Student Interviews

Survival Skills with Robbie Pakes, Diploma of Business graduate

World Vision head office in Melbourne enjoys the help of hundreds of volunteers in roles ranging from customer service to research. Managing and co-ordinating this wealth of help requires sound volunteer management practices. The World Vision CEO recommended Robbie Pakes as a suitable candidate for a BHP Billiton Community Trust scholarship. Robbie's application was successful; she was awarded a scholarship to study a Diploma of Business with The School of Volunteer Management.

Robbie is Senior Volunteer Coordinator with World Vision's National Volunteer Program. She has kindly agreed to talk to us and share some of the skills that she applied to complete her Diploma of Business.

Survival Skill 1: Manage your study time & space

For Robbie, home is where the heart is, but it's not necessarily the best place to study. There were too many demands on her time, and Robbie couldn't find a peaceful place to concentrate. The answer? Robbie stayed back at work several nights each week to study for her Diploma.

Survival Skill 2: Don't cling to your assumptions

If you're going to learn new skills, then be prepared to have your old ones challenged. The course challenged Robbie to think about new topics, and look at old topics in new ways. She enjoyed developing her critical thinking skills to ensure she was examining issues logically. Robbie feels these skills provide a good foundation for a career as a volunteer management professional.

Survival Skill 3: Get ready to change the way you work

Getting set in your ways can limit your performance at work. Robbie particularly appreciates the practical skills that the course has taught her. These include: ensuring staff and volunteers appreciate each other's thoughts and skills; setting-up strategies to ensure volunteers are valued, recognised and rewarded for their work; and making sure you are tolerant and open-minded towards everyone with whom you're working.

Survival Skill 4: Be prepared to knuckle-down

Since graduating, Robbie confides she's "feeling fantastic", "over-the-moon" and is "popping the champers". But she's under no illusion about what it takes to meet the study challenges you are set: "bloody hard work". So what helped Robbie cope with the workload? Robbie cites her tenacity, will-power and self-discipline.

Survival Skill 5: Love your job

Studying takes a good amount of effort, so after completing your course you want to make sure you're reaping the right sorts of rewards. For Robbie, volunteer management puts her in touch with people who passionately believe in the purpose of World Vision's mission abroad. Robbie feels there's no substitute for working with staff and volunteers who are passionate about what they do.

We wish to extend our heartfelt congratulations to Robbie Pakes, and our warm thanks for talking to us so we could publish to this article.

SVM would like to acknowledge the BHP Billiton Community Trust for their support for Robbie Rakes and other SVM students.