Young Accountants 'Volunteer Match' Launch: NSW
4 February 2002 at 12:02 pm
Chartered Accountants in NSW are queuing up ‘online’ to help charities in their state.
More than 200 representatives of Not for Profit organisations and chartered accountants joined forces in Sydney last week for the NSW launch of the Young Professionals Volunteer Match program.
Following on from the highly successful Victorian program Pro Bono Australia and the Institute of Chartered Accountants are putting young professionals in touch with charitable and community groups in need of professional assistance through the skills matching program.
And already there has been an ‘online’ rush of CA’s wanting to get involved.
The program launch included guest speakers Louise Rafter, foundation director of the Pat Rafter Cherish the Children Foundation, and Karen Mahlab, Founder and Managing Director of Pro Bono Australia, at the new City Recital Hall.
Hosted by ICAA NSW regional manager, Pamela Lee who told the audience that chartered accountants will be welcomed by Not for Profit organisations for the real skills they have learned – ranging from their accounting knowledge, their administrative and fundraising skills to their mentoring capabilities.
Lee says the interest shown by young professionals has been unprompted. The idea came from the ICAA’s young chartered accountant committee.
She says in spite of the heavy workload many of them face, they are keen to make a valuable contribution to the community.
Pamela Lee said the committee approached the ICAA and asked for help to facilitate relationships with established and reputable organisations and charities.
As a result the ICAA and Pro Bono Australia initiated a program for the Victoria region four months ago. It has proved an instant successful with an initial 100 young CAs signing up and 80 more showing interest.
Now the program is in NSW where more than one third of ICAA’s 36,000 members work.
Young professionals are introduced to non-profit organisations through a web site, www.volunteermatch.com.aufrom which they can choose a category of interest. An interview is then conducted with the non-profit organisation to assess an applicant’s suitability.
Karen Mahlab outlined how the program worked and explained the specially designed web site which has already gone from strength to strength in Victoria.
She said the launch also offered a wonderful opportunity to meet up with many of our e-newsletter readers.
