don’t want organizations to put on shows, they want to show organizations the difference their talent can make. #philanthropy #fundraising #donorrelations #stewardship

Read more…

Don’t miss out on our VIC/TAS run Fundraising PD session: Impactful strategic planning for your fundraising and specific campaign goals webinar on June 18. Find out more and register here.

Educate Plus Resources

Due to many contributing factors, new technology, the move to working from home, the present threat of COVID-19, Educate Plus has looked at alternative options to provide our members with the information they need in a supportive environment – a flexible learning and sharing space. We are now offering some of our PD via webinar, which is also recorded for those members who cannot attend at that time and shared as an online resource.

The response to these has been nothing short of incredible, with around 2300 registrations for the various webinars and online training received to date. Not only have these provided a live opportunity for PD, but each has been recorded and uploaded into our Knowledge bank on the website.

“Thanks for the superb series of webinars. These have been most informative and have kept me feeling part of the advancement community.”
Sonia Brennan Wenona

If you would like to view any of these, simply click on one of the links below. Note: These recordings are only available to members and you must log in to our website to view. Read member testimonials here.

Webinars to date:

SIG’s to date:

All of these events are also offered as as audio recording/podcast if you would prefer to listen than watch a video through the podcast page.

VIC/TAS Featured member

Roslyn Holloway, Advancement Manager at Mentone Girls’ Grammar School

What is your role at Mentone Girls?

I have been the Advancement Manager for five years.  My role encompasses community engagement and fundraising.

Motto or personal mantra?

Live life to the brim. Things can change in the blink of an eye!

How has Educate Plus helped you in your career development?

I came into my role with no experience in philanthropy. I wouldn’t be where I am now without the incredible support of Educate Plus through mentorship, the Advanced Practitioner Course, conferences, webinars and networking. I’m so grateful and hope to give back to Educate Plus over time for the immense amount of support, knowledge and expertise I’ve gained.

What’s one thing you couldn’t live without?

My heater.  I loathe Melbourne winters!

Who has had the biggest impact on your career thus far and why?

I worked at the University of Melbourne for 15 years. One of my fondest memories was reporting to the Manager of International Relations. She had a brilliant sense of humour, was a phenomenal mentor and taught me a lot about culture, protocol, diplomacy and public relations. She gave me autonomy, positions of responsibility, the opportunity to travel and so on.

Favourite travel spot?

It would have to be spots!  I’ve really enjoyed my time in countries like Myanmar, Cambodia, the Philippines and Japan.

What’s the weirdest job you’ve ever had? 

My position in a Japanese trading company in the mid-1990s was wonderful but culturally really different!

How do you define success on the work front?

Achieving a phenomenal outcome through collaboration. I find colleague and stakeholder relations really fulfilling.

Tell us two things most people don’t know about you. 

I LOVE lollies.  I also enjoy art and crafts (sewing, cross stitch).

Welcome to our new members!

A very warm welcome to our new members! We look forward to meeting with you at one of our 2020 SIG’s, 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 Private FB Group which has up to date discussions with Educate Plus members. For all recent information in relation to the VIC/TAS Chapter please check out this page.