APRIL 2008
COMPEEREVIEW
1973
Making
Friends
Changing
Lives
years
years
2008
A PUBLICATION OF COMPEER INC.
2008 Marks Compeer Milestones
1973
The Compeer concept was
born as Adopt-A-Patient in Rochester, New
York to help hospitalized mental health patients transition to the community. The local
Mental Health Association, which began the
program, later hired a new director, Bernice
“Bunny” Skirboll, whose first decision was to
change the name to Compeer.
Janssen Renews
Compeer Support
Janssen, L.P. has contributed
$15,000 in support of Compeer
Inc.’s general mission and international conference.
Communication tools such as the
CompeeReview and an 800 telephone line are made possible
through this support. The toll-free
number allows Compeer Inc. to
provide technical assistance and
staff training to affiliates.
Compeer’s international conferences have featured professionally
recognized presenters: Chris Marshall, Consumer Affairs Specialist,
Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration (SAMHSA),
Amy Long, Trainer/Educator, National Empowerment Center, Otto
Wahl, Ph.D., University of Hartford.
“Janssen has understood the importance of social integration in the
mental health recovery continuum,”
said Mary Ellen Budny, vice president, Compeer Inc. “We applaud
their pioneering philosophy in addressing the entire individual -mind, body, and spirit.”
1983
Compeer, already firmly established in New York State, went national.
Within a year, programs in Pennsylvania,
Ohio and Kansas were up and running.
Compeer became an international organization in 1986 with Montreal, Canada as the first
affiliate outside the U.S.
Nordhaus Named to Directorship
Lea Nordhaus has been
named Director of Operations for Compeer Inc. Although the promotion was
effective January 1, Nordhaus had been involved in
several Compeer projects
during 2007, including an
affiliate survey and the international conference.
“Lea had already demonstrated commitment to the
Compeer mission,” said
Peter M. Palermo III, president, Compeer Inc.. “Her
professional background
makes her a valuable addition to the team.”
administration,
maintenance of the Compeer Inc.
website and blog, and the
Compeer
international
conference.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from
Nordhaus will utilize her
the University of Rochescertification as a Project
ter.
Management Professional
to oversee special projects
that foster affiliate commu- Inside This Issue
nication and support affili- Teams
Page 2
ate growth, such as survey New Affiliates
2
Compeer Welcomes
Three New Affiliates
Meet them on Page 2
State Award Winners
3
Annual Surveys
3
Outstanding in 2007
Back
COMPEEREVIEW
Page 2
Teams Form to Target Key Issues
On the final day of the 2007 Compeer International Conference, attendees of the annual Membership
Meeting participated in a brainstorming session to identify issues
affecting Compeer. To prioritize the
issues identified as in need of attention and improvement, the team
weighed each item on the list to determine its application to and impact
on the greater Compeer team
(Compeer Inc., the affiliate programs, and community partners).
Four key issues emerged as a result
of this process; attendees agreed
that they should be addressed in
2008. Since the close of the conference, Compeer Inc. has worked to
assemble taskforces to tackle the
four projects, which include:
•
Branding – developing a cohesive brand and brand strategy
for use throughout the organization
affiliate program staff, Compeer Inc.
staff, and Compeer Inc. board members.
The next step for moving the proTraining – updating, improving jects forward includes dissemination
of project planning tools to the
and standardizing training colteams. Compeer Inc. has provided a
lateral
template for the teams to outline
• Compeer’s “One Story” – de- their objectives, identify key steps
veloping a cohesive story which to be taken to achieve the objecdescribes Compeer and its
tives, and a timeline for completion.
benefits / successes to be used These “project charters” will be
throughout the organization
reviewed and agreed to by all task• Collaboration – coordinating
force participants. Compeer Inc. will
partnerships with relevant orprovide general assistance to all of
the taskforces as needed, as well as
ganizations such as SAMHSA
tools to facilitate collaboration, inFollowing a call for volunteers, Comcluding teleconferencing capability.
peer Inc. has finalized the assembly
of taskforces. The teams include
•
Three New Programs Join Compeer Family
Compeer enjoyed three program startups in the latter part of 2007. New affiliates in Montana
and South Australia became the first Compeer programs in these areas, and Compeer Inc. welcomed the return of an old friend in Texas.
Adelaide, South Australia
Helena, Montana
Sponsor agency:
Sponsor agency:
Rocky Mountain Development Council St. Vincent de Paul Society (SA) Inc.
Compeer
Coordinator:
Les Clark
Compeer
Coordinator:
Sarah Taylor
Hot Topics at Affiliate CAFE
Beginning Monday mornings in April, Compeer affiliates will be able to visit the Compeer Affiliate Free Exchange (CAFÉ) to enjoy
items of common interest, such as recruitment. Compeer Inc. is initiating this weekly
opportunity as another way to perk up programs’ resource base.
Dallas, Texas
Sponsor agency:
MHA of Greater Dallas
Consumer Program Director:
Ricardo Aguilar
Web Site Update Makes Giving Easier
Now it’s easier than ever to support Compeer!
An update to our account through PayPal, a secure online site, allows companies and individual donors to financially contribute to
the Compeer mission.
www.compeer.org/support/donate.htm
COMPEEREVIEW
Page 3
Compeer Sydney Wins 2007 NAB Volunteer Awards
Compeer Sydney has won the 2007
National Australia Bank Volunteer
Awards in the small/medium category
in New South Wales (NSW). The NAB
Volunteer Awards are one of Australia’s most successful recognition programs for best practice in volunteering, paying tribute to outstanding volunteer work conducted over the past
12 months.
Compeer received the 2007 NAB Volunteer Award for being a volunteer
not-for-profit organization that most
successfully demonstrated the following criteria: best practice in volunteerCompeer Sydney accepts a check for $10,000 (AUD) as winners of a 2007 NAB
ing, benefits of the organization and
award. There were over 600 entries for the state of NSW. Left to right: Fr. Claude
its activities to the target group and
Mostowik, Pam Virgona, Alicia Boyd, Faye Carey, Rhonda Wannan, Tricia
the local community in general, and
Meers, Carmel Smith, Tony Smith, Emily Hayes, Andrew Geczy, John Picot.
innovation demonstrated in volunteering and innovation in the project or
Since its affiliation with
give the most precious gift one can Australia.
activities.
give to another in need: their time and Compeer Inc. in 1995, SVDP has expanded its programs across Australia,
Tricia Meers, Compeer Sydney coor- themselves.”
also including programs in Campbelldinator, said, “We are thrilled to reCompeer Sydney, which includes the
town, Illawarra, Wyong, Gosford, Alceive this award as it recognizes the
Lewisham, Blacktown and Chatswood
bury and Griffith in NSW and in Victoextraordinary contribution and comprograms, is “a special work” of The
ria and South Australia.
mitment of our volunteers in demonSt. Vincent de Paul Society (SVDP) in
strating the power of friendship. They
Annual Survey Initiative Underway
Much like accountants, Compeer programs spend a great deal of effort
counting, adding and tallying in the
months leading up to April. But rather
than preparing income tax forms,
Compeer programs spend the spring
months examining and evaluating the
business of 1:1 friendship matches for
Compeer Inc.’s annual survey initiative.
vides. This, in turn, demonstrates to
funders and the international community that Compeer is a credible and
valuable organization. Many affiliate
programs have testified to the power
of data and information, having
learned firsthand how the “cold hard
facts” can be very persuasive!
Survey results are due to Compeer
Inc. in April. This marks the first year
that programs have the option to submit their survey information electronically. Compeer Inc. has made simple
and easy online collection tools available to all affiliates. In addition to our
online site, affiliates may also submit
their information via fax, email or
postal mail.
Each year, Compeer asks its affiliate
programs to administer surveys to all
of their key constituencies: clients,
volunteers, referring mental health
professionals, and for youth matches,
clients’ parents / guardians. The surveys focus on each group’s perception of the impact of Compeer’s services on the client, as well as their
Compeer Inc. appreciates all of the
satisfaction with and general feedhard work that goes into the survey
back on Compeer.
process. Cooperation with this initiaThe collection, aggregation and re- tive demonstrates our programs’
porting of this information is critical to compliance with Best Practices, as
the continued success of Compeer well as a dedication to advancing the
Inc. and its programs. The evaluation healing power of friendship for all
process helps validate the effective- Compeer programs.
ness of the services Compeer proInformation contact: lea@compeer.org
Above, Playshop co-leaders Louise Ranck
and Sonny Ditzler help a Compeer gathering find its rhythm.
Compeer Lancaster friends and volunteers spoke the language of music during a recent African Drumming Playshop.
Four times per year the program runs
Compeer Connections, two hour
events sponsored by local organizations. Different groups, clubs, or congregations provide refreshments, an
activity and some time to socialize.
“Each Connections is very different
but always a lot of fun,” said program
director Sarah Myers. “Our African
Drumming Playshop was extra
special.”
2007 Awards Given for
Exemplary Efforts
The Compeer Program Awards recognize
the outstanding achievements and contributions of staff, volunteers, matches and advisory board members. The following awards
were presented at the 23rd Compeer International Conference held in November 2007:
∗
Adult Match, Compeer Lancaster, No
Longer Alone Ministries (Pa.)
∗
∗
Youth Match, Compeer Niagara (N.Y.)
Compeer Inc.
2008 Board
Philip A. Fain, Chair
REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES
Mark R. Aesch
Australia
Tricia Meers
Robert Colangelo
Kansas
Patty Gnefkow
Patricia Phillips
(co-representatives)
Program Director, Deborah E. Dobbins,
MHA of York & Adams Counties Compeer Program (Pa.)
∗
Volunteer Leadership, David A. Jones,
Board President, Compeer of the Mohawk Valley Inc. (N.Y.)
∗
Fund-Raising Idea, Compeer of the Mohawk Valley Inc. (N.Y.)
∗
Innovative Idea, Compeer of the MHA of
South Central Kansas (Kan.)
∗
Volunteer Recruitment Idea, Compeer
Lancaster, No Longer Alone Ministries
(Pa.)
∗
Public Relations Achievement, Compeer
of Monongalia County, Inc. (W.Va.)
CompeeReview
New York
Johanna Ambrose
Ohio
Marilyn Phillips
Pennsylvania
Elaine Callihan
Joe Cruice
(co-representatives)
West
Shannon Jaccard
Steve Gadd
Pam Giambrone
Ted H. Kordela
Michael Paddock
Martin L. Stern
CompeeReview is a publication of
Compeer, Inc.
President
Peter M. Palermo III
V.P., Customer Relations
Mary Ellen Budny
CompeeReview contact information:
1.800.836.0475
Co-editors:
Johanna Ambrose, Lea Nordhaus
jambrose@compeer.org
www.compeer.org
Co
A PUBLICATION OF COMPEER INC.
400 Andrews Street
Suite 340
Rochester, NY 14604
(800) 836-0475
www.compeer.org
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Compeer is a Connect America Partner and a member of America’s Promise.
This newsletter is donated in part through the generosity of Janssen, L.P.