The first edition of what is hoped to become “a regular and useful podcast for anyone interested in what is happening in the non-profit sector in the UK and beyond” has been put together by the person behind Fundraising Technology blog. It’s a nice example of how to do it.

Hi, I am a student currently working for the Mercosur Network in Uruguay, an organization that strives toward the economic integration of the Mercosur region (Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil). It is an incredible organization, but there is not too much money to be found in South America for causes such as these. I am attempting to start to fundraise in order to fund more research, conferences, etc… but am completely lost on how to start fundraising internationally. Any ideas/suggestions?

Do-it, the site which enables volunteer matching, has launched a range of blogs by volunteers.

There are a number of contributors to each of The Overseas Blog, The Students’ Blog, The Campaigners’ Blog, but we were surprised, or possibly just amused, to note that all 7 or 8 bloggers are female. Hopefully they’ve got some blokes lined up - wouldn’t want volunteering being seen as just a girlie thing, would we?

While on blogs, David Miliband, the minister reshuffled to head up environment food and rural affairs (DEFRA) has managed to ‘move’ his pioneering blog. That’s in quote marks as at present it still resides at ODPM but with a rebranding. And don’t confuse him with his brother Ed, now minister for the voluntary sector in the Cabinet Office.

Here’s the start of an interesting post on YouthNet’s blog (4th May):

“Should the local volunteering infrastructure be funded by national government?

“On a day when turnout in local elections is expected to be below 40%, volunteering provides a good illustration of the tensions between national and local.

“On the one hand, national government wants to utilise volunteering to meet their policy goals on everything from crime reduction to youth inclusion. They’re prepared to put money in, but direct funding of the local volunteering infrastructure (Volunteer Centres) is off-limits. That, through custom rather than any set rules, is funded by local government.”

And the post ends:
“It would take a brave government to reduce funding for things like volunteering in order to force them up the local political agenda. And it’s not something that national volunteering organisations, who themselves benefit from centralisation, are ever likely to advocate.”

For the rest, see YouthNet blog: youth issues, volunteering, charity life and technology.