Goodbye, AVA
On March 1st, the Association for Volunteer Administration (AVA), the international professional association for volunteer management, closed its doors and went out of business due to financial mishap. Funds were misappropriated, and as a result the organization has declared bankruptcy and dissolved. It is an unpleasant and difficult situation to say the least.
There is a lot to digest in this news, and we wanted to make sure our members had a clear understanding of the potential impact on our local organization.
VAN-DOVIA of King County still exists and we will not have any legal or financial obligations in the wake of the AVA bankruptcy and dissolution.
VAN-DOVIA of King County was an Affinity of the AVA. What this meant is that we made the commitment to promote the AVA and to encourage our members to become AVA members. In return AVA promoted our organization on its website, provided supporting materials, and gave VAN-DOVIA members a discount on AVA products and programs. VAN-DOVIA did not pay dues to AVA, we did not have a contract or charter with AVA, and we are not financially responsible to the AVA.
What is an impact
though, is that we are left with a void in resources to our profession.
At the national and international level the AVA provided an annual conference,
consulting and training services, certification, a professional journal,
and international advocacy for volunteerism and professionalism in volunteer
development.
Conversations are starting on a national basis about what will come next,
and a meeting session on this topic has been added to the National Points
of Light Conference in Seattle in June. Understandably, whatever comes
next will not immediately be available, nor will it necessarily duplicate
what the AVA offered.
Some AVA resources will continue...
CYBERVPM
– an international e-mail listserve, is continuing as a yahoo group
and ownership was transferred from AVA to the moderators of the listserve.
The Certificate
of Volunteer Administration (CVA) program will continue and
those who have started the process for this year will be able to complete
their credential.
The Journal of Volunteer Administration will be published out of Ohio State University.
...some will not.
The 2006 International conference of Volunteering has been cancelled. The AVA website and numerous member resources are no longer available. The AVA Academy will not be offered for the foreseeable future.
For VAN-DOVIA, our
work to strengthen our local network and resources becomes even more vital.
We are proud to be growing - our February 3rd conference attracted over
100 attendees from King, Snohomish, Pierce, Thurston and Kitsap counties.
We are committed to serving as the hub for volunteer development resources
for the region.
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About
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Want to know more about the benefits of VAN-DOVIA membership? Download this brochure (.pdf) |
Contact Us:
DOVIA
of King County
PO Box 19584, Seattle, WA 98109
Tel:
206-442-9615
Email:
dovia@doviakc.org
