Demonstrate how your volunteer program is "igniting the future" by delivering a poster* or IGNITE! Session and sharing your best practices with your peers. Poster and IGNITE! Sessions are an opportunity to showcase the ways you and your program deliver an exceptional volunteer experience.

• IGNITE! Sessions: An innovative and unique learning format that is spreading across the country will be featured at the conference. IGNITE! Sessions are best summarized by this motto, "Enlighten us, but make it quick." In that vein, each presentation is exactly 5 minutes long. IGNITE! presenters focus on a single, simple and innovative message that shares personal and professional passions or unique strategies and approaches. Presenters create exactly 20 slides that NHPCO will auto-advance every 15 seconds. IGNITE! sessions are an ideal way to present:
  • A specific volunteer training idea
  • An interview strategy
  • An evaluation tool/approach
  • An innovative approach to recognition
  • A strategy to integrate volunteers into the IDT
  • A successful approach to working with patients and families
  • Other new, innovative and unique approach to hospice volunteerism

  IGNITE! Sessions can also be presented by individuals who want to share their passions, particularly meaningful interaction with patients/families, or what they have gained through their professional/volunteer work.

  Examples of "Ignite" Sessions

  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0FH-dTLw_U&feature=related
  • http://www.youtube.com/user/iGNiTe?blend=1&ob=4#p/u/3/rqSkuIkwQ98


• Poster Sessions: Visual presentations of program innovations, successful strategies or approaches. Have you developed a successful volunteer recruitment campaign that can be presented in visual form? Do you use specific tools/forms in your interview/selection process that have been beneficial? Have you created a recognition item or event that can be shared in a visual format? Effective poster sessions are focused on a single message, use graphics and images to convey the message (with minimal use of text), are well-ordered and sequenced in an obvious, easy to follow way. Posters will be displayed on the conference website and specific time to virtually meet with faculty will be included in the conference program. (a poster in this online format requires a simple PDF document of the poster that will be posted on the conference website. Posters must be submitted as a PDF file the preferred aspect ratio of 4:3. (i.e. 24 in x 18 in, 48 in x 36 in, etc.)

  Examples of Poster Sessions: http://www.meetingproceedings.com/2011/posters/awea2/home.asp

Submit a Proposal:

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Additional Information

• About the Conference
• Important Dates
• Target Audience
• Types of Presentations
• Selection of Conference Faculty
• Required Information
• Financial Disclosures
• Presentation Expectations
• Conference Schedule
• Areas of Emphasis and Topic Ideas
• Submission Requirements
• Proposal Review, Selection and Notification Process
• Electronic Communications
• Presenter Registration Discount
• Glossary of Terms

About the Conference

NHPCO's Volunteer Leadership Virtual Conference (VLVC) will offer extensive and intensive basic (for the novice), intermediate (for the proficient) and advanced (for the expert) educational sessions that will address a wide variety of topics, providing the opportunity for participants to:

• Respond to national trends in volunteerism;
• Strengthen competencies in leading and managing hospice volunteers;
• Identify and develop best practices in volunteer leadership and management;
• Describe innovative approaches that expand hospice volunteer services;
• Demonstrate innovative approaches to recruitment, training and orientation, evaluation, recognition and retention of volunteers ;
• Discuss regulatory requirements and approaches to ensure compliance;
• Construct new approaches to volunteer service delivery;
• Strengthen volunteer competencies in the delivery of patient and family services;
• Assess the quality of their programs;
• Strengthen networking, discussion and sharing among volunteer leaders, managers and volunteers.

Once you have submitted the title of your presentation you will automatically receive an email that includes a password-protected hyperlink. If you must interrupt the submission process before finishing it, you can resume at any time by clicking on the hyperlink in that email. For help in submitting an abstract online, e-mail technical support.

IMPORTANT DATES
Poster/IGNITE! Session Proposal Deadline (Midnight ET): Monday, December 19, 2011, 11:59PM ET
Proposal Notification: March 2012 (through email)
Poster Notification: March 2012 (through email)

Target Audience
Professionals and volunteers who work in hospice and palliative care settings and are passionate about improving the quality of care provided to patients, families and communities through volunteer service. NHPCO's Volunteer Leadership Virtual Conference will gather together volunteer leaders and managers, directors, educators, development and outreach personnel, nurses, social workers, spiritual care professionals, bereavement professionals, volunteers and others committed to caring for those near the end of their lives and their families.

Types of Presentations
The Conference Planning Committee is seeking proposals in the following categories:

• Poster Sessions: Visual presentations of program innovations, successful strategies or approaches. Have you developed a successful volunteer recruitment campaign that can be presented in visual form? Do you use specific tools/forms in your interview/selection process that have been beneficial? Have you created a recognition item or event that can be shared in a visual format? Effective poster sessions are focused on a single message, use graphics and images to convey the message (with minimal use of text), are well-ordered and sequenced in an obvious, easy to follow way. Posters will be displayed on the conference website and specific time to virtually meet with faculty will be included in the conference program. (a poster in this online format requires a simple PDF document of the poster that will be posted on the conference website. Posters must be submitted as a PDF file the preferred aspect ratio of 4:3. (i.e. 24 in x 18 in, 48 in x 36 in, etc.)
• IGNITE! Sessions: An innovative and unique learning format that is spreading across the country will be featured at the conference. IGNITE! Sessions are best summarized by this motto, "Enlighten us, but make it quick." In that vein, each presentation is exactly 5 minutes long. IGNITE! presenters focus on a single, simple and innovative message that shares personal and professional passions or unique strategies and approaches. Presenters create exactly 20 slides that NHPCO will auto-advance every 15 seconds. IGNITE! sessions are an ideal way to present:
  • A specific volunteer training idea
  • An interview strategy
  • An evaluation tool/approach
  • An innovative approach to recognition
  • A strategy to integrate volunteers into the IDT
  • A successful approach to working with patients and families
  • Or anything you are excited about that presents a new, innovative and unique approach to hospice volunteerism.

  IGNITE! sessions can also be presented by individuals who want to share their passions, particularly meaningful interaction with patients/families, or what they have gained through their professional/volunteer work.

  Examples of Poster Sessions:
  http://www.meetingproceedings.com/2011/posters/awea2/home.asp
  Examples of "Ignite" Sessions:
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0FH-dTLw_U&feature=related
  http://www.youtube.com/user/iGNiTe?blend=1&ob=4#p/u/3/rqSkuIkwQ98

Selection of Conference Faculty
Plenary and concurrent session speakers will be invited by NHPCO staff in collaboration with the Conference Planning Committee. Poster and IGNITE! sessions will be selected through this Call for Proposals. Preference is given to those with significant expertise and experience presenting at national, state and community events (and online teaching experience where possible), as well as a detailed description of the presenter's education, qualifications and presentation experience is required. In addition, each faculty member is required to disclose any relevant financial relationships they have with commercial companies (see Disclosure of Relevant Financial Relationships with Commercial Companies below).

NHPCO seeks proposals from a wide variety of professionals involved in end-of-life care; however preference is given to NHPCO members, which includes those who work or volunteer with an NHPCO provider member (if applicable).

Required Information
The Conference Planning Committee has asked that we stress the importance of completing ALL requested information for each prospective presenter, which includes educational background, qualifications, professional and presentation experience and disclosure. Conference Planning Committee members review all proposals and their reviews help determine whether a proposal is selected for the conference. Inadequate and/or incomplete information is not viewed favorably by reviewers and directly affects the acceptance of proposals. To ensure your proposal is given serious consideration, provide ALL requested information in the online submission format and ensure that any co-presenters complete required information before proposals enter the review process (generally within one week of the close of this Call for Proposals).

Disclosure of Relevant Financial Relationships with Commercial Companies NHPCO endorses the Standards of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), which specifies that sponsors (i.e. NHPCO) of continuing medical education/continuing education activities disclose relevant financial relationships* with commercial interests* whose products or services are discussed in educational presentations.

NHPCO has implemented a process where everyone who is in a position to control the content of an educational activity must disclose all relevant financial relationships they have with any commercial interest. (This includes NHPCO, as we disclose all educational grants we receive for our conferences, for example, to attendees.)

If it is determined that a conflict of interest* exists as a result of a financial relationship faculty has, NHPCO will work with the faculty to resolve the conflict prior to the conference. Any faculty who refuse to disclose relevant financial relationships will be disqualified from presenting at this conference.

Under no circumstances should NHPCO's national conference be used as a place for promotion of a faculty member's product, service or monetary self-interest. NHPCO takes the responsibility for ensuring that conferences are free from commercial bias very seriously, and may decline all future proposals from a presenter that does not abide by this policy.

* See below for a glossary of terms.

Presentation Expectations
All presentations made at NHPCO conferences must adhere to ACCME's content validation value statements. Specifically, all suggestions or recommendations involving clinical medicine and practice must be based upon evidence that is accepted within the medical profession.

In addition, all scientific research referred to, reported or used in a conference session must conform to the generally accepted standards of experimental design, data collection and analysis.

NHPCO faculty is expected to refrain from overt statements, harsh language or pointed humor that disparages the rightful dignity and social equity of any individual or group.

All materials provided in conference sessions must be reviewed by NHPCO prior to the conference. As a result, deadlines for PowerPoint slides and/or handouts are scheduled well in advance of the conference. Materials not submitted to NHPCO for review in advance will not be shown in conference sessions.

Conference Schedule
To achieve a balanced conference program, NHPCO will determine the days and times that sessions are scheduled. Presenters must be able to speak on the day assigned. NHPCO reserves the right to change the length of any session; faculty will be notified and asked to adjust their content outline accordingly.

• Presentation type (Poster or IGNITE! Session)
• Title/Overview
  • A title for the presentation that informs the reviewer of the subject matter
  • Submitter's e-mail address
  • Presentation level (novice, competent or expert)
  • Area of emphasis
• Presenter(s)
  • A completed "Presenter Profile" for each presenter, which includes the presenter's
    • Current position
    • Current contact information with email address
    • Highest degree earned and institutions attended
    • Experience
• Disclosure for each presenter
• A 2-3 sentence description of the session (to enable attendees to determine their interest in attending)
• Objectives
  • Two or three learning objectives (written from the perspective of what participants will learn rather than what the presenter will teach);
• Detailed content outline
  • Identification of major topics that will be covered in the session
  • Detailed outline of the session

Proposal Review, Selection and Notification Process

NHPCO's proposal review process is conducted by members of the Conference Planning Committee, which ensures a rigorous review of every proposal. This Committee is comprised of hospice and palliative care professionals from NHPCO's Professional Education Committee, National Council of Hospice and Palliative Professionals (NCHPP) and other education, hospice and palliative care professionals with demonstrated successes in volunteer leadership and management.

Proposals are reviewed carefully based on the following criteria:

• Topic is innovative, relevant and/or related to the conference theme, objectives and goals;
• Session content is well organized, with an accurate presentation level;
• Presenter has appropriate and relevant expertise and experience in the topic area;
• Likelihood of significant interest, appeal, applicability in the session;
• Quality of practical information: tools, tips, practices, etc. that attendees will be able to implement and/or utilize following the presentation.

All materials provided in conference sessions must be reviewed by NHPCO prior to the conference. As a result, deadlines for session handouts and slides are scheduled well in advance of the conference. Materials not submitted to NHPCO for review in advance may not be shown or provided in conference sessions.

Should you be selected to present a session at this NHPCO conference, we ask that you view the opportunity as an important commitment and ensure that you meet all requests and deadlines, and that you deliver the presentation as scheduled. By sharing your expertise, you make a valuable contribution to the end-of-life care field.

Electronic Communications
All potential presenters who submit a proposal will receive e-mail notification of their proposal's status. Once the selection of proposals is complete, a Letter of Understanding (LOU) and other faculty information will be provided to presenters. An electronic message will be sent to all presenters whose proposals were accepted with a link to the Conference Faculty website. This website will include all deadlines and required information needed for the conference. The majority of communication with faculty is electronic.

Presenter Registration Discount
As a nonprofit association, NHPCO does not provide honoraria for poster or IGNITE! session presentations.