A Virtual Assistant (VA) is a business owner who provides a wide range of office support services usually from home. Services can include word processing, administratrative and secretarial support, personal assistance, digital transcriptions, desktop publishing (dtp), online research and co-ordinating, just to name a few.
HISTORY OF VIRTUAL ASSISTANCE
Working from home is certainly not a new idea, and today it is fast gaining popularity for obvious reasons. Everything from increasing petrol prices, many hours of commuting, average wages, long working hours, frequent retrenchments and a need to better balance work and family commitments, has prompted workers to look at opportunities to earn a living from home.
Women in particular see the benefits of running their own show as it is the best of both worlds. You are still able to have a successful and rewarding career, without sacrificing the welfare of yourself or your family. You have the ability to work more practical hours that suit you and your clients best doing the tasks you prefer, are skilled at, or have the most experience in.
Due to the current economic climate, many professions are facing fewer job opportunities, however with VAs the demand has increased and it is now one of the fastest growing industries today.
While the history of VAs as a concept dates back to the 1970s, modern technology has made it easier than ever for office support professionals to provide services to big, medium and small business owners remotely from their own home office. Businesses have started to realise how cost-effective this alternative is, making the shift from hiring p/time or fulltime workers to outsourcing. This trend is by no means a passing phase, it is here to stay!
The history of VAs emerged from the 1970s as the idea of creating independent companies to provide secretarial services began. Then in the 1990's one innovative woman, Stacy Brice, envisioned a new twist on the traditional relationship between a secretary and her boss. She developed the concept of the VA as a partner with her client's business, as opposed to just a secretary who does administrative tasks with no real understanding of the company or its' business goals. By 1992, Stacy Brice had begun working as a VA independently from her home and a new industry was born.
In Australia, Kathie M. Thomas pioneered the VA industry establishing the first VA network called "A Clayton's Secretary" in the southern hemisphere. 
She started operating a home-based secretarial business in March 1994 and first went online in January 1996. In April 1996 she started a network of operators as her workload grew, bringing on board other women who also wanted to work from home as she was doing. When the group became aware of the new title "Virtual Assistant" being used in the US, they soon adopted that, alongside the title 'Homebased Secretary' and gradually phased out the latter title in the late 1990s.
A Clayton’s Secretary provides support, guidance and networking opportunities for those seeking work as a VA, as well as those looking to hire one.
