On any given night, more than 105,000 Australians experience homelessness and 44% of those experiencing homelessness are women, and over 17,000 children under the age of 12 do not have a stable place to call home in Australia. These statistics are unacceptable to me, which is why I will be joining business and community leaders from around Australia to take part in the 2017 Vinnies CEO Sleepoutraising awareness and vital funds to support services for the thousands of men, women and children experiencing homelessness across the country.  

To find out more about how Vinnies communicates to drive action to respond to homelessness, I interviewed David Wark, Chief Executive Officer for the St Vincent de Paul Society in South Australia. David is committed to serving the people who seek the Society’s assistance, be it through utilising his business expertise to ensure critical support services are maintained. In today’s episode of Be The Drop, David talks about not over-inflating his role among the many people who make Vinnies services possible, about uniting the not-for-profit and corporate worlds, and he stresses the importance of the human touch in effective communication…

If you also find these statistics unacceptable, I encourage you to donate much needed funds by following this link to my fundraising page (also included at the bottom of the post).

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Focus on what and who is important.

David might be the CEO of Vinnies SA but he considers himself to be only one small part of the big picture. His Be The Drop “items of significance” reflect this: A rug signifies the people that Vinnies exists to help; a pair of cufflinks once belonging to a now deceased Vinnies volunteer reminds David of the thousands of past and current volunteers. These are the people at the heart of Vinnies.

David explains that it’s the volunteers that keep Vinnies going; the staff are merely supporting those volunteers. It’s the volunteers that are out in the field doing the hard yards. And with around 3,000 volunteers – the highest number ever – it means that the vast majority of funds raised go to the people that actually need it, those that are outside sleeping rough. 3,000 people donating 3-5 hours per week adds up to a whole lot of value to the community each year.

Listen to David’s Be The Drop podcast episode here:

It’s important to engage with the corporate world. 

Those Vinnies cufflinks that connect David to the thousands of volunteers past and present also remind him of the importance of engaging with the corporate world. 

As a society, how we treat our poorest is a very significant thing. By getting profit-driven organisations to understand that there are a lot of people out there just trying to find their next meal, a hugely positive impact can be made. 

Some people within the Vinnies community might worry that the charity is becoming too commercial, but David and his team are focused on providing help to the people that need it, and actually being commercial is a huge part of that. 

I see myself as only one cog in the wheel; I support my staff who are supporting our volunteers out in the field doing the hard yards.

Don’t underestimate the power of face-to-face.

We live in a digital world. But don’t underestimate the power of face-to-face communication. David says that, while it consumes heaps of time, face-to-face is how the Vinnies community wants to be communicated with and it’s therefore the most effective way, particularly when it comes to change communications. David spends a great deal of time, along with the State President, letting people know what direction Vinnies is going in, why, and how it affects people. This creates tremendous traction and real support. Be really clear, no ambiguity; honest, which at times can be difficult; eyeball to eyeball, tell it how it is. That’s the most effective way to communicate. 

David also uses the personal touch when it comes to CEO Sleepout communication. The efficiency of email and other electronic forms can’t be overlooked, he says, so he emails every participant after the Sleepout thanking them and acknowledging their efforts.  

Define the outcome of your interaction.

David states clearly that the desired outcome when Vinnies interacts with its primary community of people they support, known as their “companions”, is that they leave feeling a little bit better about themselves. He explains that there are 3 key areas in which Vinnies operates: Food, shelter, clothing; the most basic needs for every human. The integrity and dignity of the person they’re serving is fundamental, so every interaction with each “companion” is meant to provide them with more dignity. Each time they should feel a little bit better about themselves. The use of the word “companion” is also important in supporting this by communicating the message that Vinnies is walking side by side with their “companions” on this journey. Hopefully, David says, the path they travel together is a better one. 

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT

With Vinnies support, we can change the lives of thousands of homeless Aussies. Homelessness is not a choice, but I’m choosing to experience it for just one uncomfortable winter night to raise money to help those people that desperately need it. You don’t need to join me on the soggy cardboard, but you can join me by supporting my fundraising efforts >> just follow this link to my fundraising page. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

 

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Thank you again for tuning in and listening to the BTD podcast, I can’t wait for the next installment to bring you more inspiring people talking about their strategies for connecting with and building a positive community.

 Amelia xx

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