Volunteer Newsletter February 2018

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1 Volunteer Newsletter February 2018 We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of this land and pay our respects to their Elders, past, present and future. Welcome to Barb Martin Bushbank volunteers We are very pleased to welcome the volunteer members of the Barb Martin Bushbank to the Nature Parks team, as they continue to undertake valuable work in conserving our native flora. The Barb Martin Bushbank aligns well with Nature Parks conservation work and we are looking forward to our propagation teams joining forces in the near future. Read more about the Bushbank here: Bushbank volunteers in action Rob, Judy, Danny, Liz and Ineke.

2 Conservation Volunteer Weeks Every year the Nature Parks has a set period where volunteers come for 1-2 weeks to help with conservation work such as seed collection, revegetation and weed removal. This work is important to improving the availability of habitat for native wildlife, and protecting rare and threatened vegetation. Over three weeks, we had 30 dedicated volunteers come to help us reach our conservation outcomes by assisting with seed collection, propagation, moving penguin boxes and weed control. The next session will take place for one week in April so if you d like to get involved please volunteers@penguins.org.au. January s volunteer group enjoying the view at the Nobbies with Volunteer Coordinator, Rachael Ferguson. Penguin Research Rebecca Shaefar volunteered with the Conservation Department for approximately three months, assisting on the penguin bio-logging project. Rebecca deployed GPS and fitbits on penguins during incubation, guard and post guard. Volunteers like Rebecca make a significant contribution to our research, while learning and practicing new skills a win-win for all involved. While here, she also gave a talk to staff on her concluded project on cats and little penguins in South Australia. Thanks to Rebecca for the help, skills and knowledge you brought to the Nature Parks Conservation Team. Rebecca pictured above handling a Little Penguin.

3 Special Events and Training Community Open Day Sunday 4 th of March 2018 Bass Coast Shire residents are invited to enjoy free entry and join the fun of Phillip Island Nature Parks eighth annual Community Open Day on Sunday 4 th of March. More information on the Community Open Day can be found here: Volunteer Inductions Every volunteer at the Nature Parks is required to do a volunteer induction to ensure you have the information required to complete your role. If you haven t already participated in an induction, we are holding face-to-face inductions on the following days: Thursday 8 th of March 9 am 12 pm Nobbies Function Centre Sunday 8 th of April 10 am 1 pm Nobbies Function Centre Please Rachael at volunteers@penguins.org.au or call to let her know if you can make one of these sessions. Morning tea will be provided. Visitor Experience Training On Thursday 8 th of March we are holding another session of the Visitor Experience training for our volunteers that interact with the public on a regular basis. Facilitated by John Pastorelli, the training will give volunteers extra tools to engage with visitors to deliver key messages and create positive interactions. If you re interested in our Visitor Experience roles or interested in attending the training as part of your role please Rachael at volunteers@penguins.org.au or call

4 Volunteer Profile Name: Dennis Role: Volunteer at the Barb Martin Bushbank. I help with weed control, propagation, maintenance and all trades. How long have you been volunteering at the Nature Parks: 2 years at the Bushbank Best part about volunteering: Finding a job close to home, meeting the people I volunteer with and visitors to the Bushbank. Motto in life: If you do it, do it well! What s happening at the Nature Parks? Strategic Plan It s an exciting time as we plan for the next five years through the development of our Strategic Plan , and Conservation Plan. These plans will play an important role in driving our priorities for Conservation, Visitor Experience, Our Community and Our People. The Strategic Plan focuses heavily on accelerating our conservation objectives, improving the way we engage with visitors, and developing stronger connections with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. Using the valuable input from community and stakeholder engagement sessions conducted in November and December, we look forward to presenting the final plan in the coming months. The development of the Conservation Plan will commence shortly and opportunities for engagement in this process will be provided. Child Protection Policy The Nature Parks has updated the Child Protection Policy and Standards in line with National legislation to promote and protect the interests of children. The Policy has been uploaded to Better Impact here: A key change in the policy is all volunteers that have direct contact with children (e.g. Visitor Experience roles, volunteers working at community events or in public places, e.g. Hooded Plover Watch) must have a Working With Children Check. You can apply online at Working with Children Checks are free for volunteers. If you would like assistance filling in the

5 online form Rachael will be at the Bushbank at the following times to help people: Wednesday 28 th of February 9 am 12 pm Thursday 1 st of March 9 am 12 pm Staff Profile Name: Kate Adams Role: Manager, Visitor Experience How long have you been working at the Nature Parks: Since October 2017 Most memorable volunteer moment: When I was 18 and national parks offered me a job as volunteer camp host at my favourite camp ground in Ben Boyd NP. Motto in life: Live to learn, laugh and love! Volunteer Opportunities Visitor Experience roles at Churchill Island and the Nobbies ongoing We re currently recruiting for volunteers in Visitor Experience roles at Churchill Island and the Nobbies. These roles play an important part in ensuring visitors have an interesting and memorable visit, which hopefully encourages people to contribute to conservation. If you re passionate about conservation, want to be part of a fun and dynamic team, and love talking to people then this role is perfect for you. Contact Rachael at volunteers@penguins.org.au or for more information. Community Open Day Sunday 4 March 2018 The Community Open Day is fast approaching and we re looking for volunteers to help out on the day. We re looking for volunteers to help with photography, visitor surveys, signing people up to our Bubbles not Balloons campaign and providing visitor information. If you would like to be part of this great event you can sign up by logging into Better Impact at Click on opportunities then Community Open Day and sign up for the activities you re interested in being a part of at this fun community event.

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