Fundraisers reap rewards for hard work

Delivery partners for the course, NICVA and Queen’s, were joined by guest speaker Roger Courtney from Courtney Consulting, a renowned and well known expert in the field of fundraising, to celebrate the completion of the first joint programme between the University and the representative body for the voluntary and community sector (NICVA).

Those receiving certificates included:

• Gillian McMullan - Cats Protection League
• Susan Taylor - Vela Microboards NI
• Jennifer Thornton - Dance Resource Base
• Louise Metcalfe - East Belfast Mission
• Philip Campbell - Down Community Arts
• Gayle McCabrey - Cats Protection League
• Jane Williams – Independent fundraiser
• Anne Holland – Cahoots NI
• Conor Stiobhard - Comhairle na Gaelscolaiochta
• Cara McCann - Community Change
• Sarah Young – SE Trust
• Karen McConkey - Womens Aid Antrim, Ballymena, Carrickfergus, Larne and Newtownabbey

In the photo: From left to right Cathal McManus, QUB; Gillian McMullan, Cats Protection League; Susan Taylor, Vela Microboards NI; Tess Hurson, QUB; Jennifer Thornton, Dance Resource Base; Roger Courtney, Courtney Consulting; Neil Irwin, NICVA; Louise Metcalfe, East Belfast Mission; Una McKernan, NICVA; Philip Campbell, Down Community Arts; Roisin Kelly, NICVA; Gayle McCabrey, Cats Protection League

Tess Hurson, of Open Learning at Queen’s, welcomed NICVA’s collaboration on the course before congratulating and presenting students with certificates.

Una McKernan, Deputy Chief Executive of NICVA said “I would like to thank Queen’s for working so successfully to introduce the new course.”
 
Roger Courtney, guest speaker at the event, explained that it was a commonly held view that you can do fundraising without training, and that it was not recognised as a serious skill.  He said “There is a need to develop a range of fundraising skills to survive over the next 10 years in the voluntary and community sector.  Where are the diplomas and masters courses in fundraising?  There is a real need to develop these.”
 
Neil Irwin, NICVA Fundraising Manager and course tutor said of the Managing to Fundraise course: “It was designed to enable charities to increase income to their organisation through more strategic fundraising practice and using a broader range of fundraising methods and techniques. This is increasingly important given the greater demand for services and reducing income many charities are experiencing. The qualification the course provides is also something participants can use to complement other learning they undertake or for career development.”
 
NICVA is re-running the Managing to Fundraise course on 19 October 2010 (the second day of the two day course is 2 November 2010). The course costs £220 or £150 for NICVA members. For more information or to book a place contact roisin.kelly@nicva.org  or telephone 028 9087 7777.  For more information on this and the other courses available, www.nicva.org/content/training-calendar
 
The Managing to Fundraise course provides 5 CATS points which can be used towards other qualifications, subject to terms.