Volunteer Alberta News Feed

Volunteer Alberta Sector Connector

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 22:56:53 +0000

Volunteer Alberta Sector Connector Issue: February 24, 2010

Creating a Universal Brand For Alberta Fire Chiefs Association

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 15:56:19 +0000

By Paula Trotter - Red Deer Advocate
Published: June 01, 2011 7:26 AM

Creating a universal brand is the new avenue the Alberta Fire Chiefs Association is pursuing to better recruit and retain volunteer firefighters.

Increased marketing efforts will help departments attract more members as well as educate the community of what these men and women do, said Peter Krich, Camrose fire chief and co-chair of the Recruitment and Retention Committee. “If we’re not selling ourselves, then nobody is going to come to the door and buy,’’ he said Tuesday at the AFCA conference at the Capri Hotel.

The essential service is just one of many organizations struggling to attract and keep volunteers.
But finding new ways to fill departments with dedicated workers is imperative for community safety as volunteers account for 10,000 of the 13,000 firefighters working across Alberta, Krich said.
Current challenges departments face include people who work outside of the community they live in and the fact that individuals are moving more, said Ponoka fire chief Ted Dillon, who is also a member of the Recruitment and Retention Committee.

While Ponoka has been fortunate to have low turnover, many of the department’s 25 members work away in communities such as Red Deer. This means fewer volunteers are able to respond to daytime fires or accidents.

Recruits are needed to remedy this, Dillon said. Branding volunteer firefighters is latest step the Recruitment and Retention Committee is taking since forming three years ago.
It also produced a best practices tool kit, which was given to members last year. “It is giving them a tool to start with, it’s getting a thought process going,” Dillon said. “It gets their creative juices going.”
The document includes recruitment ideas like setting up a booth a career fairs, create a junior firefighting program and always having application forms available.

The retention part largely focuses ways to recognize not only volunteers but also members’ families, and employers who allow their staff to leave work to respond to an incident. The living document will be updated to include all of the different efforts departments are making to attract and keep volunteer firefighters. The committee received an initial $50,000 provincial grant to create the document.
This year it received a $36,000 provincial grant to help create a brand, which Krich hopes will be finished by next year’s Alberta Fire Chiefs Association conference.

Edmonton Sun - Province launches volunteer-based bursaries

Tue, 31 May 2011 15:51:44 +0000

By Tanara McLean,Edmonton Sun

There's a new $1,000 incentive for post-secondary students to volunteer.

The government of Alberta, in collaboration with Volunteer Alberta, has launched the Serving Communities Internship Program (SCiP), that will award $1,000 bursaries to post-secondary students who complete internships with any non-profit or volunteer organization.

"This is so much more than painting fences or cleaning up parks," says Karen Lynch, executive director of Volunteer Alberta.

In the first year, 500 bursaries will be distributed throughout the SCiP pilot project, with up to 1,000 available by year three of the program.

Eligible students include anyone enrolled in a certificate, diploma, undergraduate, graduate or PhD program at one of Alberta's 26 public post-secondary institutions.

The idea for the program was hatched by Timothy Jobs, chair of the Alberta Student' Executive Council (ASEC) and his fellow council members.

"The idea came from the clear need to find innovative solutions to increase the affordability of our post secondary system," says Jobs, adding that this project will "create a program to reward students for using their skills to benefit their communities."

For Kirsten Poon, 20, the bursary program isn't so much an incentive, but a bonus for her years of volunteering. The University of Alberta science student is chair of the City of Edmonton youth council and a board director for Literacy Without Borders.

"I'm excited to be exposed to these new experiences," says Poon. "Doing a meaningful internship in the non-profit sector and learning new things. Hopefully it will inspire a lot of students."

Lynch says although students may be driven to choose organizations based on their future careers, they aren't limited in which non-profit they intern with to earn the bursary.

"We know that the real world doesn't fit into faculties and descriptions of their objectives," says Lynch.

In Alberta there are 19,000 charities and non-profit organizations that support 2.5 million volunteers. Almost 58% of Albertans volunteer, according to information gathered by Volunteer Edmonton.

The bursary funds are distributed throughout the Advanced Education and Technology ministry.

Premier Ed Stelmach says the program is an opportunity for students to "sharpen their skills" while making a bit of money. Stelmach also called the program "innovative," saying it will "put Alberta ahead in so many jurisdictions when it comes to this sector."

tanara.mclean@sunmedia.ca

630 Ched - Province establishes bursary for non-profit interns

Tue, 31 May 2011 15:49:58 +0000

5/31/2011

If your a student and you're getting ready for an internship, you may want to rethink where you're going to do it.

The Alberta government says it will now award post-secondary students that complete an internship with a non-profit or volunteer organization a $1,000 bursary.

Greg Weadick, Minister of Advanced Education and Technology, says this program will benefit both students and the province.

"Working the student groups and Volunteer Alberta has become reality within two months," says Weadick. "This is where everybody working together can quickly work together to make something really worthwhile happen."

The program will run in collaboration with Volunteer Alberta. The three-year pilot program is expected to start in the fall and will award up to 500 bursaries.

Edmonton Journal - Program to reward post-secondary students for volunteer work

Tue, 31 May 2011 15:49:21 +0000

It was an idea included in a student lobby document almost on a whim: Reward students financially for meaningful volunteer contributions in the community.

"I added one line that said forgive student debt through volunteering," said Robert Jones, then chairman of the Alberta Student Executive Council.

"After that, the thing kind of had a life of its own."

The idea caught the attention of Premier Ed Stelmach at a meeting with students representing postsecondary institutions from around the province.

Meghan Melnyk, president of the students' association at Mount Royal University, said Stelmach's response was immediate.

"We tell him our idea, and his eyes light up, and the premier says, 'That is a wonderful idea. I love it,' " she recalled. Then "he turns to Advanced Education Minister Greg Weadick and says, 'How can we make this happen?' "

That meeting led to the formation of the new internship program announced Monday by Stelmach.

The Serving Communities Internship Program will provide postsecondary students with volunteer opportunities that will let them use their skills to help the province's nonprofit organizations in new and interesting ways. Those who participate will also receive a $1,000 bursary after completing the internship.

Stelmach said the program is "a perfect fit just waiting to happen."

Weadick, on hand for the announcement, agreed.

"Volunteerism is what built our province. The innovation of our students continues to build it. It's one of those moments when everything lined up, and it was just perfect."

The three-year pilot project will start in September. There will be 500 bursaries given out in the program's first year and up to 1,000 by the end of the project.

Karen Lynch, executive director of Volunteer Alberta, said the program will give students a chance to gain work experience and use their skills, give non-profits organizations new, skilled workers, and encourage longterm volunteerism and community engagement.

Melnyk said it's a "win-win-win."

The program will be open to postsecondary students in any certificate, diploma, undergraduate or PhD programs at the province's 26 post-secondary institutions.

Jones said he, too, has high hopes for the program, and is still amazed how an informal discussion among students so quickly became reality.

"I don't think anybody really thought it would get picked up so fast, especially because it was just one sentence. But it had a real appeal to people for a lot of different reasons," he said.

"When I first got into student advocacy, I didn't really know how much of an impact student groups can have, but it was at that time I really noticed that student groups do have the ear of the government, that the government is listening and that anybody can make a difference if they dare to dream."

jpruden@edmontonjournal.com

Number of Canadians Concerned about Charity Fraud Up Considerably

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 22:19:59 +0000

CanadaHelps and Capital One Canada launch the second annual charity fraud awareness quiz with $20,000 grand prize

Toronto, ON (February 24, 2011) - Canadians are generous donors, but two-thirds (65%) of them are worried about fraudulent charities, which is up considerably from a survey done in November 2009 (51%). These beliefs, coupled with the difficulty in recovering their lost donation, ultimately results in more than half of Canadians (53%) stating they are less likely to give to charities because of concerns about fraud.

A large proportion, (41%) say they do not take simple steps to check if a charity is registered, ask the solicitor for ID, or visit the charity’s website before making a donation and instead rely on the reputation of the charity, and/or, past personal experience with the charity. The survey also found that just over half of Canadians (52%) say they are not confident they would know where to turn to in the event their donation did not go to a legitimate cause.

"What concerns us most is the growing number of Canadians who are worried about these crimes," said Owen Charters, CEO of CanadaHelps. "In educating Canadians to understand the warning signs of these scams, we hope that the well-earned trust in legitimate charities will remain high and Canadians’ eagerness to donate will continue to grow."

Today’s survey also found that up to 22% of Canadians say they prefer to donate online – an 8 point climb from a similar study conducted in November 2009. In contrast the number of Canadians who say they prefer to donate by cheque is down 7 points over the same time period (from 32% to 25%). Younger Canadians appear to be a driving force behind this change – nearly a third of Canadians aged 18-34 (31%) say online donations are their preferred method.

"With more and more Canadians preferring to donate online, it is increasingly important for credit card users to understand what to look for to ensure they are donating through a legitimate and secure website," said Laurel Ostfield, spokesperson, Capital One Canada. "We know that awareness is key in helping Canadians protect themselves from fraud. By partnering with CanadaHelps on this campaign, we hope to educate as many Canadians as possible so they are empowered to make safe, charitable donations."

To educate the public about charity fraud, Capital One Canada and CanadaHelps are teaming up during Fraud Prevention Month for the second annual Charity Fraud Awareness Quiz. This quiz will help participants identify the signs of charity fraud to hopefully avoid these malicious schemes.

The online Charity Fraud Awareness Quiz is designed to inform Canadians about the risk of charity fraud and how to prevent it. Accessible at www.canadahelps.org, every participant who completes the quiz will be eligible to enter into a draw to win a $20,000 grand prize donation, or one of $1,000 weekly donations from Capital One, to be made to the winner’s charity of choice. The Charity Fraud Awareness Quiz runs from March 1-31, 2011.

Capital One and CanadaHelps offer the following charity fraud prevention tips:

Make sure the charity is registered with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and provides you with their charitable registration number. CanadaHelps.org only lists charities registered with the CRA.
Ask to see a charity’s financial statements. These should be readily available to anyone who asks and give you a sense of how the charity spends their money.
Understand the impact the charity has and what difference they make in the community. Charities should be able to give you clear outcomes of the programs or services they provide.
Research the causes you want to support and how much of your budget you want to donate to charity. You will feel less pressured to give when solicited if you have already planned your giving.
Avoid any charity that pressures you into making a donation or isn’t open to sharing more information about their organization.

Additional Survey Results

77% of Canadians made a charitable donation in the past 12 months with women being more charitable (81%) than men (72%)
Over one-quarter (28%) of people report they are solicited for charitable donations at least weekly, with 45% saying they get solicited more often in the event of a natural disaster
In the wake of a natural disaster, the majority of Canadians (61%) report an increased concern over the possibility of charity fraud
While only 5% of Canadians overall prefer to donate via door-to-door solicitation, a surprising 22% of Atlantic Canadians prefer this method of solicitation
In terms of deciding who to trust, respondents said the most important factor is a charity’s reputation (53%) followed by its media coverage/advertising (31%) and being asked to donate by a friend or colleague (30%)

About the survey

From February 2nd to 3rd, Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted an online survey among 1,008 randomly selected Canadian adults who are Angus Reid Forum panelists. The margin of error-which measures sampling variability-is +/- 3.1%, 19 times out of 20. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region Census data to ensure a sample representative of the entire adult population of Canada. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

About the Charity Fraud Awareness Quiz No purchase necessary. Each person who completes the online quiz on charity fraud at www.canadahelps.org and provides the name of their preferred charity is automatically given one entry. Organizations must be federally registered charities with the Canadian Revenue Agency. Contest begins at 9:00:00 a.m. ET on March 1, 2011 and closes at 9:00:00 p.m. ET on March 31, 2011. Full contest details at www.canadahelps.org. Skill testing question required. Four prizes of a $1,000 donation and one grand prize of a $20,000 donation available to be won. Not open to residents of the Territories.

About Capital One Located in Toronto, Ontario, Capital One has offered Canadian consumers a range of competitive MasterCard credit cards since 1996, when the company first introduced the Platinum MasterCard in Canada. Capital One Canada is a division of Capital One Bank, a subsidiary of Capital One Financial Corporation of McLean, Virginia (NYSE: COF).

About CanadaHelps CanadaHelps is an online donations website where donors can give safely and securely to all charities in Canada that are registered with the Canada Revenue Agency. The mission of CanadaHelps is to engage Canadians in the charitable sector and provide accessible and affordable online technology to both donors and charities to promote – and ultimately increase – charitable giving in Canada.

Contact: Laurel Ostfield, Capital One 416-549-2753 laurel.ostfield@capitalone.com

Owen Charters, CanadaHelps 416-628-6948 ext. 2384 owen@canadahelps.org

News Flash – KnowledgeConnector.ca launches

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 21:35:21 +0000

Attention senior leaders and volunteers: Regional Capacity Coordinators now working in Alberta communities

Leaders of nonprofit/voluntary organizations often raise concerns that they don’t always know where to find professional development and learning opportunities and don’t have time to search. KnowledgeConnector.ca is the solution!

KnowledgeConnector Initiative Phase One is now launched, where five Regional Capacity Coordinators are working in communities across Alberta to connect learners and learning providers across the nonprofit/voluntary sector with the KnowledgeConnector Initiative.

Once fully operational in Fall 2011, KnowledgeConnector.ca will provide a free assessment tool then connect nonprofit/voluntary sector leaders with professional development providers and opportunities. The KnowledgeConnector Initiative enhances the capacities of organizations – large or small - to achieve their missions and strengthen local communities in Alberta.

It’s all about strengthening communities!

“The KnowledgeConnectorwill allow me to quickly and easily assess my capacities as a leader, manager and board member” said Lisa Topilko, Director of the Volunteer Vegreville (and a Volunteer Alberta Board member). “From right here in Vegreville, KnowledgeConnector.ca will enable me to connect with learning opportunities strengthening my ability to lead my nonprofit organization and better support the needs of our community.”

Toby Rabinovitz, Project Manager of the KnowledgeConnector Initiative explained: “From sports and recreation to social services... from education to environment, the leaders, managers and board members of nonprofit/voluntary organizations – both large and small/ rural and urban – depend on tools and knowledge to build their capacity.”

“The KnowledgeConnector will be a “one-stop shop” web-based portal of opportunities, providing a searchable listing that enables organizations and individuals to find targeted learning opportunities in line with their specific interests, needs and training objectives” said Rabinovitz.

ABOUT

The KnowledgeConnector Initiative is managed by Volunteer Alberta on behalf of the nonprofit/voluntary sector in Alberta. Rather than duplicating, the KnowledgeConnector is about connecting with learning opportunities already available.

With significant financial support provided by the Rural Alberta Development Fund, the KnowledgeConnector enables leaders from nonprofit/voluntary sector organizations to assess their strengths and abilities based on a Competency Framework, and fill identified gaps with targeted learning opportunities. The Initiative works to ensure rural and eventually urban communities and nonprofit/voluntary organizations can sustainably provide key services to Albertans.

MORE INFORMATION

Please visit www.KnowledgeConnector.ca or contact a

Regional Capacity Coordinator directly for more information.

- North West Region -   Yvonne Rempel   780-827-1464
- North East Region -     Donna Smith   780-718-5379
- Central West Region - Robert Mitchell   403-704-7122
- Central East Region -  Victoria Poschadel   780-945-6134
- South Region - Amanda Leipert   403-977-4610

Edmonton Journal -A letter from Volunteer Alberta on how generous Albertans are (December 10, 2011)

Wed, 15 Dec 2010 16:43:36 +0000

Is Canada’s culture of giving actually falling?

Some lament that rates of charitable giving and volunteering are on the decline. There is a false perception that too many charities pay their CEOs “over a million dollars with unlimited expenses” and non-profit misspending leaves only small portions of donations for actual charity.

Myths need to be dispelled and facts presented.

Volunteer Alberta compiled Statistics Canada data visit www.volunteeralberta.ab.ca clearly demonstrating Albertans are charitable with their time and money.

With donating, 85 per cent of Albertans gave financially in 2007 undefined an increase from 79 per cent in 2004 to 85 per cent in 2007.

Albertans donated the largest amounts ($596 average per person).

Fifty-two per cent of Albertans volunteered an average of 172 hours in 2007, up from 48 per cent in 2004 (also higher than the Canadian average of 48 per cent). Over 1,445,000 Albertans volunteer their time.

Regarding CEO pay, Canada Revenue Agency already requires charities to disclose highest compensated staff and rates of pay (donors can easily check this at www.cra-arc.gc.ca/charities).

Ask people working in the non-profit sector. But with few exceptions, most employees are not making wages anywhere near those in the private or public sectors.

Targeted research, planning and administration are necessary for efficient program delivery. Moreover, of Alberta’s roughly 19,000 non-profit/voluntary organizations, 58 per cent are completely volunteer run.

Albertans are generous and they naturally want to live in stronger and more vibrant communities.

This culture of giving does not mean we should let up. Instead, let’s continue researching where our financial contributions make the biggest difference in our communities and explore ways of volunteering using our talents and skills in more specialized ways.

Karen Lynch, executive director, Volunteer Alberta, Edmonton

National Study Finds Pitfalls and Opportunities in Changing Volunteer Landscape

Wed, 08 Dec 2010 19:04:38 +0000

Organizations Urged to Strengthen Strategies to Improve Volunteer Satisfaction

A new national study shows that while Canada’s voluntary sector is the second largest in the world after the Netherlands, a significant number of volunteers report an experience that is less than satisfying. The latest data on the changing culture of Canada’s voluntary sector was released today by Volunteer Canada, the national leader on volunteerism, in partnership with Manulife Financial.

The study found that 62 percent of Canadians who volunteer on a regular basis indicated they had at least one ‘negative experience’ either due to perceived organizational politics, the belief that their skills were not being put to best use, feeling like they were not making a difference, or frustration with lack of support related to the volunteer activity.

The national research study gathered practical information for use by organizations to attract and retain skilled, dedicated volunteers. The study revealed there are significant gaps between the opportunities organizations are providing and the meaningful experiences today’s volunteers are seeking.

“The primary gaps include the fact that many Canadians are looking for group or short-term activities but few organizations have the capacity to offer them or prefer a longer-term commitment,” said Ruth MacKenzie, President & CEO of Volunteer Canada. “In addition, many of those with professional skills are looking for volunteer tasks that involve something different from their work life. While organizations are expected to clearly define the roles and boundaries of volunteers, many Canadians want to create their own volunteer opportunity,” she said.

Other respondents indicated that they would like to achieve some personal goals through volunteer work while at the same time help meet the needs of the organization.

“Engaging volunteers in strategic roles in organizations will help nonprofit/voluntary sector organizations advance their mandates, and will create opportunities for individuals choosing to apply their skills sets to make a bigger difference in their communities,” said Karen Lynch, Executive Director of Volunteer Alberta. “We provide a number of programs, services and resources (through the Resource Centre for Voluntary Organizations at Volunteer Alberta) that will assist nonprofit/voluntary organizations across Alberta implement some of the ideas and trends captured in this study.”

Unlike earlier surveys that emphasized overall participation rates, this new research captured what Canadians want in their volunteer experiences, how easy it is for them to find satisfying volunteer roles, and what organizations can do to enhance their volunteer base and ultimately build stronger communities.

“Advances in technology, shifting demographics and increased resource pressures mean today’s organizations must re-evaluate all facets of their volunteer policies and practices, and ultimately embrace different approaches,” added MacKenzie. “The findings suggest the optimal formula for engaging volunteers is one where organizations are well organized but not too bureaucratic and open to letting volunteers determine the scope of what they can offer.”

“The results also clearly indicate that it’s important to match a volunteer’s skills to the needs of the organization but not assume that the volunteer wants to use the skills specifically related to their profession, trade, or education,” she said.

Conducted on behalf of Volunteer Canada in the summer of 2010 by the Centre for Voluntary Sector Research & Development at Carleton University and Harris/Decima, the study provides the most current national data about the changing culture of Canada’s voluntary sector and the perspectives of four key groups: youth, baby boomers, families, and employer-supported volunteers.

Respondents in these four groups revealed that the volunteer experiences individuals are looking for change significantly as Canadians move through the different stages of their lives. The results also pointed to an increasing number of recent immigrants of boomer age, who could play a pivotal volunteer role in helping to integrate and support new immigrants into Canadian society, thanks to their unique cultural and linguistic skills.

Compounding the need for new approaches is the fact that Canadians are not necessarily following in the footsteps of Canada’s ‘uber volunteers’ who are getting older. These uber volunteers represent about seven per cent of Canadians who contribute approximately 78 per cent of the volunteer time in Canada.

The research study results offer practical information that Canadian organizations can use to improve the way they involve volunteers by exploring the characteristics, motivations, and experiences of current volunteers, past volunteers, and those who have yet to try volunteering.

Overall, respondents indicated that organizations could improve the volunteer experience by: getting to know volunteers’ unique needs and talents; using a human resources approach that integrates both paid employees and volunteers; being flexible and accommodating to recognize volunteers’ other time commitments; respecting volunteers’ gender, culture, language and age differences; as well as providing more online volunteer opportunities.

“As Canada marks 10 years since we celebrated the United Nations International Year of Volunteers in 2001, applying the lessons learned from this research can help bridge the gap to more meaningful volunteer engagement in the future, and solidify volunteerism not just as a fundamental value of a civil society but as a true act of Canadian citizenship,” said Rosemary Byrne, Board Chair of Volunteer Canada.

The study was conducted on behalf of Volunteer Canada and in partnership with corporate leader in the sector Manulife Financial. The research initiative is part of a multi-year program Manulife Financial is implementing to strengthen volunteerism in Canada in order to help build strong and sustainable communities for Canadians.

See the full study:Bridging the Gap

Letter: Volunteer Alberta –Submission to the Premier's Council for Economic Strategy

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 21:30:15 +0000

August 10, 2010

The Honourable David Emerson, P.C.

Premier’s Council for Economic Strategy
11th Floor, Legislature Annex
9718 – 107 Street
Edmonton, Alberta
T5K 1E4

Attn: Honourable David Emerson, P.C.

Premier's Council for Economic Strategy, Council member

Re: Volunteer Alberta –Submission to the Premier's Council for Economic Strategy

Dear Mr. Emerson:

The recent acknowledgement by the Premier’s Council for Economic Strategy (in An Invitation to Help Shape Alberta’s Future) of the investment and contribution volunteers make to communities in Alberta and to the overall economy was unexpected, but welcomed by Volunteer Alberta’s members and collaborating organizations.

Volunteer Alberta applauds the Council’s recognition of the strong linkages between the strategic development of Alberta’s economy and increasing the development of the ‘brainpower of people’ or the so-called social and human capital aspects of the economy. The Council rightly identified how creating strong and vibrant communities will attract and retain the human capital necessary to diversify and strengthen our economy.

It should be highlighted how the ongoing activities of the nonprofit/voluntary sector in Alberta are already complementing three of the Council’s conversations in the report, particularly related to:

· #3 creating new wealth through knowledge and innovation;

· #4 ensuring healthy, skilled and engaged citizens;

· #5 ensuring communities are vibrant, supportive and inclusive.

Nonprofit/voluntary sector organizations in Alberta are actively working to make communities stronger and more desirable places to live. Volunteer Alberta encourages the Council to focus public policy and financial investment on the nonprofit/voluntary sector to achieve its objective of raising and sustaining the quality of living for Albertans.

The Social Investment Volunteers Make in Alberta

Alberta leads the way in 21^st century volunteerism. The rural roots of the province established the foundation for generations of volunteers, at a time when neighbours relied on each other for social

and economic stability. Although the demographics of Alberta volunteers reflect an urban shift, the intensity of the act of sharing time and talent has not diminished. Some characteristics of the sector include:

Alberta has a volunteer rate of 52 percent exceeding the Canadian average of 48 percent.
Roughly 1,445,000 Albertans contributed an average of 172 hours in community services in 2007 (6 percent more than the national average).
Of the 19,000 nonprofit/voluntary organizations in Alberta, approximately 58 percent have no paid staff and are entirely volunteer run.[1]

How can strategic Volunteerism contribute to Alberta’s Economic Strategy?

Nonprofit/voluntary organizations provide cost-effective structures to deliver social services and respond to grassroots level community needs. The efficiency and effectiveness of voluntary organizations goes a long way, making for a high social return on investment. However, if the only value added is that of low cost delivery systems, Alberta’s economic and political leaders are missing the overall impact that community based organizations make to create a standard of living that is unparalleled.

Besides delivering services that are integral to the quality of life in communities, volunteer participation also builds trust and reciprocity among people, encourages social solidarity, and enhances citizens’ belief that they live in a caring community.

There are several other benefits from volunteering noted in the recent Canada Survey of Giving Volunteering and Providing (2007) as well as in academic research about how volunteering enhances an individual’s own social capital (expression of values and what makes people fit into a social reference group) and human capital (the skills, enhancements, competencies, and knowledge an individual gains).[2] A learned and connected populace promotes civil engagement and creates a valued community.

The nonprofit/voluntary sector not only serves underprivileged and vulnerable populations (this is often acknowledged by elected and corporate leaders, but is a facile observation that does not nearly reflect the diversity and integration of the sector in every single Albertan’s life), but also serves and are supported by ordinary, middle-class Albertans. Every day in Alberta, individuals and families participate with volunteer groups such as the 4-H Club, Big Brothers Big Sisters, local sport associations, or volunteer firefighters.

Many segments of the Albertan population benefit from volunteer activities. The classification of the voluntary sector relies on the ‘John Hopkins International Classification System’.[1] Volunteer Alberta recommends adoption of this internationally recognized system, which underscores the diversity of the nonprofit/voluntary sector and its 12 distinct subsectors. [2] From sports and recreation to social services...from education to environment...from arts and culture to business and industry  –organizations large and small depend on volunteers as they provide community programs and services to assist, entertain and connect local residents.

Volunteer contributions generate considerable benefits for organizations, individual volunteers, people served by volunteers, communities, and society at large. These benefits should not be taken for granted. Volunteers are not free –indeed they are citizens whose investments of time and energy require support.

Challenges facing the Sector

Increasing economic pressures are challenging the capacities of nonprofit/voluntary organizations to maintain the levels of active citizenship and community engagement in Albertan communities. Some of the practical and conceptual challenges facing the nonprofit/voluntary sector include:

Organizations are financially vulnerable as the Alberta government decreases an already lower than national average level of investment in the sector and are struggling to meet growing demands with the same or less revenue;
Staff leading nonprofit organizations struggle to generate revenue, maintaining contract arrangements, and recruit and retain skilled employees – all the while trying to create an elusive level of sustainability;

Volunteer engagement trends are fluctuating dramatically. Organizations struggle to respond to changing demographics in Alberta. (For instance, a core of highly-engaged people (10 percent of volunteers) contributes 54 percent of all hours. Losing these types of volunteers

would have disproportionately adverse effects on organizations and local communities. New strategies are available and investment is required to implement recruitment and retention for youth, immigrant populations, baby-boomers, etc. as volunteers).

Recommendations:

Volunteers support individual Albertans and provide life to our communities.

Volunteer Alberta encourages the Council to consider strategies which harness and support the powerful spirit of citizenship in Albertan communities by supporting volunteers and nonprofit/voluntary organizations. Strategic actions might include:

Allocating both financial and thought investment to reinforce the efforts of volunteers and nonprofit/voluntary organizations;

Expanding the levels of support for ‘made-in-Alberta’ legislation, programs and services designed to remove barriers to volunteerism in Alberta. A heightened understanding of the impact of legislation on the nonprofit/voluntary sector either as delivery mechanisms or responders to the changes in community is required.
Supporting ‘capacity-organizations’ (such as Volunteer Alberta, Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations, Calgary Chamber of Voluntary Organizations and others) in providing human resource tools, training initiatives and more, to better assist the operations of nonprofit/voluntary organizations;
Assigning specific resources to support research and development in the nonprofit/voluntary sector, with the aim of generating innovative programs, services and policies in response to the needs of local communities.

Volunteer Alberta: Supporting Volunteerism in Alberta

Volunteer Alberta is the only provincial capacity builder for the voluntary sector. Since its founding in 1990, Volunteer Alberta evolved to become an expert source of knowledge on volunteerism and the nonprofit/voluntary sector, with hundreds of members reflecting all twelve subsectors –including arts and culture, social services, education and health.

Volunteer Alberta leverages its knowledge to provide tools, initiatives and resources that build internal leadership and help community organizations engage volunteers to achieve their missions.

By energizing volunteerism and empowering local organizations, Volunteer Alberta shares with the Government of Alberta the goal of improving the quality of life for Albertans by creating on-the-ground action that will build strong, engaging communities.

Volunteer Alberta accesses networks (both formal and informal) and resources/information that could assist the Premiers Council for Economic Strategy in further developing strategies for the province.

For more information about volunteerism in Alberta, visit Volunteer Alberta on our website at: http://www.volunteeralberta.ab.ca/ or phone 780.482.3300.

Sincerely,

Karen Lynch

Executive Director

Volunteer Alberta

cc: Volunteer Alberta Board of Directors

[1] Salamon, Lester M. and Helmut K. Anheier, “The International Classification of Nonprofit Organizations: ICNPO-Revision 1, 1996.” Working Papers of the Johns Hopkins Comparative Nonprofit Sector Project, no. 19. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins Institute for Policy Studies, 1996.

[2] These subsectors include: culture and recreation: education and research; health; social services; environment; development and housing; law, advocacy and politics; philanthropic intermediaries and voluntarism promotion; international; religion; business and professional associations, unions; and not elsewhere classified.

Letter: Submission for the Advisory Committee on Health

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 21:38:13 +0000

July 23, 2010

Mr. Fred Horne

MLA, Edmonton Rutherford Chair, Minister's Advisory Committee on Health c/o Legislature Office #721 Legislature Annex 9718 - 107 Street Edmonton, AB T5K 1E4

Re: Submission for the Advisory Committee on Health

Dear Mr. Horne,

I am writing as Executive Director of Volunteer Alberta, Alberta’s only provincial capacity builder for the voluntary sector. Volunteer Alberta works and collaborates with a network of voluntary and non-profit organizations across the province to leverage knowledge to provide tools, initiatives and resources that help community organizations engage and retain volunteers, build internal leadership and achieve their missions.

Volunteer Alberta was encouraged to read the Minister’s Advisory Committee on Health report which emphasised wellness, prevention and overall quality of life as being intricate parts of health care. The report reiterated the insight Volunteer Alberta and its partners have long expressed about the powerful investment Alberta’s 19,000 nonprofit/voluntary sector organizations make every day creating an unparreled quality of life for Albertans. Volunteer Alberta and its member organizations agree health is about much more than medical care. Many factors impact a person’s health. Families, the environment, education systems, and communities are the widely recognized so-called "social determinants of health."

As Alberta modernizes its health legislation, greater emphasis needs to be placed on wellness, prevention and overall quality of life. Voluntary sector organizations are about enhancing quality of life in Albertan communities. From sports and recreation to social services...from education to environment...from arts and culture to business and industry –organizations large and small depend on volunteers as they provide community programs and services to assist, entertain and connect local residents. Voluntary organizations play a critical role in supporting quality of life and peoples’ overall wellness. These organizations are often heralded as basic and elemental by community leaders, but the financial investments in this province do not always reflect that importance.

Volunteerism is vital for health care. Continuing care organizations, for example, often rely on volunteers for enhancing quality of life of their residents -- engaging them in recreational activities, providing a hand to hold, offering friendship and companionship, etc. In Alberta (based on 2007 statistics) health volunteers gave an average of 71 hours annually for a total of 16 million hours volunteered for health organizations. It is noteworthy that while approximately 2% of the nonprofit/voluntary organizations in Alberta are health organizations, upwards of 8% of Alberta’s population volunteered for health organizations. Health volunteers are motivated by the opportunity to make a contribution to the community (92%), or because they are personally affected by the cause of the organization (73%). (see Volunteer Alberta’s website: www.volunteeralberta.ab.ca for more health care volunteer data and information). Volunteerism does not replace the work of health professionals. It complements their skilled work and helps enhance the overall patient or resident experience while in a health care institution. This is but one example of volunteerism’s role in health care; there are thousands more.

Volunteer Alberta understands the Alberta Health Act will make provisions for ongoing engagement of Albertans as future decisions about the health system are made. In designing such engagement processes, we encourage the increased use of existing community networks. Voluntary sector networks are extensive, and are right down at the community level. The nature of their work is such that they are engaging everyday Albertans from all walks of life. The nonprofit/voluntary sector can connect with thousands of Albertans easily and readily, be it a cross-section of society or very targeted groups from specific backgrounds and interests.

Volunteer Alberta and the many organizations it represents would welcome the opportunity to partner, participate and assist in engaging Albertans and Alberta communities in the future as decisions about health are made.

Volunteer Alberta knows that volunteers are valued in this province. The reality is that health care legislation in Alberta needs to formally recognize the inputs invested every day from volunteer-engaging organizations. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Karen Lynch

Executive Director

Volunteer Alberta

cc: Angela Keibel, President, Volunteer Alberta

Know the Difference: The Volunteer Police Information Check Program vs. Private Background Screening Companies

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 22:49:43 +0000

BACKGROUND

As part of sound risk management practices, nonprofit/voluntary sector organizations often obtain Police Information Checks (PICs) to screen volunteers. However, organizations in the sector face two central concerns related to these checks. First are the costs of obtaining PICs for volunteers. The associated costs of the information checks divert funds away from front-line services and core missions and act as a barrier to volunteerism. Second, organizations strive to ensure the safety and wellbeing of populations they are benefiting. Thorough screening of applicants is necessary to protect vulnerable populations. Volunteer Alberta has worked hard to ensure the Volunteer Police Information Check Program (VPICP) can provide assistance for organizations in both these respects.

The VPICP emphasizes that PICs are one step in a multi-step volunteer screening process that helps protect Albertans, individual volunteers, and nonprofit/voluntary sector organizations. The program also aims to encourage the use of police services for PICs and to educate organizations regarding the risk of using private background screening companies for processing PICs. Volunteer Alberta advocates that organizations with volunteers who will be engaging in higher-risk circumstances (volunteers engaging in activities with minor children, seniors and disabled Albertans) take advantage of the Volunteer Police Information Check Program.

THE ISSUE: Why use the Volunteer Police Information Check Program and not private background screening companies?

Changes in December 2009 to background checks in Alberta have meant that only police are allowed to access information in the Canadian Police Information Centre database. According to Heather Bettke (Supervisor Police Information Check Unit with the Edmonton Police Service) only police services can perform a Vulnerable Sector Search, which checks the Canadian Police Information Centre database for information about applicants. The change means private background screening companies no longer have access to complete criminal records, nor can they disclose pending charges from the courts or police files.

It is unfortunately not understood that information received from private background screening companies is not as thorough as that from police services. Volunteer Alberta maintains that police services are the superior provider of PICs. Despite the short turn-around time of private background screening companies of PICs, these businesses cannot access criminal records and they lack access to valuable information needed to thoroughly screen applicants.

#217 Birks Building, 10113 – 104 Street, Edmonton AB T5J 1A1 Phone: (780) 482-3300 Fax: (780) 482-3310 Email: office@volunteeralberta.ab.ca www.volunteeralberta.ab.ca Private background screening companies are "giving volunteer groups a false sense of security" said Karen Lynch, Volunteer Alberta’s Executive Director in The Edmonton Journal’s article ‘Tighter volunteer scrutiny lauded’ (April 14, 2010). The Volunteer Police Information Check Program provides valuable clarifying information to organizations in the sector and coverage to eligible organizations using police services to screen their volunteers in order to best protect Albertans. Tighter screening practices for screening volunteer applicants "is absolutely a good thing," remarked Karen Lynch.

More information about comprehensive volunteer screening and the Volunteer Police Information Check Program is available from Volunteer Alberta at: http://voan.volunteeralberta.ab.ca.

Program Update: Volunteer Police Information Check Program

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 22:40:23 +0000

The Volunteer Police Information Check Program:

-> Why use police services for police information checks rather than private background screening companies?

-> After year-one how has the program worked?

BACKGROUND

The Volunteer Police Information Check Program (VPICP) began in April 2009 and is a three-year pilot program funded by the Government of Alberta, to cover the costs of obtaining police information checks (PICs) for organizations with volunteers in eligible circumstances. Volunteer Alberta administers the program and was influential in advocating for the VPICP as a means for providing greater protection for vulnerable populations, while reducing associated administrative for the nonprofit/voluntary sector.

As part of sound risk management practices, nonprofit/voluntary sector organizations obtain police information checks to screen volunteers. Organizations in the sector face two central concerns related to these checks. First are the costs of obtaining PICs for volunteers. The associated costs of the information checks divert funds away from front-line services and core missions and act as a barrier to volunteerism. Second, organizations strive to ensure the safety and wellbeing of populations they are benefiting. Thorough screening of applicants is necessary to protect vulnerable populations. Volunteer Alberta has worked hard to ensure the Volunteer Police Information Check Program can provide assistance for organizations in both these respects.

The VPICP emphasizes that PICs are one step in a multi-step volunteer screening process that helps protect Albertans, individual volunteers, and nonprofit/voluntary sector organizations.

Why use the Volunteer Police Information Check Program and not private background screening companies?

Changes in December 2009 to background checks in Alberta have meant that only police are allowed to access crucial information about applicants. According to Heather Bettke (Supervisor Police Information Check Unit with the Edmonton Police Service) only police services can perform a Vulnerable Sector Search, which checks the Canadian Police Information Centre database for information about applicants. The change means private background screening companies no longer have access to complete criminal records, nor can they disclose pending charges from the courts or police files.

It is unfortunately not understood that information received from private background screening companies is not as thorough as that from police services. Volunteer Alberta maintains that police services are the superior provider of PICs. Despite the short turn-around time of private background screening companies of PICs, these businesses cannot access criminal records and they lack access to valuable information needed to thoroughly screen applicants.

Private background screening companies are "giving volunteer groups a false sense of security" said Karen Lynch, Volunteer Alberta’s Executive Director, in The Edmonton Journal’s article ‘Tighter volunteer scrutiny lauded’ (April 14, 2010). The Volunteer Police Information Check Program provides valuable clarifying information to organizations in the sector and coverage to eligible organizations using police services to screen their volunteers in order to best protect Albertans. Tighter screening practices for screening volunteer applicants "is absolutely a good thing," remarked Karen Lynch.

VOLUNTEER POLICE INFORMATION CHECK PROGRAM FACTS

The Government of Alberta’s three-year pilot project has already made great strides to protect vulnerable populations, while reducing administrative costs in the sector. Between April 1, 2009 and April 1, 2010, the Volunteer Police Information Check Program had the following impact:

-> Volunteer Alberta received 449 applications for the program

-> 307 applications have been approved, each receiving their own Volunteer Organization Authorization Number (VOAN)

-> Volunteer Alberta worked with many of the applicants to assist them in improving their screening processes, which resulted in their subsequent approval

-> 193 organizations used their assigned VOANs for these checks

-> Only 131 applications were rejected (for failing to meet program criteria)

-> The Government of Alberta paid more than $190,000 for the processing of 12,792 Police Information Checks to police services in Alberta

-> Based on the number of approved applications, once all organizations complete their PICs for approved positions, the Government of Alberta could be covering the cost for upwards of 63,437 Volunteer Police Information Checks for individuals in 473 different volunteer positions in the nonprofit/voluntary sector.

The success of this pilot program depends on the uptake by nonprofit/voluntary sector organizations. If you know of an organization that could benefit from this program, please pass along the enclosed brochure or direct them to Volunteer Alberta at: http://voan.volunteeralberta.ab.ca

Concerns over the Government of Alberta’s Charitable Gaming Model Review

Thu, 06 May 2010 21:45:10 +0000

Back in September 2009, the Hon. Fred Lindsay, Solicitor General and Minister of Public Security, responsible for the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission (AGLC) appointed a three-member MLA committee to examine aspects of the province’s charitable gaming model. The government of Alberta’s reasoning was that the "committee came in response to concerns from some charities on how proceeds and wait times between events vary throughout the province. Many groups have also reported difficulty in recruiting and retaining enough volunteers to support their activities including casino events." (see: GOA website)

Volunteer Alberta is concerned about the potential outcome of the charitable gaming model review which was due on March 31, 2010. Part of the reason for the concern is that Culture and Community Spirit Minister Blackett was of the opinion that the 980,000 hours invested by volunteers in casinos can be better spent elsewhere and that these views were made known to the Solicitor General.

Volunteer Alberta and a number of nonprofit and voluntary sector organizations maintain that many of the government’s concerns with the current casino and gaming model being practised in Alberta are unfounded. Volunteer Centre EDs expressed a contrary position indicating that many volunteers want to participate in exactly the kind of special event like a casino where their involvement is confined to a specific date and effort. Groups such as Volunteer Calgary have made submissions to the MLA Committee indicating survey results that casino volunteering was not a barrier to the majority of Volunteer Calgary’s member organizations. Furthermore, as the Calgary Chamber for Voluntary Organizations rightly highlighted, if casinos were fully staffed (without volunteers), there would be no sound rationale for charities to receive revenue from specific casinos.

In the interests of supporting community organizations throughout Alberta, it is crucial that funding commitments through volunteer managed casinos and other Alberta Lottery Fund programs be maintained. In 2008-09, almost 3,500 licensed charities earned $252 million in proceeds from casino events and there are 6,972 charitable organizations eligible to conduct and manage a casino event. It goes without saying that Alberta’s gaming model provides crucial support for a number of organizations in our communities.

Changes to Alberta’s charitable gaming model have the potential to dramatically shift important funding sources for nonprofit and voluntary organizations throughout Alberta.

During times of fiscal austerity, governments will seek alternative revenue sources, including through casinos and gaming. The concern is that if non-profit and volunteer organizations are not able to manage casino, then casino revenues will become part of general government revenues (rather than remaining part of the Alberta Lottery Fund budget stream). Currently, the Alberta Lottery Fund is made up of the government's share of net revenues gaming, and these revenues total more than $1.5 billion each year, and are used to support thousands of volunteer, public and community-based initiatives annually.

Alberta maintains a unique charitable gambling model compared to other provinces. Some characteristics of this Alberta model include:

Each of the 19 traditional charitable casinos facilities can accommodate 182 two-day events per year resulting in almost 3,500 casino events annually.
The province is divided into eight casino regions and eligible organizations are assigned to facilities within their area. Based on geographic constraints and current boundaries, waitlists for a casino event range from 16 to 33 months throughout the province.
Charities are required to provide between 15 and 25 volunteers per event depending on the size of casino.
Between April and June of this year, charitable proceeds, per event, ranged from $18,246 in Medicine Hat to $76,109 in Calgary.

(See here for a breakdown of Alberta Lottery Fund distribution).

The model in Alberta provides organizations with the opportunity to fundraise through casino events. Casino revenues often provide a critical funding base for smaller organizations, which remain heavily reliant upon these funds. While there are some technical problems with the wait times, rural/urban funding differences, and applications processes, there are reasons not to abandon the overall charitable gambling model in Alberta

Organization in Alberta should look to what happened in British Columbia as a result of the way revenues are collected and distributed to nonprofit and voluntary organization. In British Columbia, a Memorandum of Agreement was signed between the BC government and the British Columbia Association for Charitable Gaming (BCACG) (a non-profit society, representing charities interests in British Columbia) in 1999, which committed one-third of net community casino revenues to charities and NGOs. Since the gaming funds went into general government coffers the BC government, under province-wide budgetary constraints the government felt the need in 2009 to freeze direct access gaming funds for organizations. The government ultimately released 7.95% ($159 million) later in the year, but funding amounts still fell short of the existing one-third commitment.

Non-profit and voluntary sector organizations in Alberta are right to raise concerns that gaming revenues could become one element of all the revenues collected by the government in Alberta. If gaming were to become part of the entire package of government revenue, when budgets begin to tighten, gaming funding might no longer remain a steady source of funding for organizations. This was precisely the problem which occurred in British Columbia, where despite increases in gaming revenues, funding for organizations declined.

Volunteer Alberta is concerned that any reallocation of casino revenues would further aggravate funding challenges facing organizations. Nonprofit and voluntary organizations already face budgetary challenges due to declining government funding stream and private donations. The challenge of replacing any lost income from casino would be compounded by the substantial decline in other provincial funding programs.

Volunteer Alberta hopes the recommendations made by the three-member MLA committee will recognize the importance of Alberta’s charitable gaming model and will not make changes which might adversely affect funding for organizations.

Announcement from Public Safety on Police Information Checks

Thu, 26 May 2011 20:11:15 +0000

Nothing New for the Sector

The news conference in Calgary on Wednesday May 25^th with the Honourable Vic Toews, Canada’s Minister of Public Safety, and Calgary Police Services Chief Rick Hanson announced decreases in wait times for Police Information Checks (PIC) thanks to a new Live Scan machine. This However, is not news. He released exactly the same information earlier this year: The availability of the Live Scan digital fingerprinting machine offers an opportunity for police services to decrease wait times for Police Information Check (PIC).

In February, Volunteer Alberta and the Government of Alberta arranged for the arrival of the existing Live Scan machine in Calgary to address the daunting wait times for those wanting to volunteer in vulnerable sectors. The announcement by Minister Toews does not offer anything new for the volunteers or volunteer-engaging organizations in Alberta. However, it does offer an opportunity to address the current wait times.

“Technology is a superb tool, but it requires human resources to operate. The wait times in Calgary are of huge concern to volunteers, many who have been waiting several weeks to get their clearances out of the way so they can get doing what they offered their time and energy to do,” said Karen Lynch, Executive Director Volunteer Alberta. “The delays are of equal concern to Calgary Police Services, but unless this announcement was about additional dollars to augment the staffing required, I am not sure what will change because of yesterday’s announcement by the Minister and Police Chief. I hope I missed something and look forward to a phone call from CPS to tell me what is now possible since this technology is already in place and is in fact old news."

The sector now needs to address Police Information Checks from a two-pronged approach: appeal to police for more staff to decrease wait times exceeding two – three weeks, and education on the part of the volunteer sector to understand which potential volunteer positions need a PIC. Both approaches will significantly increase efficiency and protection to vulnerable populations served by the sector.

Calgary's wait times in February 2011 for Police Information Checks and fingerprinting were the longest in Alberta. Volunteers were waiting 6-8 weeks for the Police Information Check portion. Since then, Calgary Police Services have made valiant efforts to address the current wait times by adding additional staff and authorizing overtime as well as expanding access to additional district stations. Wait times are decreasing; however Calgary-area organizations are still reporting wait times up to 6 weeks.

As a result of these wait times, organizations are simply choosing not to screen volunteers to save time and get the volunteer involved immediately. This is jeopardizing the safety and well-being of the communities they serve. Delays are causing volunteers such as coaches for sports teams to miss entire seasons.

The Volunteer Police Information Check Program (VPICP) is a program administered by Volunteer Alberta with support from the Government of Alberta. The program enables eligible organizations to access Police Information Checks (PICs) free of charge for their volunteers that work with children, seniors, or people with a disability. One of the key components of the VPICP is the educating organizations about best practices for screening processes and emphasizing that PICs are just one way to screen potential volunteers. To learn more about the program and to see if your organization is eligible visit voan.volunteeralberta.ab.ca/

Are there Enough Volunteers in Alberta?

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 18:08:40 +0000

To mark National Volunteer Week, PrimeTime Television hosted Volunteer Alberta's Executive Director Karen Lynch for a discussion around Alberta's nonprofit/voluntary sector.

Click here to watch the interview

Volunteering 101 - open up to the awesome

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 17:45:13 +0000

From the Hinton Voice - April 14, 2011
Tyler Waugh

Karen Lynch was everything I’d hoped she would be as executive director of Volunteer Alberta.

She’s outspoken and doesn’t sugarcoat emerging and ongoing challenges within the volunteer world, but is equally optimistic about how boards and committees will adapt to those challenges.

Lynch spoke to around 100 people April 11 at a board of directors appreciation dinner hosted by the Town of Hinton at the Hinton Centre as part of National Volunteer Week.

The volunteer advocate and self-described board junkie pulled no punches in giving a realistic assessment of what too many boards are doing wrong.

Among other things she touched upon during the 40-minute presentation was the issue of marketing opportunities within an organization. She emphasized word of mouth in setting the tone for positive experiences. Sounds hokey, sure, but her example rang true to me.

How many times have we stood in a checkout line and either overheard a conversation or held one personally with somebody lamenting how they had to go to a meeting that particular night and how they’d rather be lounging in their chair in front of the television. Can’t say I haven’t been guilty of that myself. Lately, I have been pretty open about the fact that I am likely going to pull back on my volunteer commitments for a year or so. I’ve never thought about statements like that being misconceived as negative about my volunteer experiences.

It couldn’t be further from the truth and since I value volunteering, I probably owe it to the movement to discuss how the different roles make me feel and how I’ve benefitted. So here it goes.

Hinton United Way - I was invited to a lunch meeting in 2005 under the auspices of covering it for the paper and left as a board member. While I still wonder just exactly how that happened (I didn’t get a lunch, either!), it’s hard to argue with the experience.

Helping coordinate fundraising and marketing opportunities for a diverse group of local non-profits is pretty exciting, especially considering the vital services these groups provide to those less fortunate in our community.

It’s provided me a far better perspective on some of the unique challenges in our town and a deep appreciation for those who toil in relative anonymity to make it better. I hope I never need their services, but I feel better knowing they exist in case the unexpected should occur.

Citizens Advisory Group - This is my first experience on a town-driven committee. I spend my professional life reporting and commenting on what these committees undertake and this was my first foray into “seeing how the sausage is made” so to speak.

Honestly? It’s been a long grind and frustrating at times as 11 people with unique perspectives endeavoured to marry long-term municipal planning with public-driven objectives.

With the end near (our final draft goes to Town Council on May 3), it’s easier to reflect on what a remarkably rewarding experience it’s been. I’ll miss the debates about Hinton’s future with people I respect and learning that “making the sausage” should be somewhat hard if it’s going to be relevant.

Hinton Minor Hockey - Helping to coach atom hockey this year meant being at the rink a lot and, for me, being at the rink helping out is like a two thumbs up sundae dripping with awesome sauce.

Volunteer, I tell you, and open yourself up to the awesome.

Effective Checks Coming

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 22:12:29 +0000

Reposted from Saint City - St. Albert's Weekly Newspaper

March 4, 2011
Brent Rathgeber

On Tuesday, Feb. 15, the Hon. Vic Toews, Minister of Public Safety, along with senior personnel from the RCMP, highlighted the use of the latest technology in vulnerable sector criminal record checks: an electronic fingerprint scanner.

Background security checks of would-be teachers, minor sports coaches, daycare workers and anyone wanting to work with children, seniors or the disabled are a requirement in most organizations and are strongly encouraged where not required. The problem is that these security checks can take up to six to eight months to complete.

The federal government tightened the security check criteria to prevent persons with criminal records or pardons for sexual offences from slipping through the system by simply changing their names. Accordingly, the first screening criterion used is date of birth, as this cannot be legally changed. If an applicant’s birthday and gender match that of a convicted criminal, the vulnerable sector check is flagged and the applicant must be fingerprinted.

As an example, the St. Albert Minor Hockey Association requires a vulnerable sector check from all potential coaches. This new tightened security check protocol flagged 100 of the 400 potential coaches for fingerprinting using date of birth as the criteria, meaning that 25 per cent of those applying to coach a minor hockey team had the same birthday and gender as a convicted criminal. The fingerprint check will eliminate any doubt, and it will also screen out someone like Graham James as the potential coach of a minor hockey team.

Minister Toews and the RCMP have introduced a new electronic fingerprint scanner that could reduce the wait times for vulnerable sector checks from months to just days, and potentially even minutes. The new tighter security checks have caused fingerprint checks to go from 130 per month to almost 8,000 nationally, with all of them having to be processed manually. All fingerprints taken either in ink or electronically for a vulnerable sector check are destroyed afterwards.

The electronic fingerprint scanner costs approximately $15,000. This is a good investment to ensure the protection of the most vulnerable members of our society. This equipment would be extremely helpful for the police, but more importantly, it would be beneficial to those seeking to volunteer — something the citizens of St. Albert are noted for. The applications of this equipment could extend well beyond the volunteer sector to include employment checks, adoptions and even visa applications.

I know many of you have had negative experiences with vulnerable sector checks. Although absolutely necessary to protect the most vulnerable, the federal government is seeking to make the system as accurate and time-efficient as possible.

look forward to hearing your comments on vulnerable sector checks and electronic fingerprint scanning. You can reach me by email at rathgb0@parl.gc.ca or by phone at 780-458-0809.

Picking up the Pace on Police Checks

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 16:35:56 +0000

SEE VIDEO

Kevin Libin: Wildrose unveils warm, fuzzy side

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 21:28:41 +0000

The blouse Danielle Smith wore when she walked into Calgary’s Southview Community hall Monday was a dusty pink, but her mission, just the same, was to begin the counter-offensive against her competitors’ campaign to vilify her as some kind of Albertan brownshirt.

The leader of the Wildrose Alliance Party had come to try to talk sympathetically about the homeless, the disabled and the poor and hungry children of Alberta. It was her party that genuinely cared to create a government with “warmth, compassion and generosity,” she said, laying down a marker in the stewing political battle over humane policy. Looking for cold-hearted bastards? For that, Ms. Smith suggested, you would have to look to the current Progressive Conservative government.

Premier Ed Stelmach last month tipped the PCs’ strategy to brand Ms. Smith’s Wildrose party as a horde of raving, pitiless reactionaries. Since Ms. Smith’s group began two years ago aggressively riding up in the polls on the Tories’ right side, there had been those in the Tory caucus who would, in private, turn purple at any mention of Wildrose and sputter about the fanatical “wild-eyed alliance.”

Mr. Stelmach, in his resignation speech, made the slur public. There was, he warned in an obvious allusion to Ms. Smith’s organization, a “danger” of “an extreme right party” lurking. It would “disguise itself as a moderate party.” It would practice “U.S.-style politics.” Only the Tories could protect Albertans from it.

The Wildrose, with its demands for reduced government spending and market-style health-care reforms, had surely expected the attack. On Monday, Ms. Smith laid out her plan to neutralize it: Big spending wasn’t the same as compassion, she argued. In fact, it was often the opposite.

“The PC government clearly believes the answer to caring for those in need is to make the government bigger,” she said. “To create more bureaucracy, to complicate assessment regimes and funding applications, and to centralize administration of funding programs Albertans rely on every day to survive.” The result, she said, has been a hash; provincial support for mental health programs had become “erratic” and government-appointed regional boards were politicizing funding allocations. Social program spending was soaring, while services were struggling. “The losers in all of this are, of course, Albertans in need,” Ms. Smith said. “We’ve got to get government out of the way.”

There is decent evidence to back her position up. Keith Seel, director of the Institute for Nonprofit Studies at Calgary’s Mount Royal University, points out that an appalling amount of social spending gets eaten up by government and agency administrators on its way to the front lines. Take the amount of money going into the Persons with Developmental Disabilities board in either of the province’s big cities: it works out to roughly $70,000 per client undefined just about enough, he points out, to hire two full-time workers to work every day of the year for every single developmentally disabled Albertan. By the time the money passes through myriad layers of bureaucracy, however, what developmentally disabled Albertans actually get is about two half-days of support a week.

“If you were to take the amount going into a system, say children’s services, or seniors, or persons with disabilities, 100% arrives there, but depending on how many steps are in the system, some of the burn rate from the perspective of families receiving service would appear to be as high as 90%,” Mr. Seel says. “Say the average was $70,000 per person in a particular area. What we’ve collected data on is that some of the families are literally seeing out of that $70,000 just $6,000 in service provision.”

The issue with the government’s approach is that it doesn’t view the social services system as a “system,” Mr. Seel believes, but rather, creates webs of competing services swollen with redundancies and inefficiencies. And so, it misses opportunities to streamline delivery and maximize the benefits per dollar spent.

Institutional shortsightedness might help explain also the government’s logic in setting up a system that claws back benefits for the severely handicapped the moment they earn income of their own. This, Ms. Smith insisted, is “not only unfair to vulnerable Albertans who wish to supplement their income with a view to maybe working full-time, it creates a negative incentive for them to join the workforce and only further traps them into dependency.”

Ms. Smith proposes ending the clawbacks and moving money out of the ministries and instead delivering it as directly as possible to community level non-profit agencies demonstrating a “proven and ongoing track record of strong performance.”

She also promised to introduce tax credits for volunteerism, and increase the tax benefit for donations to charities to bring them “at least as much or more” as the write-off for donating to a political partyundefinedwhich, under the current tax regime, actually gives taxpayers in the highest brackets a 50% bigger break than a pledge to a homeless shelter or addiction treatment centre.

A 2009 study by Volunteer Alberta actually concluded that such tax credits may not increase volunteerism or donations and could even have “adverse long-term effects” by undermining the altruistic element of giving.

Still, most voters would doubtless presume the opposite, and the Wildrose Alliance’s social support platform unveiled Monday isn’t just defensible social policy; it’s about the optics of looking caring and big-hearted, despite the Conservatives’ attempts to paint them otherwise.

These policies have a strong ring of the sort of “compassionate conservative” championed once by former U.S. president George W. Bush, who promoted the idea of increasing the role of faith-based grassroots agencies to deliver social programs undefined though the plan was never implemented once he took office. The big difference is that Ms. Smith, whose party takes a more libertarian line than the Tories, did not emphasize any role for faith-based groups over secular ones. And that she seems set out to, in this province at least, officially separate the word compassionate from Conservative.

National Post
klibin@nationalpost.com

Screening out the Pervs

Thu, 27 Jan 2011 19:12:19 +0000

CALGARY HERALD JANUARY 20, 2011

The RCMP's attempt at enhancing its screening process in the wake of sex offender Graham James' pardon last year has created unintended consequences for the nonprofit sector. It's also another reason sex offenders and other serious violent criminals should not be granted pardons, period.

Non-profits, agencies and others who rely on police checks to recruit employees and volunteers who will be working with children or the vulnerable are now subject to a process fraught with long delays. A routine check can now take months when it should be days.

In some cases, new volunteers quit before they even get started, according to the executive director of Volunteer Alberta. In other cases, people who have volunteered for years are now being flagged because the search criteria is broader, and has resulted in thousands more matches.

Date of birth and gender are searched, but not name, as the RCMP realized their old protocols failed to catch those who legally changed their names but didn't bother to report it to police.

In Calgary, the situation is worsened because local police don't have a fingerprint scanner. Before hiring more officers, perhaps CPS should modernize its equipment. Sending paper fingerprints to Ottawa for processing adds eight weeks to the process, according to RCMP. The turnaround time to send fingerprints electronically is just three days, unless there's a match.

In the short term, Calgary police need to get themselves a scanner. In the long term, RCMP should revisit their protocols and come up with something better. When a criminal legally changes his or her name, part of that legal process should send an update to police, as a matter of routine. Leaving this detail up to the offender to report, simply should no longer be an option.

more:http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Screening+pervs/4136420/story.html#ixzz1CGi6zQxD

Sex-offender screening plagues non-profit groups with delays

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 20:19:23 +0000

New RCMP process has flagged hundreds of volunteers who must then submit to fingerprinting for verification

BY RICHARD CUTHBERTSON, CALGARY HERALD; POSTMEDIA NEWS JANUARY 17, 2011

It is meant to weed out pardoned sex offenders who change their name, but a new RCMP police-check policy for those working with children and vulnerable people is wreaking havoc with some non-profits, here in Calgary and across the country.

Those who rely on the screening as one part of an effort to ensure their volunteers don't have a criminal background say the process is now fraught with delays.

In some cases, new volunteer recruits simply quit before they even get started because the checks are taking so long, according to the executive director of Volunteer Alberta.

Some groups are reportedly abandoning the police-check process entirely because it has become so lengthy.

The new policy, which was implemented in July, uses date of birth and gender -- but not the person's name -- to search for hits among the country's more than 14,000 pardoned sex offenders.

The major problem is thousands of people locally, and tens of thousands nationally, are now being flagged during the process, simply because their birthdate and gender match that of a pardoned sex offender.

They are then asked to return to their local police station for fingerprinting, which is sent to Ottawa.

Calgary has no proper scanners

In Calgary, the situation is particularly acute, according to some, as police in this city cannot scan fingerprints digitally and send them electronically.

It all adds substantially to the time it takes for police checks to be completed, delays which some say are now more than two months long. "It's quite ... untenable the wait time there," said Karen Lynch, the executive director of Volunteer Alberta.

The RCMP and local police say they have added personnel to deal with the "staggering" increase in vulnerable sector hits, and there are other changes on the way to reduce lag time in processing checks.

But so large is the problem caused by the protocols that the Chinook Council, which represents scouting groups in southern Alberta, reports more 150 of its volunteers have already been caught in this new hopper.

Executive director Doug MacDonald said police checks are taking two months or more to return. In small communities which have a series of new volunteers, delays mean scouting groups had no one to lead their activities, he said.

In other cases, leaders are forced to take on new groups, as other volunteers wait for their police check to finally arrive.

And longtime volunteers who have never been flagged before are now being forced to submit fingerprints for analysis as Scouts Canada requires an update to the police check every three years.

"We had 20-year volunteers that I've had to send down to the police for fingerprinting because their date of birth -- day, month, year -- matches somebody on the pardoned sex-offender list," MacDonald said. "I've got a 50-plus-year volunteer I had to send down. He's been doing police record checks since 1997, every three years. This year -- he's 78 years old -- had to go for fingerprinting."

The problem is hitting thousands in Calgary. In all of 2009, the system flagged just 67 people for fingerprinting out of the roughly 52,000 vulnerable sector checks, according to city police.

Since the new protocols were put in the place in July, the number of people required to return and submit fingerprints has jumped to more than 2,500.

"Because the criteria for this search is less specific, far more people are being flagged and therefore required to take this extra step, thus causing the processing delay," said Staff Sgt. Scott Boyd, with the Calgary police information check unit.

The average lag time for police checks in Calgary is now six weeks, far beyond the previous target of just 10 days to two weeks, although Boyd adds the vulnerable sector protocols are not the only thing at play.

Police checks hobble charity work

Mon, 17 Jan 2011 17:26:37 +0000

BY RICHARD CUTHBERTSON, CALGARY HERALD
JANUARY 17, 2011

It is meant to weed out pardoned sex offenders who change their name, but a new RCMP police check policy for those working with children and vulnerable people is wreaking havoc with some non-profits, both in Calgary and across the country.

Those who rely on the screening as one part of an effort to ensure their volunteers don't have a criminal background say the process is now fraught with delays.

In some cases, new volunteer recruits simply quit before they even get started because the checks are taking so long, according to the executive director of Volunteer Alberta.

And some organizations are reportedly abandoning the police check process entirely because it has become so lengthy.

The new policy, which was implemented in July, uses date of birth and gender -- but not the person's name -- to search for hits among the country's more than 14,000 pardoned sex offenders.

They are then asked to return to their local police station for fingerprinting, which is sent to Ottawa.

In Calgary, the situation is particularly acute, according to some, as police in this city cannot scan fingerprints digitally and send them electronically.

It all adds substantially to the time it takes for police checks to be completed, delays which some say are now more than two months long.

"It's quite . . . untenable the wait time there," said Karen Lynch, the executive director of Volunteer Alberta.

The RCMP and local police say they have added personnel to deal with the "staggering" increase in vulnerable sector hits, and other changes are on the way to reduce lag time in processing checks.

Executive director Doug MacDonald said police checks are taking two months or more to return. In small communities that have a series of new volunteers, delays mean scouting groups had no one to lead their activities, he said.

In other cases, leaders are forced to take on new groups, as other volunteers wait for their police check to finally arrive.

And longtime volunteers who have never been flagged before are now being forced to submit fingerprints for analysis as Scouts Canada requires an update to the police check every three years.

"We had 20-year volunteers that I've had to send down to the police for fingerprinting because their date of birth -- day, month, year -- matches somebody on the pardoned sex offender list," MacDonald said.

"I've got a 50-plus year volunteer I had to send down. He's been doing police record checks since 1997, every three years. This year -- he's 78 years old -- had to go for fingerprinting."

The problem is hitting thousands in Calgary. In all of 2009, the system flagged just 67 people for fingerprinting out of the roughly 52,000 vulnerable sector checks, according to city police.

Since the new protocols were put in place in July, the number of people required to return and submit fingerprints has jumped to more than 2,500.

The average lag time for police checks in Calgary is now six weeks, far beyond the previous target of 10 days to two weeks, although Boyd adds the vulnerable sector protocols are not the only thing at play.

Calgary police, Boyd said, have doubled the number of people working in the information police check unit and will soon roll out other changes to reduce delays.

But another problem is that Calgary police do not have a fingerprint scanner. That means fingerprints on paper must be sent to the RCMP in Ottawa, leading to an eight-week delay, according to the Mounties. By contrast, sending them electronically produces a turnaround time of just three days, unless the fingerprints match the pardoned sex offender.

Boyd suggests Calgary police are contemplating some kind of solution, but Lynch said action can't come soon enough.

"The digital fingerprinting machine -- I've got the budget for it, I'll drive down and give it to them," she said.

The issue relates to changes in the way the RCMP does its vulnerable sector checks in the wake of the Graham James scandal. Last year, it was revealed the former junior hockey coach, who was convicted in the 1990s of sexually assaulting two of his players, had quietly had his convictions pardoned.

But with just birthdate and gender to go by, thousands are being tipped as potential matches, leaving Lynch to suggest another difficult-to-change criterion, such as height or ethnicity, be added to shrink the number of hits.

In all of 2009, the RCMP's Canadian Criminal Real Time Identification Services performed 2,500 vulnerable sector fingerprint checks. Since August, they've processed 34,719 under the new protocols.

The RCMP said it recognizes there is an issue. It moved more people into the unit and has allocated overtime to process applications, according to Sgt. Julie Gagnon.

It is also hoped that delays will be reduced by enhancements to their electronic systems, she wrote in an e-mail.

rcuthbertson@calgaryherald.com

Volunteer Canada’s Panel Discussion on Volunteerism

Fri, 10 Dec 2010 19:16:32 +0000

Speech: Governor General of Canada David Johnston

Ottawa, Wednesday, December 8, 2010

(Volunteer Canada hosted an interactive panel discussion of the research implications with Canadians representing the four groups examined in the research, the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, and key players in the voluntary sector.

Thank you for this invitation to speak on a topic of great importance to me, and to all Canadians.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to those who have gathered here to discuss the changing landscape of volunteerism in Canada. I also want to thank Volunteer Canada for bringing us together, and for your important research on the volunteer experience in this country.

Before we begin, let me take a moment to look back at where we’ve been. Canadians have a truly remarkable history of volunteerism, both at home and abroad.

Early Canadians fully understood the extent of their dependence upon one another. The first governor of this land, Samuel de Champlain, said that his pioneering settlement at Port Royal would not have survived its first winter in 1605 were it not for the generous help of the local First Nations.

Later, the mostly rural inhabitants of our young country helped each other, as they built barns and communities in the hopes of a better life for their children. I still see examples of this, as neighbours combine their diverse talents and energies to help their communities in times of need.

Today, in dozens of countries worldwide, millions of people participate in the volunteer-led Terry Fox Run. Close to $500 million has been raised for cancer research to date.

Indeed, every school child in Canada knows about the Marathon of Hope. In his book, Terry, author Douglas Coupland remarks upon the thousands of names of everyday Canadians in the Terry Fox archives, and writes: “Collectively, those names testify to something divine – our nation, our home and our soul.”

Canadians are rightly renowned for their spirit of volunteerism.

Here at home, volunteers are involved in every aspect of our society. Canada has the second-largest voluntary sector in the world, and our social, cultural and economic well-being is directly linked to the countless donations of time and energy made each day by Canadians.

And yet, the circumstances in which we volunteer are evolving, and the demands are growing.

How will we meet these needs?

Since my installation as governor general, I have been inviting Canadians to join me in imagining our country as it could be. We strive for a smart and caring nation, where all Canadians can succeed, contribute, and develop their talents to their fullest potential.

To achieve this vision, I have set out three pillars: supporting families and children; reinforcing learning and innovation; and encouraging philanthropy and volunteerism.

I believe that a renewed spirit of philanthropy and volunteerismundefinedof givingundefinedis essential to creating the smarter, more caring nation we seek.

New ideas and innovative thinking will be crucial to our efforts.

The changing demographics of Canada present us with new opportunities for mobilization. Energetic and talented retirees are valuable sources of professional insight and experience. Their contributions are essential to the nation we aim to build.

We can also look to new Canadians as important contributors to civic life. Their international experience and enthusiasm for Canada can greatly enhance our volunteer potential.

It will also be important to find new ways to encourage youth volunteerism. Young people are filled with tremendous energy and idealism, and more than 55 per cent of youth volunteer their timeundefinedthat’s twice the rate of adults.

We also know that those who volunteer early in life are more likely to continue. Adult role models are crucial, as demonstrated by the fact that young people who have a parent who volunteers are almost three times as likely to volunteer themselves.

Families and workplaces offer new avenues for generosity. And, in what has been termed a new world of active citizenship, today’s volunteers are broadening our idea of altruism. Can we shift our focus so that giving is understood as an act of citizenship, with reciprocal benefits for the donor, the recipient, and society as a whole?

In a democracy, everyone has something to give.

With globalization, many Canadians now direct their energies overseas, helping out in a multitude of noble causes worldwide.

As our world changes, so too does the nature of volunteerism.

Our challenge is to adapt, and always to preserve the spirit of giving. As we approach the 150th anniversary of Canada in 2017, the time is right for us to renew our collective pursuit of kindness.

Thank you.

Volunteers freely give their gifts of time, effort

Mon, 04 Oct 2010 20:54:49 +0000

Re: Free Labour, Sept. 15. Ottawa Citizen

The notion of volunteers' contributions as "free labour," as a suggestion of simple replacement of paid staff, disregards the inherent altruism that drives and motivates volunteers and undermines the fact that these gifts of time, freely given, improve the quality of life for millions worldwide.

There's no doubt that the young people featured in the Citizen article are sincere in offering their skills for the benefit of fellow human beings. While they are "transitioning careers," they also are volunteering within the context of professional development. We find that most volunteers will tell you that they get more out of volunteering than they give.

In order to sustain and strengthen any volunteer program, a great deal of resources are necessary to recruit, train, support, and recognize volunteers for their time and contribution. Adequate financial resources, and often paid professional staff resources, are required to support volunteer programs in order to effectively engage and motivate volunteers. It all comes at a cost.

While volunteers may not receive financial compensation, volunteering offers many tangible and intangible benefits that enhance our social, educational, and professional development. There are also many community service programs that focus on promoting citizenship and strengthening skills.

It takes dedicated resources and organizational commitment to connect the energy, skills, and passions within a community. When this happens, people can provide meaningful service while gaining valuable experiences. Ask any organization this question: "If you had enough money to hire all the staff you could, would you still involve volunteers?" The answer would be a resounding yes. In addition to vital services, volunteers bring accountability and credibility to an organization. Volunteers are trustworthy community ambassadors and they are a compelling voice of an organization's mission. Definitely not free labour, but definitely worth the investment!

Contrary to the article, the number of Canadians volunteering each year is more than 12.5 million as the Canada Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating reported in 2007. That's the equivalent of 46 per cent of the population aged 15 and over. They contribute almost two billion hours of volunteer time. Indeed much comes from a few, and it is worth clarifying that about seven per cent of Canadians are contributing approximately 78 per cent of the volunteer time in this country.

Ruth MacKenzie, Ottawa

President & CEO, Volunteer Canada

PIPA and Policy Development: Legislate or Educate? - Canadian Journal of Volunteer Resource Management 18.2 By: Evan Romanow

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 22:24:09 +0000

On January 1, 2004, nonprofit and voluntary sector organizations in Alberta became subject to Alberta’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA).[1] PIPA was Alberta’s response to the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) – federal legislation which specified how private sector organizations could collect, use or disclose personal information in the course of commercial activities. Nonprofit/voluntary sector organizations in Alberta remained exempt from PIPA, provided they did not engage in commercial activities. However, that was expected to change in 2007 when a committee of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta (the Alberta Select Special PIPA Review Committee) recommended bringing “all not-for-profit organizations fully within the scope of the Act” (Recommendation 5, Final Report). This is the brief story of how the voluntary sector was able to demonstrate how the needs of the sector and those of government could be realized mutually.

The first step in response to initial concerns about the potentially arduous legislation was to understand the needs and policy interests of stakeholders within the sector. Katherine van Kooy, President and CEO of the Calgary Chamber of Voluntary Organizations (CCVO), would prove integral in providing the foundation for encouraging professionalism in the sector when developing organizational best practices. The CCVO conducted a series of surveys, forums and interviews within the sector on understanding what tools and resources can be developed to help organizations understand and implement best practices for handling personal information.[2] Consultative processes helped develop an understanding of the implications if PIPA was fully applied to nonprofit organizations.

Based on additional consultation with the sector, concerns emerged that legislation requiring organizations to either adapt their current practices or introduce new policies around confidentiality and personal information would present significant challenges and impediments for many nonprofit and voluntary sector organizations. An additional concern was the capacity of organizations to undertake drastic legal and risk management re-organization required by the legislation to protect personal information. This was especially important considering approximately 58 percent of Alberta’s 19,000 nonprofit/voluntary organizations are run entirely by volunteers. Legislative requirements may also compound escalating financial challenges as nonprofits continue to grapple with declining donations from Albertans, a decrease in community investment budgets from corporate Alberta and diminishing funding from all levels of government.

Volunteer Alberta, CCVO and the Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations began working with Minister Heather Klimchuk’s staff in Service Alberta, to gauge the best method of encouraging an increased awareness of the need to protect personal data. However, the question was whether to legislate or to educate. Advocates for organizations engaging volunteers strongly felt that something other than a one-size-fits-all solution was needed. Furthermore, it was felt that education rather than rigid legislation would need to be part of any solution. The goal was to provide guidance to assist organizations to protect personal privacy and to advance the needs of voluntary organizations. This was especially important for those that were working under legislative or regulatory requirements by virtue of their contracts to deliver services for the Government of Alberta. The sector shared concerns and suggestions with Service Alberta and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Alberta about ways to develop education and outreach opportunities on privacy legislation and best practices.[3]

Ultimately, the Personal Information Protection Amendment Act, 2009 (Bill 54), introduced by MLA Jonathan Denis, did not require all nonprofit/voluntary sector organizations to comply with PIPA regulations. Bill 54 modified the act to include breach notification and data transfer requirements. Importantly, the final decision of the Minister was based on the nonprofit/voluntary sector assuming and maintaining the highest standards of personal information protection. Bill 54 clarifies PIPA’s existing provisions regarding personal employee information and the retention of personal information and includes some revised consent provisions to better address longstanding business practices. Service Alberta Minister Heather Klimchuk felt the amendment would “result in better protection for Albertans’ information.”[4]

It is worth noting that Information and Privacy Commissioner Frank Work expressed disappointment that certain nonprofit agencies will be exempt from the new rules. “Many of these organizations collect highly sensitive personal information that should be subject to legislative protection.”[5] Volunteer Alberta and others were of the opinion that legislation alone would not have the desired effect without a vigorous and thorough education plan. Legislation’s only value in this regard is that it would give the Government of Alberta the ability to prosecute and/or penalize an organization. The value of a concerted education and implementation plan is that it provides the sector with the ability to manage its own responsibilities through strengthening risk management practices. In fall 2010, Volunteer Alberta will lead seminars throughout Alberta on implementing best practices to protect the personal information of Albertans. The sector will be able to learn what is required to improve information protection policies and practices as efficiently as possible. This will happen by the delivery of educational seminars via videoconferencing (through iCCAN - Innovative Communities Connecting and Networking) available in over 80 locations plus several in-person regional seminars.

Through persistent, yet focussed advocacy, Volunteer Alberta and other nonprofit/voluntary sector organizations in Alberta were successful in shaping the policy outcome of the Personal Information Protection Amendment Act of 2009, to not require all nonprofit/voluntary sector organizations to comply with PIPA regulations. Instead of legislating change, collaborative actions between the provincial government and the sector were taken to implement and increase nonprofit/voluntary sector best practices for protecting personal information. A balance was struck between protecting personal information and privacy, without unduly straining the capacities for delivering charitable services to communities throughout Alberta. Targeted and constructive advocacy facilitated favourable outcomes in policy development for the nonprofit/voluntary sector.

[1] Personal Information Protection Act, S.A. 2003, c. P-6.5

[2] Calgary Chamber of Voluntary Organizations (CCVO), “PIPA, (Personal Information Protection Act) Background,” Calgary: CCVO, 2009. http://www.calgarycvo.org/our-work/policy-issues/provincial-government/pipa-personal-information-protection-act. See Calgary Chamber of Voluntary Organizations (CCVO), “Survey: Nonprofit Organizations & Protecting Personal Information,” Calgary: CCVO, 2004.

[3] Calgary Chamber of Voluntary Organizations (CCVO), “PIPA, (Personal Information Protection Act) Background,” Calgary: CCVO, 2009. http://www.calgarycvo.org/our-work/policy-issues/provincial-government/pipa-personal-information-protection-act.

[4] Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta, “Commissioner Reacts to Changes to Personal Information Protection Act,” Edmonton: Legislative Assembly of Alberta, October 28, 2009.

[5] Ibid.

Alberta's volunteer firefighters drifting away as funding shrinks: association boss - Edmonton Journal, By: Conal Pierse

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 21:09:53 +0000

Link to online Article

Recruitment numbers and government funding for volunteer fire departments are shrinking, the president of the Alberta Association of Firefighters says.

Alberta's volunteer fire departments receive $500,000 a year, which Cornforth said only covers basic training. He said many firefighters have to raise money to buy equipment. It would be time better spent training, he said, adding volunteers need more support.

"We're just borrowing these people from their families," Cornforth said. "We need to support them with proper training, proper equipment and proper recognition."

A report on volunteer recruitment and retention was released to fire chiefs from across Alberta Tuesday at the Alberta Association of Firefighters annual conference. The 188-page document from Volunteer Alberta contains strategies for departments and encourages fire chiefs to switch things up. "If you have a recruitment or retention program that's not working or hasn't been working, it has to change," said Karen Lynch, executive director of Volunteer Alberta.

Some of the strategies discussed include developing a support system for firefighters' families, providing better education to new recruits on both what the job entails and what it does for the community, as well as providing better counselling and psychological services.

A shortage of volunteers has stretched some departments to the breaking point. Wandering River's fire department suspended service June 4 because the five-woman team could no longer safely respond to the high number of collisions on the nearby stretch of Highway 63. Trevor Sutherly, deputy fire chief for Parkland County, said he has enough volunteers, but not enough equipment with which to train them.

Volunteers train for three hours once every two weeks, Sutherly said. When someone misses training due to other commitments, he worries it might be something they encounter while responding.

"It's tough to cover the amount of topics we need to in the short amount of time volunteers give us," Sutherly said. "If somebody hasn't put up a ladder in six months, the next time they have to they will be rusty."

Bill Prudy, executive director of the association of firefighters, said the training volunteer firefighters receive is sufficient for them to be safe and effective. He said there's only so much you can ask of volunteers.

Of the 14,000 firefighters in Alberta, 10,000 are volunteers.

Cornforth said while recruitment efforts will continue, local government's need to start acknowledging these issues and start working with their departments. He said the volunteers provide a great service to the province at minimal cost. "I'm humbled to stand next to these people," Cornforth said.

cpierse@thejournal.canwest.com

To Lobby or Not to Lobby | Alberta Panel Discusses Reasons For and Against Business Lobbying

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 21:07:07 +0000

Click to listen to Interview

Question: Should lobbying be part of your tool kit?

by Fil Fraser, Alberta Venture

The Case: At one time, businesses could expect to succeed by offering reliable products and honest service. “Build a better mousetrap,” and all that. But in an era where everything from cars to couriers to cough syrup are regulated, and where government subsidies and legislative agendas are often part of the environment, businesses are faced with challenges beyond doing a good job. In addition to advertising and public relations, they may need to lobby as well.

But, as we’re learning from the Americans (who spend billions doing it), business lobbying not only helps maintain a level playing field, but can tip the scales – sometimes unfairly and perhaps illegally – either in your favour or that of your competitor. As a matter of course and at the same time, not-for-profit and volunteer organizations lobby government on behalf of their own causes as well.

The Panel:
Ron Ghitter: a lawyer and businessman, and a former senator and one-time Alberta MLA
Karen Lynch: the executive director of Volunteer Alberta, an organization that advocates in favour of not-for-profit and charitable organizations
Ken Chapman: a lawyer, political analyst, blogger, principal of Cambridge Strategies Inc. and a registered lobbyist

Ron Ghitter: It’s always fair for a corporation, philanthropic or otherwise, to have the opportunity to express its point of view to the decision-makers to explain their particular benefits and needs. And it’s good from the politicians’ point of view to have the opportunity to hear from these people.

And that is all OK. The difficulty you get into is when big money enters into the equation and the public perception is that they’re buying their way into government contracts or government legislation. It’s a matter of walking the tightrope as to when lobbying gets too far over the line and is against the public interest.

Karen Lynch: No one thinks that we want a Canadian situation to mirror what they have in America, where simply huge amounts of money are spent both on direct lobbying and also indirectly supporting political campaigns. I don’t think anyone wants to see that here.

But with the number of issues that legislators have to know about, it’s almost impossible to get their attention on anything unless you go and speak with them.

Ken Chapman: Lobbying is not a bad thing. It got a bad name because of the American experience, but in the Canadian experience I think it contributes a lot to good democracy. What people mistakenly think, in the Alberta context, is that a lobbyist gives you better access. That’s not my experience. The Alberta government and all Alberta political parties are very open, easy to get in touch with and are eager to speak with citizens.

Ghitter: Most of the major oil and gas companies – in fact all of them in Calgary – have departments that deal with what they call “government relations.” The people who are hired there are generally those who have worked in government. They may have worked in ministers’ offices and end up in the private sector where they are well paid to lobby the government. Sometimes that can go too far. Sometimes favouritism enters into it and the public perception is that these corporations have bought their way into programs, even though they may not be the best or even programs that are necessary.

Lynch: In the old days, going to speak with politicians was what good citizens – people who were involved – did. But in the last 10 years, it has developed into a bit of an art form. There are now people who, under the guise of government relations, lobby all the time because they feel that the legislators are not aware of the issues and the implications of either policy or funding decisions if they don’t have that kind of knowledge.

People often think that lobbying is directly about money, but it’s also about public policy, and public policy doesn’t always translate into money. For the non-profit sector, it’s an understanding that everything that non-profits do is exactly in the same constituency as the government. What government tries to do is create quality-
of-life opportunities, and for non-profit organizations that’s exactly what we do, too.

Chapman: Former ministers and senior bureaucrats who lobby do have an edge.

There are cooling-off periods to make sure that there’s some integrity to the process. But by the same token, people who have had direct experience by sitting in caucus meetings know how legislative sausages are actually made. Those of us who’ve never sat in on those meetings don’t have that advantage. The contrarian position is that people who have been on the inside have a relatively ideological basis and can sometimes be very narrow in their perspective and have trouble accommodating or accepting other points of view.

Ghitter: I’m very much in favour of registering lobbyists, and ensuring that those who have worked in government, either elected or otherwise, shall not be allowed to lobby for a period of time after leaving government. I’m all in favour of having public disclosure as to meetings that occur between lobbyists and government officials, be they bureaucrats or the politicians themselves, because it can go too far.

If you look at the example of the United States, it’s really made their government – in my view – dysfunctional. The lobbyists in Washington – and they’re everywhere – have huge amounts of money at their disposal and, to a degree, end up owning the politicians.

Lynch: There is a sense that the non-profits are always taking, and so our voices are not as strong as the voice of the Chamber of Commerce. The reason there is a dichotomy is that most legislators, when they hear the word non-profit, think social services, or that they’re asking for money. And so what lobbying has to do in the next 24 to 36 months provincially, is to get legislators to understand that the non-profit sector involves every single ministry and that it is not a throwaway, but an investment of money.

The question of lobbying is always a very difficult one because I don’t think that anybody in the non-profit sector calls themselves a lobbyist, nor do any us of call ourselves government-relations experts. We’re basically transferring information in a very specific way so that people will understand the impact of the decisions they make.

Chapman: In Alberta, the rules governing lobbyists are not strict. Compared to other jurisdictions, we are relatively late in getting into the process of registering lobbyists and the rules are straightforward and simple. They’re naive compared to some jurisdictions. The federal government has a much more rigorous approach. Alberta is not placing a great deal of obligation on lobbyists. You have to declare who you’re acting for, and what kind of activities you’ll be engaging in, including grass-roots activities. For example, if you plan to organize a campaign to approach an MLA, you have to register the fact that you will be doing that.

Ghitter: Lobbyists should be required to disclose the meetings they have had with the bureaucrats and politicians and what topic was discussed. If your competitor hires a lobbyist, it means that your competitor is smarter than you because they’ve hired someone who can explain their point of view, their product, their services. So you’re compelled to come forward and make sure that you’re not outdone, and that you will have someone who can equally explain your position. That’s the nature of the beast. It’s something you live with because there will always be that aspect of political life.

There should be a code of ethics for lobbyists. Anything you can do to enhance the standards, to encourage a positive public perception of lobbying rather than the negative perception that exists with many would be a favourable thing. Registered lobbyists should have their own association and ensure the highest standards of ethics in the conduct of their activities.

Lynch: I don’t think that people who lobby in the non-profit sector should be registered. We don’t need less civic engagement. We need more civic engagement. And why would we make it more difficult for people to talk to their MLAs – who are supposed to talk to people about their issues of concern. Why the legislation creating a registry for lobbyists should include non-profits is beyond me. It might be OK for the big charities, foundations and for universities, but 51% of the 19,000 volunteer organizations in Alberta are entirely volunteer driven – they have no staff and they don’t need any more impediments about who they can talk to.

You cannot legislate honesty. All the legislation in the world cannot stop some people from acting dishonestly. Either our community supports ethical decision-
making or it doesn’t!

Chapman: Businesses are having a tough time adjusting to this. They are now registering more extensively, but in the past they didn’t call it lobbying; they called it quiet diplomacy. They would get together with ministers and senior officials over dinner, or on the golf course, and have a quiet chat about the problems. And they would do it behind closed doors. You’re still allowed to do that, but now people know who’s behind those doors. But we’re still not sure what they’re talking about and what is being accomplished. So I don’t think we’ve gone nearly far enough in terms of public disclosure. I think every person involved in government relations should have to register.

THE FINAL WORD

Get used to it. Lobbying has become a fact of business life, for enterprises big and small. Smaller organizations advance their causes through industry or professional associations. Large corporations pay careful attention to their government-relations sections. Lobbying is a tool that, like any other, can be used for ethical or unethical means. As Karen Lynch points out, you can’t legislate honesty. And as we have learned from Ken Chapman, the rules are still pretty loose.

The panel raises a number of important questions. Should the same rules that apply to for-profit corporations apply to volunteer organizations? Where do organizations in the education and health-care sectors fit? And who can answer the ethical question of whether people who have served or worked in government should be able to make a better-than-good living trying to persuade their former colleagues to go in certain directions.

Read more: http://albertaventure.com/2010/04/to-lobby-or-not-to-lobby/2/#ixzz0xeXhwpqc
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives

SCiP'ing our way to National Volunteer Week!

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:59:56 +0000

National Volunteer Week is VA’s busiest week of the year; nearly all VA staff participate in the different events around the province, helping to recognize Alberta’s fantastic volunteers. Volunteer Alberta also administers Enhancement Funding, assisting communities and municipalities to celebrate local volunteers. Since NVW is the highlight of year, I thought it would be a great opportunity to involve a SCiP intern to help with getting out the Enhancement Funding.

The process of creating a job description was quite simple; over the past three National Volunteer Weeks, I’ve managed the Enhancement Funding application process so I found it quite easy to determine what our potential interns’ responsibilities would be. I wanted to make sure that we would engage her in a meaningful way and not just give her the task of compiling reports.

We had several applicants for the position, conducted interviews, and hired our intern!

On Kassie’s first day, the SCiP workbook really helped me orient her about a normal day at VA. I explained the project, detailed her roles and responsibilities, and she got right to work.

The Letter of Agreement was the only paperwork that SCiP required, but it was also a good opportunity to confirm VA’s expectations and have Kassie sign off on them, including her availability for the internship, how often we would expect her, and who to work with when she’s here.

Because National Volunteer Week is such a communications-based projects, we’ve been able to involve Kassie in our meetings with how to promote National Volunteer Week and Enhancement Funding. It’s been great to have a new perspective and enthusiasm, especially regarding a program that has been running for multiple years. The experience that she has had with school projects has been a great asset.

Having a SCiP intern work with the program team to help plan our activities for National Volunteer Week has given us a fresh perspective on one of Volunteer Alberta’s core programs. We’re continually on the lookout for other opportunities to bring interns into our programs as an essential component of our program planning.

- Lisa Michetti

Tax Breaks For Volunteers? No thanks.

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 15:33:13 +0000

The recent story in the Carstairs Courier, “Volunteers could use a little help”, takes another look at whether or not tax credits positively promote volunteerism.

Before everyone jumps on the bandwagon, Volunteer Alberta’s research – the only Canadian one on the issue – reveals a number of unintended possible outcomes. First, it would create logistical nightmares for both government and nonprofit organizations, and such a program would put a huge strain on an already over-worked and over-committed sector. Secondly, how do you put a dollar value on volunteer hours? Is my volunteer activity worth more than yours? Is the opportunity cost (the value of what else you would be doing with that time) for you as costly as for me? How can you monetize community involvement? How do you monitor compliance across all 12 subsectors throughout Alberta’s 19,000 plus nonprofits, 58% of which are completely volunteer run? Studies indicate creating a tax credit for volunteering could result in a reduction of cash donations to charities, and worse, reduce the motivations for volunteers to participate all together.

So what is the solution to encourage more Albertans to volunteer? In Alberta there is no shortage of people who are passionate with skill sets that could further an organization’s mission. In the most recent survey on volunteerism, Statistics Canada found an increase in volunteering and Albertans collectively volunteer 27 million hours annually. Many organizations just do not know how to engage the “new volunteer”: youth, families, baby boomers, new Canadians and employer supported volunteerism – with all areas of expertise. Volunteer Alberta can help change Alberta’s nonprofit sector.

While the concept of offering tax breaks for volunteers comes from good intentions, the results would not only fail in increasing the number of people who volunteer; it would have a negative impact on the nonprofit/voluntary sector as a whole. There are better solutions out there; let’s work together to use them and continue to cultivate Alberta’s communities.

Volunteer Calgary Acquires CentrePoint Non-Profit Management

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 19:29:55 +0000

Important news coming out of Calgary today as Volunteer Calgary and CentrePoint announce that they are “working together on the transformation of a volunteer centre and centre for non-profit management into a new, hybrid organization uniquely positioned to build the effectiveness of local non-profit organizations to deliver service to the community”.

This is a good move for two key players in Calgary’s nonprofit sector. As David La Piana said at a Volunteer Alberta lecture last winter:

“In this changing environment, transformation is not optional. The future will demand a collective rethinking of what it means to be an organization, how individuals define their work and how best to both compete and partner across many permeable boundaries”

Volunteer Alberta looks forward to the opportunities and possibilities this creates in Calgary’s nonprofit sector.

Read the full release here: http://www.volunteercalgary.ab.ca/NewsDetail.aspx?ID=397

Nonprofits Featured in Premier Alison Redford's State of Alberta Address

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 17:04:28 +0000

On the first day of Fall sitting in the Alberta Legislature, the newly elected Premier, Alison Redford, gave a state of Alberta address. In it she outlined her goals, and true to her campaign promises, the nonprofit/voluntary sector was featured relatively prominently.

Here are the excerpts from is the transcript regarding the nonprofit sector:

"The government will make maintaining Alberta's quality of life its
highest priority for Albertans. We will continue to help Albertans
excel because a strong economy depends on stronger people, and
strong people depend on essential services that keep up with their
needs. This means supporting a strong social network to protect
our most vulnerable and to support families. We are committed to
maintaining programs and services for vulnerable Albertans while
ensuring long-term program sustainability.

Nonprofits have a major role to play. Albertans are passionate
volunteers, and my government will support them in their efforts
to reach out to those who need it most, especially during difficult
economic times. Over the past four years the government has
devoted nearly $300 million to help nonprofits with capital and operating
costs. Through the community spirit program, as one
example, the government offers tax credits and matching
donations to encourage private philanthropy. Since 2008 eligible
nonprofits have divided $52.9 million in donation grants. We are
changing lives community by community.

...

This government will continue to support and work with our
nonprofit organizations to assist them in long-term budget
planning by providing more stable multiyear granting opportunities
and more predictable accountability requirements for the
government grants that they receive. We will encourage our
nonprofits to look for ways to increase salaries for their staff and
make them comparable to those in the public sector. This will
attract quality staff and make it easier to retain them.

...

Albertans want us to recognize the nonprofit agencies in this
province and the wonderful job they do on behalf of Albertans in
our province. They want to make sure they receive a predictable
funding formula year after year instead of being subject to an
erratic supply of funds."

You can read the full transcript in the Legislature's Official Record: Hansard

Watch it here:

How much do you value living in a community where citizen engagement flourishes?

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 15:44:27 +0000

In a province built and dependent on the strength of its communities, everyone needs to easily connect with consistent, reliable, and available information. Accordingly, the Red Deer Advocate article“Information Service to Close”, is alarming. This is not simply an issue of just another nonprofit/voluntary sector program folding because of lack of public funding. It is a reflection on the value placed on living in a community where citizen engagement flourishes – supported by the nonprofit sector.

CiRS (Community Information and Referral Society) plays a unique role - it connects champions and advances the work and viability of Central Alberta’s nonprofit sector - to sustain quality of life expectations and increase community resilience. As the "go-to" place for community information, important linkages and services, it helps residents to access essential supports and services.

The strength of CiRS is based on the programs and services offered to residents. For over 20 years, residents consistently used the Information & Referral Services – a one call to get the answers. One of the attributes of the voluntary sector – although not something we aspire to continue –– is we accomplish so much, with not a whole lot of money. If inadequate funding levels is the reason CiRS lost its funding, it seems short sighted, and hardly economically or financially astute, to have Central Alberta’s residents call city and county paid staff for the information services previously offered at CIRS.

Moreover, Volunteer Red Deer, a program of CIRS, is also impacted by the FCSS funding decision. The ability to serve Central Alberta’s non-profit sector organizations and the volunteers engaged by these organizations is considerably diminished when these services are the responsibility of a significantly reduced staff. . The benefits of building capacity through economies of scale are equally valid in the voluntary sector.

CiRS received notice in May that Red Deer & District FCSS funding for CiRS’ volunteer services and information and referral services would not continue past 2011. The Board and staff worked diligently over the summer to try and overcome the program delivery challenges caused by the funding cuts. Without additional revenue, their business model will no longer be fiscally viable, and revenues will not support a sustainable operation.

As central Alberta’s only dedicated Information & Referral Service agency and full time Volunteer Centre, the loss of this capacity in the form of the knowledge base, skilled staff, and non-profit/volunteer network will create a substantial void in the community. Volunteer services will be reduced significantly. Is it too late to reconsider this decision, or consider alternatives that will keep these needed services alive?

Karen Lynch
Executive Director, Volunteer Alberta

New Cabinet – Changes Affecting Alberta’s Nonprofit/Voluntary Sector

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 02:59:14 +0000

Volunteer Alberta welcomes the new Government of Alberta cabinet team, announced by Premier Redford October 12, 2011. The missions of Alberta’s 19,000+ nonprofit/voluntary sector organizations are impacted by the policies and leadership of the provincial government.

· Minister of Culture & Community Services – Heather Klimchuk, (Edmonton-Glenora)

· Minister of Human Services – David Hancock (Edmonton-Whitemud)

· Minister of Seniors – George VanderBurg (Whitecourt-Ste. Anne)

· Minister of Tourism, Parks and Recreation – Jack Hayden (Drumheller-Stettler)

· Chair of the Community Development Cabinet Policy Committee – Genia Leskiw (Bonnyville-Cold Lake)

· President of the Treasury Board Government Committee – Doug Horner (Spruce Grove-Sturgeon-St. Albert)

View the official announcement

We wish each new minister the best of luck in working with the nonprofit/voluntary sector, and look forward to helping grow Alberta's communities together.

Spotlight on: Culture & Community Services

Hon. Heather Klimchuk, newly appointed Minister of Culture & Community Services, has a long history of promoting Alberta’s nonprofit/voluntary sector and involvement in Alberta’s arts community.

Minister Klimchuk demonstrated her vision and ingenuity as Minister of Service Alberta both by playing a part in making SCiP a reality and supporting the Privacy Information Education for nonprofit organizations. These initiatives, as well as many others, will substantially benefit the sector's ability to serve Alberta's communities.

Minister Klimchuk is also active in her community as a volunteer:

Planning and development for the Glenora Community League
Glenora School Council chair and volunteer coordinator
Reading mentor at Glenora School
Director of St. Basil´s School of Ukrainian Dance
Communications director for Kupalo Ukrainian Dance School
Volunteer coordinator for the Bell Walk for Kids

We look forward to her continuing efforts supporting the engagement of volunteers and the nonprofit/voluntary sector, and creating the enviable quality of life we enjoy in Alberta. On behalf of everyone at Volunteer Alberta, welcome Minister Klimchuk.

For more information, visit http://culture.alberta.ca.

If you are interested in what this means for the voluntary sector in Alberta, please comment on our blog below or email

afisher [ at ] volunteeralberta.ab.ca

Volunteer Alberta, CCVO & ECVO Again Stand United for Alberta’s Nonprofit/Voluntary Sector

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 18:03:26 +0000

On your behalf, Volunteer Alberta successfully recommended the exemption of nonprofit/voluntary sector directors, officers and employees from Alberta’s Lobbyist Act in 2009. The exemption ensures communities and nonprofit organizations around the province continue to have open lines of communication with their government (click here for a brief history of the Lobbyist Act). The Act was enforced on September 28, 2009, and there's a requirement for a special committee of the Legislative Assembly to begin a comprehensive review of the act within two years.

With Albertans best interest in mind, Volunteer Alberta, ECVO and CCVO submitted requests to the Committee to maintain this exemption. The three organizations were invited to make presentations to the review committee, and instead of having three separate presentations, we have worked closely together and will present as a unified voice.

The joint presentation is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 13, 2011. You are welcome to join us as the presentations are open to the public. The meeting will be held in Committee Room A, 4^th Floor, Legislature Annex Building (9718 – 107 Street, Edmonton). The presentations will also be recorded and transcribed by Alberta Hansard, and the audio streamed live online at www.assembly.ab.ca.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please contact:

Andrew Fisher, Government & Media Relations Manager

afisher [ at ] volunteeralberta.ab.ca.

780.482.3300 ext 229

Read Volunteer Alberta’s submission to the Government of Alberta here.

Brief History of the Lobbyist Act

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 16:54:59 +0000

One of Volunteer Alberta’s key roles is to be a voice for volunteerism in Alberta. We take that role very seriously. Often the roots of the challenges and barriers to volunteerism are deep and long rooted in Alberta’s economic and sociological history. Those issues are harder to find solutions for and effect change. But the significant barriers to volunteerism that would have been created with the Lobbyist Act need not occur. The threat to civic engagement – the ultimate expression of citizenship in democracies – was a very unintended consequence of the government’s need to formalize transparency and accountability.

Lobbyist Act timeline:

On March 7, 2007, Bill 1, Lobbyists Act, proposed that lobbyists should be listed on a provincial registry to encourage openness and transparency in government, was introduced in the Alberta legislature.
Debate continued on March 20th and 22nd, where the issue of defining the lobbyist status of members of the voluntary/nonprofit sector in Alberta was deliberated.
June 2007, Volunteer Alberta took part in a multi-party policy field committee to speak on the witness list for this bill
A report with suggested changes was provided to the committee on November 6, 2007. The report included
- Recommendations that a 100-hour threshold be put into place for organization lobbyists and that any organizational lobbyist, including nonprofit organizations not be considered lobbyists if their activities amount to fewer than 100 hours annually.
- Volunteers are not included with the proviso that they are not compensated (unpaid volunteers); in other words, volunteers are not included in the Act as a lobbyist except if they receive an honorarium. The definition of an honorarium was not defined and therefore of some concern to Volunteer Alberta.
On November 13, 2007 Government House Leader David Hancock introduced amendments to Bill 1 beyond those of the Standing Committee recommendations; revisions that removed the "directors, officers and employees" of organizations from Bill 1.
On December 5, 2007 the Act was passed with the amendment for Alberta’s nonprofit/voluntary sector

The government’s response to make most of the nonprofit/voluntary sector exempt from Bill 1 ensured that vital civic engagement and essential volunteer activity will not be hampered by the Lobbyists Act. Bob Wyatt, ED of the Muttart Foundation discovered when he was researching the rationale of the 100-hour threshold derived from the Quebec Act that the Quebec government also had a second provision the Quebec Lobbying Transparency and Ethics Act Exclusions Regulation. The wording in that exclusion is now what the proposed amendment is partially mirroring, “any person whose job or function consists, even substantially, in lobbying on behalf of an association or other nonprofit group not constituted to serve management, union or professional interests, nor composed of a majority of members that are profit-seeking enterprises or representatives of profit-seeking enterprises.”

Equally important is that your organization should not be unduly hindered by the significant oversight and administrative burden that compliance with this Act would have meant for our sector.

Volunteer Alberta worked on the sector’s behalf since the act received first reading in the Legislative Assembly. However, true to the spirit of cooperation and collaboration for which our sector is so well known, our efforts have combined with the work of our colleagues – The Muttart Foundation, Calgary Chamber of Voluntary Organizations, Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations, and others - to produce the positive outcomes for the sector.

The government’s decision to increase the transparency of private industry’s lobbying activities, through the introduction of Bill 1, was an excellent indication of former Premier Stelmach’s commitment to governing with openness and integrity.

Equally impressive, however, was the government’s willingness to listen to the concerns of the sector and take the appropriate action to ensure that our sector, and the hundreds of thousands of people we serve across the province, will not be impacted by this new legislation. The government acknowledged that they communicate with our sector communicates beyond fiscal discussions and they recognize this communication is a significant tool for to accurately get a pulse of what their communities are saying, doing and experiencing.

At Volunteer Alberta, we believe that volunteers and volunteer organizations represent the ultimate expression of citizenship, and as such, have a very different role and relationship with government than does business.

The Nonprofit/Voluntary Sector exists to serve a public benefit and works in collaboration with government to help build a better society. We are very pleased the government has recognized that its laws must enable us to achieve common goals rather than hinder the good work that we do.

In the end, exempting much of Alberta’s 19,000 Nonprofit/Voluntary Sector organizations from the Lobbyists Act ensured that people in our sector, both paid staff and volunteers, will continue to have open lines of communication with government while ensuring that the sector is able to reach its full potential as a valuable force for enhancing the quality of life for all Albertans.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the Lobbyist Act, contact

Andrew Fisher, Government & Media Relations Manager

afisher [ at ] volunteeralberta.ab.ca

780.482.3300 ext 229

A Stark Reminder: Importance of Screening Volunteers

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 21:37:58 +0000

Appropriate volunteer screening helps the public know how your organization values the safety of the community. A recent story in the Calgary Sun of a convicted pedophile who recently volunteered at a local organization serves as a stark reminder of the importance of properly screening your volunteers (full story: http://www.calgarysun.com/2011/09/24/ex-pastor-pedophile-a-volunteer-at-airdrie-church.

This case poses two important questions in relation to volunteer screening:

Since he was working in an adult ministry, with no unsupervised contact with children, would a police information check be necessary?
Since he was convicted in the United States, would this show up on a Canadian police information check?

To answer the first question, the organization should conduct a risk assessment to determine the risk of their volunteer positions. Once the level of risk is determined on a continuum of low to high, then the required tools for screening can be determined. If the volunteer is in a position of trust/authority and/or they work directly with a vulnerable population then that position should require a police information check.

To answer the second question, Volunteer Alberta verified with Edmonton Police Services that an American conviction would be identified by a Canadian police information check. The police service has the tools available to ensure those with a criminal background are flagged; it is up to the nonprofit/voluntary sector to properly access the tools.

Learn more about volunteer screening by visiting Volunteer Alberta’s Screening website, designed to help organizations create a culture for volunteer involvement that screens volunteers IN… not OUT www.volunteeralberta.ab.ca/screening.

Volunteer Alberta also offers Screening In… Not Out learning sessions. To request a session and to find out more, please visit www.volunteeralberta.ab.ca/programs/descriptions.asp

If you have specific screening questions, or questions regarding any Volunteer Alberta programs, please contact Lisa Michetti by email lmichetti[at]volunteeralberta.ab.ca or by calling 780.482.3300 ext 224.

Additionally, did you know about Volunteer Alberta’s free Police Information Check Program for volunteers?! To start benefiting from the program visit: http://voan.volunteeralberta.ab.ca

September 19 | Join Us

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 13:56:35 +0000

On September 19th, KnowledgeConnector.ca connects Alberta’s nonprofit organizations to learning and professional leadership like never before.

Through iCCAN video conferencing technology, Jann Beeston, Chair of the Rural Alberta Development Fund Board, General Manager Campus Alberta Central, and Masters Candidate in Leadership at Royal Roads University will officially unveil the Knowledge Connector project from Hanna through iCCAN technology.

Throughout Alberta, regional influencers will gather to celebrate the nonprofit sector’s new, revolutionary tool. On behalf of the Volunteer Alberta board and staff, KnowledgeConnector staff invites you to join them and add the following information into your calendar.

Provincial Launch

The provinial launch will be broadcast live from 11:00 – noon at the following locations. To join us RSVP by following the links below.

RSVP at Hanna Learning Centre, 401 Centre Street, Hanna AB, T0J 1P0

RSVP at Medicine Hat Volunteer Centre, 954 South Railway Street SE, Medicine Hat, T1A 2W2

RSVP at Grande Prairie Volunteer Service Bureau, Unit 103, 9823 116 Ave, Grande Prairie, T8V 4B4

RSVP at Vegmin Learning Society, 4923 50th Street, Vegreville, T6C 1R4

RSVP at Volunteer Edmonton, Unit 400, 10025 106 Street, Edmonton, T5J 1G4

RSVP at Literacy Alberta, 3060 17th Ave SW, Calgary, T3E 7G8

RSVP at CiRS, Red Deer, 4728 Ross Street, Red Deer, T4N 1X2

To get involved in other local launch events held during the launch week contact your local Regional Capacity Coordinator.

Doug Griffiths Responds to the Sector

Tue, 06 Sep 2011 15:59:25 +0000

In Alberta, both the governing and the official opposition parties are in the midst of a leadership race. Given that the successful candidates will play an important role in the direction of the province and the nonprofit sector, Volunteer Alberta wanted to share their views on the sector, with the sector.

Volunteer Alberta emailed all the leadership candidates in August and will be posting the responses on our website and in our by-weekly newsletter (Sector Connector) as we receive them.

Doug Griffiths is running for the leadership of the Alberta Progressive Conservative Party and here is his response:

As the author of a strategy to build better communities within the province of Alberta, I can assure you that I know firsthand the critical role that the non-profit/voluntary sector has in building a better Alberta. In this strategy, I identified and referred to a group of our greatest volunteers as "STP's" - or the 'same ten people' that are so devoted to volunteering, they sit on local councils for their town or economic development committee, sit on the chamber of commerce, help out at senior's centers, assist with school projects, and put the chairs away after church. Non-profit organizations address gaps in service in our communities because the members in each community know what is critical and needs to be done. To build a better Alberta, we must build better communities. To build better communities we must exhaust every avenue to ensure our volunteers don't suffer burnout, that they are recognized for their contributions, and that the culture of volunteerism spreads to larger populations. Volunteerism is a critical element of leadership and community building. Volunteerism is also a key element for us to consider as we address the challenges in healthcare, education and our seniors population.

Alberta has a vibrant volunteer community, evidenced by the 19,000 non-profit/voluntary organizations in Alberta as well as the $9.6 Billion generated in annual revenues for our economy. Our volunteers are passionate about the organizations, the causes they support and the services they provide. This is why they are willing to dedicate their time to build better communities. As Premier of Alberta, I will work to ensure our government’s decisions and actions are not an impediment to volunteers and their organizations.

Laurie Blakeman Responds to the Sector

Mon, 05 Sep 2011 20:09:36 +0000

Volunteer Alberta emailed all the leadership candidates on Friday August 12th, 2011 and will be posting the responses on our website and in our by-weekly newsletter (Sector Connector) as we receive them.

Laurie Blakeman is running for the leadership of the Alberta Liberal Party and here is her response:

I worked for many years in the nonprofit/voluntary sector before my election and I continue to volunteer when I get time. I often remind my elected colleagues that there is both a private sector and a public sector in Alberta and both are integral to our success.

I think it is important to view the public sector, the nonprofit or voluntary sector as equal to the private, entrepreneurial, corporate sector in value and contributions to Alberta’s quality of life. We must stop viewing the NGO sector as a cheaper, less businesslike version of the private sector. The NGOs offer a value-added product if you will, in that they offer volunteer opportunities, and often offer services that would not be offered at all by the private sector in that the services are zero based budgeting and do not regularly produce a surplus, or profit. And finally that the NGO sector is ‘owned’ by the public, by society with a Board of Directors elected to represent the public in the management of agency.

The following areas are a few of those which most require government understanding and support.

Capacity, in other words the ability to cope with unknown or unanticipated events and to appropriately grow the organization. Given that administrative budgets for most NGOs are kept unreasonable low in order to quality for grants, and building a surplus is generally frowned upon by government, it is extremely difficult for the NGO sector to plan and prepare for emergencies of any kind, or to plan for the future. Staff recruitment, training and retention is an ongoing issue as no matter how dedicated workers may be, eventually they have to more remunerative jobs. Thus staff turnover becomes part of the capacity issue. Building ownership, maintenance, or increasing rents and utilities and IT software and hardware should also be included.

Red tape/reporting requirements: Government demands regarding reporting and accountability are, I believe, more onerous in the NGO sector than in business. Because public money is contracted or granted - a high level of accountability should be expected. But compatibility of reports between recipients and departments and lottery granting agencies could lessen the administrative time.

Considerable thought should also go in to grants having less strings attached to how money is used. Too much executive manager time is spend applying for interlocking or related grants to pay for an agency’s programs for this to be efficient use of time.

Wage parity/pensions staff support; I can find no compelling argument as to why staff performing essentially the same duties in a nonprofit should not receive the same wages as their colleagues working in a government agency. Too much time is spent lobbying and justifying to government departments for wage increases. As well we should think to the future. If workers cannot earn enough money now to save the required amount for retirement then we have allowed an underclass of workers to perform the work of government. Pay now or pay later, in other words.

Volunteers are not free: Although volunteers are not paid a wage, they are not free to the organizations. Recruitment, training, supervision, and appreciation all costs money and must be done if volunteers are to be doing appropriate work in a safe manner which produces the outcome the NGO is bound to provide.

Contracting at real cost rates:

When government first began to contract with NGOs to provide services previously provided by government workers I believe that the amount the contract was and still is written for reflects the government’s line item for the service. It did not and does not include the various additional costs such as furnishings, extra telephone lines, computer terminals, office space etc. It continues to be point of contention with me that NGOs have to do additional fundraising to provide a service the government used to completely finance when it was delivering the service!

Venue

I believe that government should actively pursue providing at no cost or at cost-sharing, office or production space for multiple nonprofit/voluntary organizations to use. Particularly in larger centres. The Percy Page Centre in Edmonton is a good example. Safe, ventilated, accessible space with adequate heating and cooling is a option that I never had while working in the NGO sector and I can’t see that much has changed since then.

In conclusion, while the NGO sector can be rightly accused on occasion of duplicating service, empire building and poor management- so can many businesses. And while more than 50 % of new businesses go under every year, the rate of failure in the NGO sector is significantly less. NGOs are a good deal for government’s. They should take care not to kill or maim this golden goose that provides so much for them.

Recent Volunteer experience

I still do casinos for community leagues and theatre companies, and I help with building playgrounds. I love volunteering and I miss it having the time to do it. What time I spend now is ‘work’ and that makes it different.

Laurie Blakeman

www.laurie4leader.com

laurie4leader@gmail.com

Ted Morton Responds to the Sector

Fri, 02 Sep 2011 21:53:51 +0000

Ted Morton is running for the leadership of the Alberta Progressive Conservative Party and here is his response:

I am a strong believer in the value of volunteers and non-profit organizations to our communities. The voluntary sector serves people in need and helps Albertans in every community. A strong sector can, in many ways, out-perform government programs and stretch the dollar more than a government department could. I look forward to working with volunteer and non-profit organizations to increase private involvement in the sectors and enhance partnerships with government.

During the 2006 leadership election I proposed in increase in the tax credit for charitable donations to spur more donations to charities. Premier Stelmach later introduced this proposal as part of the government’s Community Spirit Program giving Albertans the largest tax credit in the country. This was a big win for non-profits in Alberta.

Financial donations are only one part of a strong sector; we also need to build capacity and encourage stronger partnerships. The Alberta Nonprofit/Voluntary Sector Initiative (ANSVI) offers one avenue for government and the sector to work together to identify pressures on both government and the non-profit sector and better coordinate efforts. This work should continue.

One of the most recent examples of a successful partnership with different levels of government, the private sector and the non-profit and voluntary sector is the progress made in the 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness. The Housing First concept is a nationally recognized policy shift that simply would not work without the sector’s support and input.

We can use this experience in other areas where the government and the non-profit and voluntary sector work together and share common goals.

Thank you for the opportunity to share my views with Albertans.

Sincerely,

Ted Morton

Gary Mar Responds To The Sector

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 15:40:46 +0000

Gary Mar is running for the leadership of the Alberta Progressive Conservative Party and here is his response:

I have experienced first hand Alberta’s rich tradition of non-profits and volunteer organizations. Whether during my time as Minister of Community Development, or as an active volunteer within Alberta’s Chinese community or as a lawyer volunteering with Calgary Legal Guidance – I have been proud to be a volunteer and to meet so many other Albertans who are committed to Alberta’s nonprofit and voluntary sector.

After reviewing recent Alberta statistics, I understand the non-profit and volunteer sector consists of over 19,000 organizations, which employ over 176,000 Albertans and engage over 2.5 million volunteers, contributing an annual economic impact in Alberta of approximately $10 billion. These figures are impressive.

Consistent with my approach to involving local communities in provincial priority-setting and program and service delivery, I will work in collaboration with the non-profit and volunteer sector to develop innovative and affordable ways to respond to community needs for grassroots-based programs and services. I will also establish a stable and predictable model of funding to support this sector’s activities in Alberta communities.

To begin these discussions, I would hold a summit between the Government of Alberta and stakeholders from the non-profit and volunteer sector to renew the Alberta Nonprofit/Voluntary Sector Initiative (ANVSI). The focus will be to clarify and strengthen the relationship between the provincial government and the sector, as well as to address such issues as a stable and predictable funding framework, and more effective methods to attract and retain human resources within the sector.

It is my hope that you will consider supporting my candidacy to be the next leader of Alberta’s PC Party by purchasing a $5 party membership which will allow you to vote on September 17th. To learn more about our campaign and my vision for Alberta, please visit www.garymar.ca.

Rick Orman Responds To The Sector

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 13:39:23 +0000

Rick Orman is running for the leadership of the Alberta Progressive Conservative Party and here is his response:

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Volunteerism is powerful. It brings communities and people together. It empowers organizations in the non-profit/voluntary sector to achieve their mandates and maximize their contributions to the economic and social advancement of Alberta. Strengthening the voluntary sector makes Alberta stronger and better. If elected leader of the PC Party of Alberta and next Premier I pledge:

•· To fund and implement a Voluntary Sector Development Strategy. It would be an integral component of new sector-based strategies for economic growth, community spirit and development, arts and culture, sports and recreation, literacy and health and wellness. The Voluntary Sector Development Strategy will be planned and developed with Volunteer Alberta as a leading agency for empowering volunteer-engaging community organizations. It will look at increased capacity-building and outreach; leadership development; recruitment, development and retention; knowledge transfer; support for new technologies; and awareness raising.

•· To insist that the voluntary sector’s roles and capabilities are understood and respected by all Ministers and by the public service. Government must acknowledge that volunteers are among the most committed and best-placed for making communities welcoming and vibrant, and improving quality of life. It is important for all to understand that the unique and varied contributions of volunteers and their organizations derive from a sense of citizenship and are not free labour.

•· To restore the integrity of the Alberta Lottery Fund and return it to its original purpose – to support and enhance community spirit and development, arts and culture, volunteerism, major fairs and exhibitions, agricultural societies, recreation and sports, and non-profit community-based organizations.

•· To review the decision eliminating the Wildrose Foundation. The existing grant approval process for community-based projects will be reviewed to ensure the approval process is respectful and responsive to community requirements and free of arbitrary decisions of any one person.

Hugh MacDonald Responds To The Sector

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 15:15:38 +0000

Hugh MacDonald is running for the leadership of the Alberta Liberal Party and here is his response:

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Thank you for your letter requesting my views on how to increase the ability of Alberta’s nonprofit/voluntary sector to build strong and vibrant communities.

With the current economic uncertainty, it is important now more than ever to ensure that the services provided by volunteers in our communities are not jeopardized by government cutbacks or declining voluntary participation and/or donations. The government has estimated the annual economic impact of our voluntary sector at 9.6 billion dollars so we must recognize this significant contribution to our quality of life, our sense of community and the economic resilience of our province.

Recent studies have shown that the main reasons Albertans choose to volunteer are to make a contribution to their community and to use their skills and experience to help others. It is this sense of community engagement and social responsibility that I would foster and develop through a strengthened collaboration between

government and the nonprofit/voluntary sector. The Alberta Nonprofit/Voluntary Sector Initiative (ANVSI) and the corresponding “Framework for Collaboration” is the foundation for this collaboration and I would reaffirm this as a priority for the provincial government.

More specifically, I would make improvements to the current CIP, CFEP and Other Initiatives grant programs by streamlining the application process and allowing for the possibility of multi-year funding. I would also enhance the current Community Spirit Donation Grant Program to increase accessibility for smaller organizations and to remove barriers that currently exist for applicants. Finally, I would take steps to increase public awareness of the Volunteer Resource Centers that do so much to connect local people, promote volunteerism and identifies trends in volunteerism.

Thank you again for taking the time to contact me and I look forward to working with you in the future.

Sincerely,

Hugh MacDonald

Doug Horner Responds To The Sector

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 18:27:52 +0000

Volunteer Alberta emailed all the leadership candidates on Friday August 12th, 2011 and will be posting the responses on our website and in our bi-weekly newsletter (Sector Connector) as we receive them.

Here is Doug Horner's Response:

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As Premier, what actions would you take to increase the ability of the nonprofit/voluntary sector to build strong communities across Alberta?

Interesting question - thanks for asking it. You're definitely right when you state that past policy decisions and strategies have had unintended consequences on the non-profit sector. Today's delivery model needs to take into account the public sector, the private sector and the non-profit sector as three critical parts to the delivery of health, education, social services, senior services ... almost everything. It would be a mistake to overlook the non-profit and volunteer sectors, and they need to be part of a comprehensive strategy in Alberta.

** Note this response is taken from his website:

http://hornerforalberta.ca/policy-framework

Providing Solutions

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 19:47:06 +0000

The story on CBC Edmonton, “Lack of Volunteers Hurts City Groups”, highlights an issue most experienced people in the nonprofit/volunteer sector are well aware of: traditional structures and practices are not effective in working with or attracting the “new volunteer”. By continuing to seek traditional volunteers and involving them in traditional ways – having them doing administrative or low level and oftentimes repetitive tasks – organizations miss out connecting people who want to be involved the community.

In Edmonton there is no shortage of people who are passionate about causes and who have a skill set that could further an organization’s mission. In the most recent report on volunteerism, Statistics Canada reported an increase in volunteers from 2004-2007 and Albertans collectively volunteer 27 million hours annually. Where many organizations are having difficulties is when they do not know how to engage the “new volunteer”.

It is clear the sector needs to shift their recruiting and retention of volunteers to reflect the skills and desires of the “new volunteer”. The need and how-to for organizations to make this change is laid out in a report from Volunteer Canada called “Bridging the Gap” and a project by Vantage Point (formerly Volunteer Vancouver) called “People Lens”. The 2010 “Bridging the Gap” report found that:

volunteers would like to achieve some personal goals through volunteer work while at the same time help meet the needs of the organization;
the volunteer motivations, interests and kind of experiences individuals are looking for change significantly as people move through the different stages of their lives;·
the optimal formula for engaging volunteers is one where organizations are well organized but not too bureaucratic and open to letting volunteers determine the scope of what they can offer.

Volunteer Alberta engaged Vantage Point to bring the “People Lens” approach to Alberta’s volunteer engaging organizations. It places the focus on people and their motivations to volunteer to create an organizational shift guaranteed to reap investment in effectiveness and resource efficiency for the outcomes of their organization.

It is when organizations are strong that they are able to attract the “right people”. When organizations attract the right people, they are able to successfully deliver programs and services to advance the organizations’ mission. It is up to nonprofit/voluntary organizations to adapt to the new times.

Volunteer Alberta is hosting a People Lens course where Colleen Kelly, Executive Director of Vantage Point, will lead a cohort of 7-9 executives to engage individuals in furthering their missions.

Alison Redford Responds to the Sector

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 14:49:29 +0000

Here is the response from Alison Redford's, who is running for the leadership of Alberta's Progressive Conservative Party.

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Active volunteers are, in my experience, subject-matter experts in their communities with an incredible wealth of knowledge. I have often said that Albertans not only know the challenges we face, but frequently also know the answers if government would just listen. A Redford government would draw upon this expertise more frequently to design and implement meaningful, effective legislation.

Let me give you an example: As Justice Minister I headed the Alberta Safe Communities Secretariat (ASCS). The Secretariat consulted and allied with non-profits through the Safe Communities Innovation Fund to support crime prevention, because we knew local residents understood the issues better than bureaucrats in Edmonton. I will build on and expand efforts like these as Premier, because they work. I will partner with non-profits and make them a part of public policy discussions

Another value of mine is that government must support the voluntary sector by removing obstacles. Again, an example from the Safe Communities initiative: when I headed the ASCS, we funded police background checks, relieving volunteer organizations from the financial burden of paying for them.

As Premier, I would like to listen to your ideas about new ways of helping non-profits work to the best of their abilities by knocking down operational barriers wherever possible. Government’s role is to serve as the foundation, offering those supports that let each organization excel in its unique service.

My Experience as a Volunteer

A few years ago, I served on the board of the Lakeview Community Association in southwestern Calgary. Residents there have long fought against any encroachment into the community by the planned SW Calgary ring road. Listening to their reasons and seeing them organize taught me a great deal about civic engagement, the impact of government on people’s lives and the power of shared feelings. It was an incredibly enriching experience. All this stood me in good stead when I entered the provincial government in 2008 .Now I was in a position to develop legislation that would affect communities across Alberta and having seen it from the “other side” gave me a very useful perspective on what we were doing in Edmonton. Above all, I learned that the opinions and expertise of volunteers and communities have real value and would inform government decisions very usefully if we would just sit down and listen before making decisions. As Premier, I am committed to that approach.

Thank you.

--- Alison Redford

PS: As volunteers, you understand the value of community engagement, so may I request that you involve yourself directly in the selection of the next Premier. It takes $5 for a membership and half an hour to vote on September 17 (and again on October 1 if a second ballot is held). It is the one way that you can most directly influence how Alberta will be governed. And you know from your personal experience that just one person can make a difference, and many acting together can make a huge difference.

Can We Get Our Check Please!

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 19:36:23 +0000

Police services in 19 communities in Alberta will soon follow Edmonton & Calgary's lead in reducing wait times for Police Information Checks (PICs) by having new LiveScan systems in place by the end of September. Volunteer Alberta welcomes this news as the availability of Live Scan digital fingerprinting machines offers an opportunity for police services to decrease wait times for fingerprinting services.

In July 2011, an RCMP policy increased the number of volunteers who need to be fingerprinted in order to clear a PIC; without these machines there were serious concerns that the volunteer base may dry up. For example, there were reports that delays in fingerprinting were causing coaches to miss entire sports seasons. As a result of long wait times, some organizations were simply choosing not to conduct Police Information Checks on volunteers to save time and get the volunteer involved immediately. This was jeopardizing the safety and well-being of the communities they serve.

LiveScan reduces processing speed to within 72 hours. Comparatively, rolled ink prints (traditionally submitted on a fingerprint card) can take up to 120 days. The system has proven itself to be effective, as Edmonton Police Services have conducted 2,000 scans since purchasing it last December - an increase of 10,000% - and are even looking at purchasing another.

While the LiveScan systems will reduce wait times, it is still important for the voluntary sector to understand which potential volunteer positions need a PIC. Proper education increases both efficiency and protection to vulnerable populations served by the sector.

The Volunteer Police Information Check Program (VPICP) is a program administered by Volunteer Alberta with support from the Government of Alberta. The program enables eligible organizations to access Police Information Checks free of charge for their volunteers that work with children, seniors, or people with a disability. One of the key components of the VPICP is the educating organizations about best practices for screening processes and emphasizing that PICs are just one of ten steps to screen potential volunteers. To learn more about the program and to see if your organization is eligible visit http://voan.volunteeralberta.ab.ca/

Dr. Raj Sherman on Alberta's Nonprofit/Volunteer Sector

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 16:02:33 +0000

The first response came in from Dr. Raj Sherman who is running for the leadership of the Alberta Liberal Party:

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First of all, I’m grateful for the opportunity to listen to the concerns of the non-profit/volunteer sector and to answer your questions. I recognize that it is largely due to your tireless efforts that we enjoy strong and vibrant communities throughout Alberta.

As I have mentioned about both education and health care, stable, predicable funding is essential to the successful planning and operation of any program. We need to make sure investment continues to flow even in tough economic times. In fact, that is when most organizations need it the most. This doesn’t mean that we simply throw money at problems. It means we don’t penalize programs that are working just because the prices of oil and gas change.

I also believe in putting Alberta back in the hands of Albertans. One way we do this is by supporting for ‘made-in-Alberta’ programs and removing barriers to volunteering in Alberta. For example, the Serving Communities Internship Program is an idea that came from Alberta post-secondary students and it encourages students to get involved in the non-profit/voluntary sector. This is the type of innovation that we should be fostering.

We need to be partners in building a better Alberta. The current top-down approach to decision-making has to end. You are the experts in your field, not the government, and our relationship must be one of collaboration and mutual benefit. It disturbs me to know that organizations spend valuable time and resources on a cumbersome administrative process and hit-and-miss grant applications instead of being empowered to fulfill their mandates, helping create safe, healthy, and dynamic communities.

Let’s begin our new relationship today! I encourage you to go to my website www.electRaj.ca and sign up as a supporter. Also, please send your questions, comments and concerns to me at info@electraj.ca.

Dr. Raj Sherman

True Organizational Leaders

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 17:40:34 +0000

True organizational leaders are champions of learning and knowledge transfer. They work to minimize redundancies by tapping into knowledge that already exists.

Launching phase 2 of the website on September 19^th, KnowledgeConnector links leaders to that kind of knowledge.

Those who demonstrate their commitment to learning become connected to furthering the mission of their organization. They must act as role models by participating in learning activities while fostering a culture of continuous personal improvement. Learning and gaining a deeper level of knowledge is not just about jumpstarting a career. It is a lifelong process to keep cultivating skills and attitudes to transform the capacity of organizations in turn positively impacting Alberta’s communities.

In a recent article by The Stanford Social Innovation Review, “The Challenge of Organizational Learning,” A Bridgespan Group team surveyed 116 nonprofits about how they learnundefinedand how they translate the knowledge to increase their impact and fulfill their missions.

“The results of the survey indicate that nonprofit leaders care deeply about capturing and sharing knowledge across their programs and fields. They also identify three significant impediments to organizational learning: a lack of clear and measurable goals about using knowledge to improve performance; insufficient incentives for individuals or teams to participate in organizational learning activities; and uncertainty about the most effective processes for capturing and sharing learning.”

Reality is that it’s difficult to navigate the professional development process and understand how it can expand organizational leadership in the nonprofit sector and that is where Knowledge Connector fills the gap Organizations that recognize areas of opportunity for learning bring out the best in their people while creating a culture of personal improvement and growth. Once an organization begins this journey, they then need to develop an internal learning structure that will capture, document, and share all knowledge.

Does your organization have a structure to share, capture or document learning, and how do you encourage staff to invest in leadership opportunities?

Police Information Checks: First Hand Experiences

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 16:38:37 +0000

The effects of Police Information Checks on volunteers has been in the news again. As two of our staff members have recently gone through the process -with two different organisations - we thought it would be a good idea for them to share their first hand experience with you:

In my role at Volunteer Alberta, I’ve advised many organizations on proper screening procedures and how to implement them in their organizations. I’ve also fielded multiple kinds of questions about Police Information Checks: how/when/why/where to get them, who should get them, what do they mean and what can they say about a person, etc. It’s been a long time since I’ve gone through this process myself; my current volunteer roles are relatively low risk (cuddling cats don’t require a PIC!). When I was chosen to volunteer for an unnamed international sporting event occurring in Edmonton and Calgary in December 2011, I assumed I would likely need a PIC since I’ll be working with individuals under 18 years old.

I was so impressed with the process that this organization had created! A few weeks after a quick phone interview, I received an email informing me of my successful application to volunteer. It simply laid out a few details: go get my PIC done at their office during their 9-5 office hours (or visit them during one of two designated Saturdays) and pay by $50.00 registration fee. The fee is to cover the costs of the outfit that I’ll receive while I volunteer. I took the LRT over to their offices last week to get my PIC done. I was actually excited to go do this; I’ve spoken to so many people over the phone and via email about PICs and now I finally got to go through the process myself. It’s the simple things in life that excite me, clearly. Either way, this organization made it incredibly easy to do this, as they submit the PIC on my behalf and the results will be mailed to me, to return back to the organization. Hopefully I won’t get flagged to get my fingerprints taken, but in Edmonton that wait time is also reduced thanks to the Edmonton Police Services’ LiveScan digital fingerprint machine.

So, to review, this organization is well on its way to following almost all of the Ten Steps to Screening that Volunteer Alberta recommends to organizations.

Lisa Michetti
Program Manager

As someone who likes to be active in the community (and who likes food), I thought it would be a great opportunity for a friend and me to volunteer at this year’s Taste of Edmonton. The Taste of Edmonton has long been one of my favourite summer festivals in Edmonton as it allows me to sample food from a variety of restaurants and I usually find new restaurant that I know I will have to try out. So I signed my friend and me up to be greeters and the next day received an email asking me to come in for an interview. It seemed to me as if they were following the 10 Steps to Screening, however there was no mention of a police information check or to make sure that I had proper identification with me.

After successfully completing the interview, I was given some paper to fill out – one of which was the police information check. It asked for several things that I did not have on me, notably my driver’s licence number. While I do not usually leave my wallet behind, the interview was a 5 minute walk away from where I work so I had left it in my drawer without really thinking about it. Had I known I would have brought it and an additional piece of identification, but I agreed to return later in the week with the missing information and finish my police information check. Luckily for me, this is not an inconvenience, however, this lack of communication could potentially turn other volunteers away. Now I just have to hope that I don’t get flagged, as the festival is only a couple of weeks away!

My take away from the experience is that the 10 Steps to Screening is a great process to use, just make sure that you set the proper expectations and let your volunteers know what you’ll need from them during the process (that and always bring your wallet with you).

Andrew Fisher
Government & Media Relations

Learning from the corporate sector: Thank you to IBM

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 21:39:28 +0000

Alberta’s nonprofit sector can be proud of its accomplishments. We have a complimentary relationship with our government that only strengthens with time, the communities we serve are growing and expanding, and we have great capacity for sharing knowledge across nonprofit networks. However, there is still work to do and lessons to learn. Last week, Volunteer Alberta has the opportunity to meet with Alberta Volunteer Centres for our annual meeting. During that time we spoke about redefining who we are as capacity-building organizations, what we want to be, and the resources available to us to accomplish our united mission of supporting Alberta’s communities. To answer these pivotal questions in a changing virtual landscape, we need to determine creative ways of pooling resources from other sector experts. Seizing the opportunity to borrow knowledge from other sectors is something we do too little of.

On Monday June 13, 30 of Alberta’s nonprofit organizations had the opportunity to participate in two, one-day training sessions on Leadership and Project Management from IBM as part of their centennial celebration. Through hands-on instruction, a small subsection of Alberta’s nonprofits learned how to plan and execute projects successfully, and how to explore leadership and teaming styles. High-level staff from IBM facilitated the courses and provided insight into IBM’s highly regarded training program and those nonprofits will now have the opportunity for one-on-one mentorship follow-up meetings in subsequent months.

Learning from the for-profit sector gives us a unique opportunity to asses our projects from within a different framework. We can approach our problems and work flow from a different light, and bounce our ideas off industry leaders who can offer an entrepreneurial perspective.

The feedback we received from these sessions were extremely positive, and we invite those who participated to comment on this blog. The only down-fall was that we had to turn away many organizations who wanted to take part in this opportunity. We hope to partner with IBM in the future to continue their corporate community involvement to help Alberta’s future.

Can Tweeting Make Your Funding Fly Away?

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 19:21:22 +0000

Voluntary/ non-profit organizations increasingly consider social media an essential tool for creating a conversation in the community, but at what price? Check out this fascinating article, about one organization that almost tweeted their way into funding cuts:

Comcast yanks funds for nonprofit after tweet about FCC Baker’s jump

By Cecilia Kang

Update at 2:15 p.m: Comcast says it was wrong to take back the funding for the Reel Grrls camp and that it wants to restore the money. New details after the tweet below:

Careful what you tweet, especially if you rely on Comcast.

That’s the message received by the Seattle-based nonprofit Reel Grrls, who was told it had lost $18,000 in funding for a teen summer film camp after it sent a tweet about FCC Commissioner Meredith Attwell Baker’s jump to the cable and media giant.

In an e-mail to Reel Grrls, Steve Kipp, a vice president of communications for Comcast in Lynnwood, Wash., wrote:

“Given the fact that Comcast has been a major supporter of Reel Grrls for several years now, I am frankly shocked that your organization is slamming us on Twitter. I cannot in good conscience continue to provide you with funding undefined especially when there are so many other deserving nonprofits in town.”

The offensive tweet:

“OMG! @FCC Commissioner Baker voted 2 approve Comcast/NBC merger & is now lving FCC for A JOB AT COMCAST?!? http://su.pr/1trT4z #mediajustice”

After media inquiries, Comcast spokeswoman Sena Fitzmaurice said Thursday afternoon in a statement that Comcast had made a mistake.

“We are in the process of reaching out to ReelGrrls in Seattle and let them know the funding the organization has received from Comcast is not in jeopardy and we sincerely apologize for the unauthorized action of our employee,” Fitzmaurice said. “This is not the way Comcast behaves toward its nonprofit partners.”

In a phone interview, Reel Grrls executive director Malory Graham said she had received voice mails from Comcast and “are thrilled to get an apology.” But she said she’s still reviewing the situation and hasn’t talked directly wtih th company about restoring funds.

Graham said that when Comcast’s Kipp said money to the group would be pulled, she feared they would have to cancel their summer program, which allows 15 teenage girls to produce films about nonprofits.

The group didn’t think their tweet was offensive. And she said the group is surprised that the nation’s biggest cable and Internet provider undefined who now owns massive movie and television properties through NBC undefined is patrolling their speech on social media.

“As an independent nonprofit focused on media issues, we chose to express our concerns with others interested in this issue in our community on Twitter,” Graham said. “We are saddened that Comcast’s reaction to this debate over ideas was to punish local youth by defunding a program that offers young women in our community an opportunity to turn their summers into life-changing experiences.”

FCC Commissioner Meredith Baker’s hiring by Comcast has drawn criticism from late-night TV comedians, public interest groups and newspaper opinion pages.

Public interest group Free Press has launched a campaign to get lawmakers to investigate the move by Baker, a junior Republican member, to join Comcast as a senior vice president of its lobbying operation just four months after bemoaning how long it took the FCC to approve the deal.

She also accused the agency for going overboard on conditions for the deal. She said requirements that Comcast play fair on how it offers programs to Internet television providers such as Netflix, YouTube and Apple iTunes was heavy-handed, given the newness of the online marketplace.

Baker has defended her job decision, saying she’s done nothing illegal. That’s true. She can come and go as she pleases. She is not allowed to lobby the FCC for two years, though she can lobby lawmakers on Capitol Hill. But her real value to Comcast comes from her Web of connections and knowledge of how the FCC works.

As for Reel Grrls, Graham said three girls who had signed up for the camp are planning to come in voluntarily to create a film about Comcast’s decision to pull their funding.

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-tech/post/comcast-yanks-funds-for-nonprofit-after-tweet-about-fcc-bakers-jump/2011/05/19/AF7aGG7G_blog.html

Launch of Serving Communities Internship Program

Mon, 30 May 2011 17:30:00 +0000

Karen Lynch – Executive Director of Volunteer Alberta
Speech May 30th, 2011

Thank you Premier Stelmach for your kind words, and to the Members of the Legislative Assembly who came out today: Minister Weadick, Minister Klimchuk, and Janice Saarich. Thank you also to our YMCA hosts and Volunteer Alberta’s guests, including Volunteer Alberta’s board member Peter Scott– especially leaders in Alberta’s nonprofit/voluntary sector - for being here.

I would like to give special thanks to Premier Stemach on behalf of the sector for his years of working with us. This may be the last time, Mr. Premier, that you and I share the podium in announcing a program designed to meet an opportunity for Alberta’s voluntary sector. Over the last five years, during these opportunities and in connecting over others such as the Premier’s Council on Economic Strategies, your personal values have been demonstrated time and time again – that Alberta’s most significant assets is its citizens.

It’s not that we do not have enough people interested in civic engagement, what we don’t have enough of is nonprofits with the capacity or knowledge to provide Albertans with the meaningful opportunity to connect with them.

Serving Communities Internship Program (SCiP) is a three year pilot project. Indeed the evolution of this project to today could have been a SCiP project. The Alberta Student’s Executive Council President at the time Steven Kwasny and Volunteer Alberta’s Evan Romanow, himself a Masters Student in Political Science, connected on their initial “dollars for doers” proposal. From there, ASEC met with Alberta’s citizen engagement guru Martha Parker in Calgary who drilled into them the concept of engaging students’ minds and abilities to further not only their own education but that of the goals of community based organizations. From there to here is a perfect example of the potential of SCiP. Thank you to all the student organizations who came together to make this project happen.

Nonprofit/voluntary organizations can now seize the opportunity to participate in SCiP and expand their capacity to meet their mission – do what it is they need to accomplish. How can we bridge the gap between what Albertans are looking for in engagement today and how organizations are offering youth opportunities to connect? That’s the challenge SCiP is solving.

It is Introducing the nonprofit/voluntary sector to Alberta’s youth through meaningful internships that engage their knowledge and education. This is not painting fences or cleaning up river valley parks! SCiP will provide nonprofit organizations with students full of ideas and enthusiasm who want to contribute their expertise and interests

This initiative is not limited to students in areas specific to their areas of studies as learning in the real world does not always fit into faculty objectives but here are a few examples
Recreation students can now work on planning and development for children’s’ recreation program. Who is it they serve? Research using focus groups, interviews with stakeholders and stakeholder groups. So could business students.

Students in both Education and Research focused programs can develop learning opportunities for new Albertans. They can work within an immigrant serving organization to assess learning needs of new Albertans to developing learning content addressing language, integration issues. They can address the needs of space for nonprofits. Industrial Design students are needed to optimize layout. Trade apprentices provide insight to optimizing the estimation process

With guidance from Volunteer Alberta, SCiP will encourage students to see their involvement in the NPVS in a different light – from one of a traditional, tactical contribution to one that engages heads in strategy and creates new ways of addressing traditional issues. SCiP Addresses Four big issues:

1. The ability of NPVS to develop their organizations by focusing on people instead of funding as a measurement for organizational success
2. Expertise in guiding volunteer-engaging organizations through the process of creating highly skilled paid internships that continues to build the capacity of the sector.
3. Focusing on Alberta’s youth; nonprofits, and government mutually benefit by partnering to create a stronger commitment to community development.
4. Encouraging young people to work in the Sector – breaking down barriers

Since it is obviously a long time since I would have qualified for SCiP, we have with us today two students who will:

Ben Kanee has studied English at both York University and the University of Alberta; however, his real passion is Screen Writing. He completed courses through Toronto Film School, New York Film Academy and Ryerson Film School. Ben is now back in Edmonton and studying Business management at McEwan. He has chronic nephritis and is currently awaiting a Kidney transplant has never been involved in a non-profit organization related to kidney disease, but obviously has many skills to bring to the table he is eager to share his creativity as well as a young person’s perspective on this disease and hopes to further develop his business management experience

Kirsten Poon, studied at Ross Sheppard High School, taking General Sciences at University of Alberta and planning to apply for Medicine. She was president of the high school Rotary Club, Interact, Chair of the City of Edmonton Youth Council and Board Director of Literacy without Borders. As someone who is involved with ALTA, I can tell you that for sure we’ll be offering internship projects.

She hopes to engage in an internship relating to advocacy around health, education or literacy. They are both very approachable and I strongly encourage you to talk to them.

This could not have happened without all three student organizations, CAUS, ASEC, and AGC, coming together. This is about passion, intellect and service, and now: Go change the world!

VA thanks Alberta's MLAs

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 17:57:24 +0000

There were two MLAs who took the time during their member speeches last week to recognize and thank Alberta's volunteers during National Volunteer Week. We want to thank MLA for Calgary-Makay, Teresa Woo-Paw and MLA for Edmonton Center, Laurie Blakeman for thier wonderful words to Alberta's nonprofit sector.

- Volunteer Alberta

Alberta's Communities Celebrate National Volunteer Week

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 02:10:38 +0000

Volunteer Alberta is excited to support Alberta’s Volunteer Centres’ National Volunteer Week events. In 2011, all 29 centres have put together events to recognize the volunteers that work to make their communities great places to live. Recognition is a key step in the volunteer management cycle that emphasizes the importance of volunteering and ensures retention of volunteers.

Partnering with the City of Airdrie Planning Committee, Volunteer Airdrie is hosting Volunteer of the Year Awards. During this event they will honour all the nominated volunteers with a small recognition gift. For more information call (403) 993-5034.

BanffVolunteer Centre is hosting a coffee house April 13^th from 7-9 pm at the Historical St. George's in The Pines.

The Brooks Volunteer Centre National Volunteer Week activities include a volunteer sector symposium at the Brooks Campus of Medicine Hat College from 2-4 pm on April 11^th, cookie-grams, and youth information sessions. Visit http://www.vrcbrooks.com/for more information.

As part of volunteer week celebrations, Volunteer Calgary is hosting the 15^th annual Leadership Awards ceremony on April 13^th. The event is from 6-9 pm at the BMO Centre Stampede Park.

The Volunteer Centre of Camrose and District is coordinating the Leaders of Tomorrow Awards of Battle River. Nominees can participate in an interactive leadership seminar (hosted by Alberta 4-H) and awards ceremony on April 10^th.

The Canmore Community Resource and Volunteer Centre is throwing the 22^nd Annual Mayor’s Awards for Volunteer Excellence on April 14^th.

Volunteer Cochrane will be hosting The Leaders of Tomorrow Award celebration April 14^th, complete with a family pizza party and recognition of all the nominees. For more information, contact Brenda Dennis, Volunteer Services and Community Programmer (403) 851-2252.

Cold Lake and District FCSS is handing out thank you gifts and certificates to volunteers in commemoration of National Volunteer Week. Also, on April 30^th from 12 noon-4 pm, they will be hosting a volunteer appreciation BBQ with a prize draw and gifts to be handed out to all volunteers.

Volunteer Edmonton is hosting a volunteer fair April 16^th from 11 am-4 pm at West Edmonton Mall (lower level, phase one). The Edmonton Volunteer Fair will have over 100 nonprofit organizations presenting their volunteer opportunities.

The Volunteer Centre of Fort Saskatchewan is delivering balloon bouquets and baskets of candy to City Hall, Community Services, the Volunteer Centre, and some local businesses to promote National Volunteer Week

The Grand Prairie Volunteer Services Bureau celebrated National Volunteer Week early on April 8^that the Bowes Family Crystal Gardens. They kicked off National Volunteer Week by hosting 550 volunteers and volunteer supporters at the Annual Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon.

Volunteer Hanna is organizing a community celebration with entertainment and deserts for volunteers at the community centre on April 12^th.

Hinton Volunteer and Information Centre is presenting Leaders of Tomorrow Youth Volunteer Awards.

Volunteer Leduc is organizing a Youth Volunteer Recognition Awards Dinner on Thursday, April 14th, from 5:30 pm-9:30 pm.

Volunteer Lethbridge is encouraging elected officials to donate blood and the National Volunteer Week flag will be raised on April 11^th at City Hall. They are also using this opportunity to celebrate the Leaders of Tomorrow.

In Medicine Hat Kalan Porter (Canadian Idol winner, Season 2) will be performing at the Medicine Hat Esplanade; this is a free event for volunteers on April 11th.

The Okotoks Volunteer Services will have a display at the Okotoks Trade Show that recognizes and thanks volunteers for all that they do in our community and to promote volunteer opportunities in Okotoks. More information

Oyen Family and Community Support Services is running a Volunteer Come & Go Tea where various clubs and organizations can come to present themselves and their open volunteer positions. They will also have the local schools decorate Oyen’s sidewalks with ‘volunteer stars,’ drawn in chalk with local volunteers’ names inside.

Volunteer Red Deer (A divisions CiRS) is hosting the Fourth Annual National Volunteer Week Dessert Gala on April 12th in the Marquis Room at Westerner Park.
Rimbey FCSS is hosting a ‘Volunteers - Treasures of the Community’ recognition event on Monday, April 11th.

Rocky & District Volunteer Centre is hosting a dessert night in Caroline on April 11^th, an open house at their Volunteer Centre April 13^th, and a BBQ in Rocky Mountain House on April 15^th.

The St. Albert Community Information and Volunteer Centre has three events planned to celebrate National Volunteer Week: Volunteer Citizen of the Year and Leaders of Tomorrow Awards, VolunteerAppreciation Luncheon, and the Volunteer coffee break. For more information, visit their website.

Stettler Volunteer Centre is hosting a volunteer appreciation event featuring local talent and refreshments. They will also engage local businesses and organizations to recognize volunteers and National Volunteer Week.

Stony Plain Volunteer Centre will fly their Volunteer Week flag in the Town of Stony Plain Office and proclamations will be made by the Mayor during the ceremony. Regional Mayors and Councils will be serving up a free pancake breakfast for volunteers, and on Saturday, April 16^th, volunteers will enjoy a free movie at the Parkland Cinema.

The Information and Volunteer Centre for Strathcona County has a number of events planned including a kick off to National Volunteer Week at Sherwood Park Mall with cake, a National Volunteer Week Declaration by the Mayor, a photo contest for non-profit organizations, amongst other. Visit their website for more info.

Sylvan Lake Volunteer Centre is holding The Volunteer Impact Awards Gala on April 15^th at 6:30 pm.

The Vegreville Volunteer Action Centre is planning a free lunch with entertainment and door prizes.

Volunteer Wood Buffalo is hosting their Award Gala and Dinner at the Wood Buffalo Community Village on April 11^th, from 5-8 pm.

Saying Goodbye to The Volunteer Centre of Camrose

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 22:50:11 +0000

Headlines grab our attention daily. Everything from earthquakes in Japan to the election happenings in Alberta and Canada. The deluge of advertising ads can be overwhelming. Our senses try to prioritize what we can and should absorb. So the news release that the Volunteer Centre of Camrose and District is closing as of June 30, 2011 likely did not make it past our overloaded sensors. If that was the main reason you are not paying attention, then that would be quite understandable. But if it is because it is just another social services program folding because of lack of funding, then what does this say about what we value in our communities? Interesting question because volunteerism is closely connected with both of my examples above – disaster relief and democratic elections. The decline of government and corporate support reflects our own and our communities’ priorities and support.

The Volunteer Centre of Camrose and District is one of 29 centres in Alberta. We have Canada’s largest network of volunteer centres focused on building the capacity of local community volunteer-engaging organization. The strength of Alberta’s volunteer centre network is unique as it relies on diverse funding and governance models in each community. FCSS is a major contributor and rightly so, as part of its mandate is to encourage volunteerism. In other communities, Volunteer Centres are a program of the municipality or a blend of corporate and government grants.

So what went wrong?

Before I answer that, let me be very clear. Just as in every network, there are outstanding leaders. The Volunteer Centre of Camrose and District has been blessed with a simply outstanding Executive Director, Sheralyn Dobos, and informed and engaged Board of Directors. This is not just work off the side of the desk or loosely formed around a kitchen table. The strategic decisions, unique programs and responsive knowledge transfer were consistently stellar. From engaging community leaders in a discussion around generative governance – an entirely new approach to governing which is far more attractive to Board members who did not join Boards solely to read financial reports but want to move an organization towards its mission – to moving volunteer engaging organizations toward understanding there are plenty of volunteers in Camrose.

The community’s challenge is to understand what motivates the 21^st century volunteer and then to create the opportunities to successfully recruit new volunteers.

That is the crux of why this Volunteer Centre is closing. As long as funders evaluate outputs – the number of volunteers matched by the Volunteer Centre to organizations who come asking (often as not at the last minute) rather than the outcomes – organizations who have moved beyond the STP (same ten people) approach to understand the function of supply and demand in recruiting volunteers, there is going to be more of these headlines. Volunteer recruitment and retention must respond to profiling the benefits for individual volunteers whether it be an opportunity to share expertise around strategic planning over a three month period before they go south for the winter, or measuring a play area over a weekend – the important insight is to discover what the volunteer wants to achieve and receive and then create the opportunity within your organization. Time consuming? Absolutely. Rewarding? The answer to that is to ask whether your organization reflects the STP approach and whether that is working! It takes a lot of effort and learning and time to turn around a decades old approach to volunteer engagement. But funders need to see immediate results. That is the crux of the funding challenge encountered by one of Alberta’s most progressive Volunteer Centres.

Of course, the elimination of Government of Alberta Culture and Community Spirit funding is also a key factor. Despite the Government’s assertion that the granting dollars are now preserved in CIP Operating Grant program, the fact is that Volunteer Centres were able to access two pools of money in years previous to April 2009 to fund multiple program initiatives. Because of the economic recession of fall 2008 and the inevitable corporate decrease in community support (far more evident in small business community investment which make up the majority of Camrose and area businesses), the timing of the GOA funding elimination was doubly difficult. With the funding cycles, it became apparent in late 2010 that the closure was imminent.

The loss of a community investment perspective from the leaders of the Volunteer Centre of Camrose and District is a tremendous decrease in capacity to recruit, retain and recognize volunteers. This will be the last National Volunteer Week April 10 -16 celebration led by this long serving community leader. So during National Volunteer Week call up the Volunteer Centre of Camrose and District and recognize their staff and Board for their efforts over many years to serve your community.

Karen Lynch
Executive Director, Volunteer Alberta

Volunteer Alberta Thanks its employees who volunteer!

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 22:45:25 +0000

Volunteer Alberta’s staff demonstrates they walk the talk through their strong commitment to volunteerism locally and provincially. Because National Volunteer Week is just around the corner, highlighting the time and effort contributed by Volunteer Alberta’s stalwart volunteers profiles diversity and reach into the nonprofit/voluntary sector. Imagine Canada reports that 44% of Canadian companies encourage or accommodate employee volunteer activities, and Volunteer Alberta is proud to be one of them.

Although there isn’t a formal Volunteer Program at Volunteer Alberta, employees are not only encouraged to dedicate their time to community initiatives, but Volunteer Alberta also celebrates their successes at any opportunity. Encouraging staff to volunteer has many benefits. It’s advantageous for any organization to have their team be leaders in local communities, gain valuable experience through volunteer roles, and expand networks through leadership. Employees who volunteer regularly have more opportunities to develop their teamwork and communication skills, which translates perfectly into their working roles.

At Volunteer Alberta, our employees volunteer for the following organizations:

Karen Lynch, Volunteer Alberta’s Executive Director, sits on six Boards in her spare time, including the Alberta Ballet , Volunteer Canada, Edmonton Public Library Board of Trustees, and SACRED (Society for the Assisted Cooperative Recovery of Eating Disorders). She also chairs The Alberta Libraries Trustees’ Association.

Program Team - Lisa Michetti (Program Manager), Ellie McFarlane (Program Assistant) and Rosanne Tollenaar (Program Director) contribute time to Rhythmic Gymnastics Alberta, the Edmonton Humane Society (SPCA), The United Nations Association, ReCreating Communities at the Edmonton Institution for Women, and minor sports in Devon.

Communications and Project Management Team - Blythe Morrow, Communications Manager, sits on Edmonton Next Gen committee to coordinate the Edmonton Community League Challenge. Toby Rabinovitz, Project Manager, is a member of the Ginger Groups Collaborative; a national network of consultants.

Internal Management Team – Cindy Walter, Office Manager, is a long time episodic volunteer. She connects with the community through various games, curling events and casinos. Brooke Matter, Accounting Manager, canvases for the Heart and Stroke Foundation as well as giving time at her daughter's school.

Volunteer Alberta’s Board and Executive Director thanks their employees who help make an impact in their communities. With National Volunteer Week around the corner, we invite all organizations to find opportunities to showcase those who donate their time to worthy causes.

Why an 85% administration budget can be a good thing

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 22:35:50 +0000

Most non-profit organizations dream of sustainable funding. If they happen to be the lucky few with sustainable revenue sources, chances are they’re looking for more. Besides writing proposals to large funders, many organizations depend almost exclusively on individual donors for their entire operating budget. There is a great need in the sector of increasing salaries to be more competitive, upgrading technology infrastructure to handle growth, and providing professional development training to retain staff. This need parallels a time when donors want less administrations costs within the nonprofits they fund.

Many news articles will quote the “magic number” of a nonprofit’s administration costs should be between 20% -25%, but can you be so formulaic with a sector spanning so many industries? Do donors expect the same rate of return for a volunteer organization in the agricultural sector as they would in the technology or health services sector? What about the difference in service vs. advocacy groups? What about the differences in provincial economies and employment rates?

Organizations are only as good as the people who work- within them, and that is no exception for the nonprofit/voluntary sector. The strongest organizations have the most capable leaders who can pull together great teams – volunteer and paid. In competing with the private sector for human resources, the nonprofit/voluntary sector struggles when finding qualified people to lead their organizations. Additionally, creating opportunities for advancement, professional development, and up-to-date work tools is a challenge when budget lines are consistently under the microscope. To keep employees in their roles, nonprofits need the right mix of tools combined with donor support, so they can provide better working environments, set industry standards, and engage communities more efficiently.

Ann Goggins Gregory & Don Howard from the Stanford Social Innovation Review introduced us to the nonprofit starvation cycle, which explains why nonprofits often need critical infrastructure to run their organizations. The cycle begins with funders’ unrealistic expectations of how much it costs to run an organization, resulting in many nonprofits misrepresenting their costs while pulling back spending on systems vital to growth.

What can we do?

First, nonprofits need to stop masking their administrative budgets, so funders can understand the true costs of running an organization. Changing donors’ perceptions of these costs will begin to reverse unrealistic expectations put on nonprofits. The sector can then shift public attention from ambiguous percentage numbers to the development and achievement of goals; this means changing the reporting language from numbers not consistent throughout the sector to “What have we achieved, what do we want to achieve in the future, and what will it take to deliver these outcomes consistently?”

What is a donor to do?

If donors can’t determine the health and efficiency of a nonprofit by the administration percentage in their budget, how are they to know their dollars are going to the right cause? Approximately 50% of Alberta’s nonprofit organizations are registered charities. First, encourage donors to visit the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) site, and find the organization in the list of registered charities. They can read best practises of how to avoid fraudulent activities here. Also, they should get to know the nonprofit they’re supporting: read their mission and financial statements to see if it aligns with their personal value systems. For nonprofits not registered as a charity, ask community people about their interaction with them. Call the office or the Chair of the Board to discuss their work and how they meet their mission.

We can change public perception of administration and overhead costs if we work together as a sector and educate our donors more effectively. Consider promoting your organization’s effectiveness in measures other than % of revenue on administration. Be bold.

Are Alberta’s communities on the Government’s radar? Budget 2011

Wed, 02 Mar 2011 20:45:25 +0000

Budget 2011 – Minster of Finance Hon. Lloyd Snelgrove’s commented in the budget speech how Budget 2011 “is far from being a status quo budget.” Yet, the question many community leaders in Alberta are asking is whether the budget is more than status quo. Is it actually the strong investment in Alberta’s future that Minister Snelgrove maintains?

For volunteer engaging nonprofit/voluntary organizations in Alberta, the Ministry of Culture and Community Spirit did essentially maintain the status quo. Budgeted program expense is $225 million in 2011-12. Operating expense, which includes grants to cultural groups, is unchanged at $174 million in 2011-12. Capital grants are $35 million lower in 2011-12.

Changes in Budget 2011 impacting the nonprofit/voluntary sector are not nearly as acute as Budget 2009-10, when $8.5 million for the Wild Rose Foundation was eliminated from the Culture and Community Spirit Budget. However, those dollars have not been replaced.

The political reality is Alberta is coming out of the worst economic downturn since the great depression in the 1930’s, and while an overall 2.2 per cent spending increase, Budget 2011 reﬂected a need for vigilance. But where is the investment in Alberta’s future?

The international focus of Bill One (Asia Advisory Council Act) and the Capital Plan commitment for infrastructure looks to build and better position Alberta in the world. But what about the supports for local communities as a key element of building a stronger Alberta? (See specific details in the Ministry of Culture and Community Spirit’s Budget 2011).

Investment in Alberta's Communities
Volunteer Alberta checked in with Volunteer Centres, members and networks about Budget 2011…

Investment in Alberta’s New Work Force Some notable changes did occur in the nonprofit/voluntary sector (i.e. English as a Second Language (ESL) ($3.4 million) and immigrant support ($8.7 million) receiving funding decreases).

Investment in Health and Education
Feeding the beast continues…Health and education funding actually rose in line with inflation.

Investment in Children and Youth
Child and Youth related services are seeing a $39-million operating increase given to child services programs, including intervention services and foster care support, child care, and family support for children with disabilities.

Impact on you? Overall Budget 2011 was largely the status quo, but the noteworthy aspects are what didn’t change, rather than what did.

The problem is the status quo in Culture and Community Services does not reflect the investment required to achieve broader Government of Alberta objectives. One of the government’s five priorities is to promote strong and vibrant communities and reduce crime so Albertans feel safe. Crime happens when people don’t/won’t/can’t connect and care about their communities. Investing in volunteerism – as a sector – is required to sustain the community (geographic and connecting similar interests) infrastructure.

The Government’s plan Way Forward key strategic direction focuses primarily on enhancing Albertan’s quality of life. The importance for the nonprofit sector cannot be overstated. Similarly, the Premier’s Council for Economic Strategy (in An Invitation to Help Shape Alberta’s Future, June 2010) recognized the important investment and contribution volunteers make to communities in Alberta, highlighting that nonprofit/voluntary organizations and volunteerism play strong roles in achieving a sustainable economy.

Alberta boasts the lowest provincial tax regime in Canada. But to be desirable to live and raise families, more is needed than low tax rates. Communities and the nonprofit/voluntary sector, which gives life and vitality to them, provide the social fabric to support the development of Alberta’s so-called human-capital.

The visionary recognition by the Premier’s Council of the importance of the nonprofit/voluntary was unfortunately lacking from Budget 2011. It should be highlighted how the ongoing activities of the nonprofit/voluntary sector in Alberta are already complementing three of the Council’s conversations in the report, particularly related to:

#3 creating new wealth through knowledge and innovation;
#4 ensuring healthy, skilled and engaged citizens;
#5 ensuring communities are vibrant, supportive and inclusive.

For a budget supposedly planning for the future, the decided lack of social investment certainly challenges their goal of making communities stronger and more desirable places to live.

What next? What does the status quo mean for the nonprofit/voluntary sector in Alberta?

Take note of Culture and Community Spirit’s goals and priority initiatives outlined in the Business Plan 2011-14.
Goal: Alberta has inclusive and engaged communities, supported by a strong nonproﬁt/voluntary sector.

Priority Initiatives:

Continue to work in partnership with the Alberta nonprofit/voluntary sector to respond to its current and future needs by strengthening capacity and supporting collaborative community initiatives.
Develop and implement an Alberta-wide action plan for building inclusive communities.
Increase opportunities for engagement with clients and stakeholders to improve access to services and resources.

Despite these objectives, Culture and Community Spirit actually decreased the Community Initiative Program (CIP) core funding in Budget 2011-12. The $250,000 cut reflects a reduction in support for communities at a time when an estimated 80 percent of CIP operational funding requests are declined by CCS.

Volunteer Alberta, its network of 29 Volunteer Centres across Alberta, its hundreds of members, and partner volunteer-engaging organizations look forward to working with the Government of Alberta to continue strengthening and building local communities by enhancing the capacity of nonprofit/organizations.

The nonprofit/voluntary sector needs to be a significant government partner.

Most often government relates to the sector as merely grant or contract recipients. Status quo now, does not have to be status quo in the future. As the Premier’s Council for Economic Strategy identified, support for the nonprofit/voluntary sector – in voice and resources – will be an important part of making a strong investment in Alberta’s future.

Alberta Budget 2011

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 16:34:07 +0000

Alberta Budget 2011

Lloyd Snelgrove, Minister of Finance and Enterprise and President of the Treasury Board, held a news conference in Edmonton on Thursday, February 24, to comment on Budget 2011.

Stay Tuned – Volunteer Alberta is analyzing the impacts of the Budget 2011 on Alberta’s nonprofit/voluntary sector through consultation with its members and partners organization across Alberta. Have your voice heard about the budget ! Contact Evan Romanow (Manager, Communications and Policy) about the implications of the Budget on your nonprofit organization or local community.

Learn more about Alberta’s Budget 2011.

As the Edmonton Journal outlines, a person doesn't need to be an accountant or budget analyst to learn a great deal from looking at the new budget. In fact, a read of the budget documents will provide myriad insights and information about the priorities and principles of the Alberta government.

Half of Albertans Volunteer! Thank you!

Wed, 23 Feb 2011 22:22:53 +0000

Looking into National Volunteer Week next month, we want to proudly show the Canada Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating (CSGVP) and showcase Alberta’s volunteers. Chances are every second person you know in Alberta volunteers their time to make their communities better. 48% of Canadians on average donate their time to non-profit/voluntary organizations while 52% of Albertans commit their man hours. The annual number of volunteer hours Albertans donate was 175 in 2007. Want to see where we stack up? See the graph below.

To see the full report, click here.

Join Volunteer Alberta in celebration of National Volunteer Week. April 10-16 2011. For more information, visit our webpage.

De-Complicating the Complicated Business of Privacy: Let’s set a standard for the Sector!

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 21:54:35 +0000

Join us in Calgary on Tuesday February 15^th
From 2:00pm – 4:00pm
The Central Library 616 Macleod Trail SE (Meeting Room 1)
Click here to register

Many non-profit organizations collect personal information, whether it be membership information, client addresses, or email information for newsletter purposes. We assemble, store, and sometimes share information. All of that information is provincially protected by the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA). In 2009 the Government of Alberta gave all non-profit agencies a one-year transition period to fully comply with PIPA guidelines, and Volunteer Alberta is providing best practice examples and education in order to achieve a high level of compliance with privacy information best practices. Our aim is to educate the sector by offering workshops that will instruct non-profits fully as to the role their organization plays in protecting information.

Who Does the Act Apply to?

Presently, the Personal Information Protection Act only applies when select non-profits are conducting commercial activities. These organizations are those incorporated under:

the Societies Act,
the Agricultural Societies Act, or those registered under
Part 9 of the Companies Act.

The learning opportunities and resources provided by Volunteer Alberta are of use not only to the organizations subject to PIPA but also to those that currently are not. The knowledge gained will set best practices for the sector to protect personal information of members, clients, donors, employees and volunteers.

Come on Alberta, let’s set a standard for the sector!

To learn more on this topic or to register your organization for a workshop here. To subscribe to this blog click here:

Wildrose brings volunteer tax credit issue to the table once again.

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 19:12:31 +0000

The Volunteer tax credit crept its way back into Alberta politics yesterday morning when Wildrose Party Leader Danielle Smith announced that if elected, she would introduce tax credits for Alberta’s volunteers. This statement was reiterated in the National Post article Wildrose unveils warm, fuzzy side , released Tuesday.

The idea of volunteer tax credits does sound like warm, fuzzy fun for Albertans, but a report we outlined in 2009 found there is no evidence this idea would help the non-profit sector. The concept of decentralizing and streamlining assessment procedures is great, but the Wild Rose policy will likely add piles of administration to an already exhausted sector. This with the thought that it will encourage more volunteering.

This is an idea that has already been considered by both the federal and provincial governments as a way of encouraging volunteering and dropped. There is no evidence as to whether it will actually work. We have 1.2 million volunteers in Alberta who contribute 214 million hours of community service. The Volunteer Alberta report, conducted in April of 2009, found that volunteer tax incentives would be impossibly difficult to administer, and if the Wild Rose Party’s well intentioned policy is intended to cut down on “redundancies and inefficiencies” within the provincial Government, it would be an un-wise step to put those inefficiencies onto the non-profit organizations who are already stretched for resources.

In the end, Albertans volunteer their time because they care about their communities and want to help their neighbours, friends and fellow citizens. We at Volunteer Alberta would like the opportunity to discuss better options for the sector.

Read the Edmonton Journal's Op Ed on Wildrose social platform

De-Complicating the Complicated Business of Privacy

Wed, 01 Dec 2010 17:05:08 +0000

An Introduction to Privacy Protection Best Practices (Blog #1).

Learn more about privacy protection. See the Video:

What’s the big deal about Privacy Protection?

Over 19,000 nonprofit organizations operate in Alberta. Thousands of Albertans relate and interact with these organizations as members, donors, volunteers

or clients receiving servicesAlbertans want their sensitive information to be handled properly.

What do Albertans feel about the use of and access to their personal information by nonprofits?

Albertans expect to have a say in:

how it is used
when it is disclosed

Albertans have concerns of:

identity theft and
privacy breaches.

Albertans want accountability if their personal information or that of their family members has been dealt with in a careless manner. Accordingly, nonprofits need to be aware of the best practices to follow in order to protect their clients, employees and volunteer’s personal information.

Non-profits Benefit Too!

Adopting best practices and following the laws of legislation gives both for-profits and nonprofits a better image. It is not only businesses that benefit from displaying sound privacy practices. Nonprofits benefit too! When displaying commitment to protecting personal information, nonprofits create higher levels of trust and reap rewards such as increased loyalty from clients, members, employees, volunteers and the community they operate in.

Can I Learn More?

Volunteer Alberta is facilitating workshops called 'De-Complicating the Complicated Business of Privacy' aimed at educating Alberta's nonprofit organizations on the sector’s best practices. The content of the workshops is based on Alberta's privacy legislation and will focus on both organizations that are currently subject to the legislation and all nonprofit organizations. These sessions will begin in January 2011.

Volunteer Alberta is committed to helping Alberta's nonprofits access the information they need to protect personal information.

The Privacy Information Protection Act (PIPA) is legislation that every nonprofit should be aware of. (Read more about PIPA and nonprofit organizations). This means that every one of the 19,000 nonprofits of Alberta will benefit from the information that Volunteer Alberta is providing. Best practices on protecting personal information in accordance with PIPA standards will be available to Alberta’s nonprofit organizations in the form of workshops and iCCAN videoconference sessions happening throughout the province.

UPDATE

Sessions:

February 1 in Edmonton 2- 4 pm

February 8 across Alberta through iCCAN videoconferencing 5- 7pm

February 15 in Calgary 2- 4 pm

Register or learn more. Check out: http://volunteeralberta.cloverpad.org/privacyprotection

Interested? Please contact Lisa at Volunteer Alberta to attend or host a videoconference session.

David La Piana – Post-event Resume

Fri, 22 Oct 2010 17:01:15 +0000

Convergence insights:

“Navigating the convergence of evolving trends (demographics shifts, technological advances, changing networks, rising civic engagement and blurring of sector boundaries) and their many permutations will require:

o intense curiosity and willingness to learn,

o the ability to work as part of a diverse group and lead as part of a team,

o openness to testing new ideas and challenging the status quo.

It will also require the futurist’s frank acknowledgement that the world is changing daily and the tools, strategies and approaches that work now may be irrelevant in five years, five months or even five weeks…” (David La Piana, author of Convergence)

Futurists for changing environments: Convergence in Alberta

Highlights of the David La Piana presentations on October 19, 2010

David La Piana’s action-packed first visit to Alberta on October 19 had him presenting four different seminars in one day. His base premise for all these presentations that whether we are aware or prepared for it, changing global, national and provincial trends are dramatically and urgently shaping the way the nonprofit/ voluntary sector operates. The overarching question is: what does this means for nonprofit/ voluntary sector organizations, government and funders?

David’s internationally lauded article on Convergence is definitely applicable to the Alberta environment. Understanding the trends means that Alberta’s volunteers and sector leaders can better create and sustain conditions for Albertans to flourish. His approach is that increasing awareness on the part of not only the sector but of its corporate funders and government is necessary to successfully navigate an increasingly complex environment. Moreover, the way all three stakeholders strategize and operate shapes the impact of outcomes in Alberta’s communities.

David was prepared for a long day to explore these issues. By the end of the day, over 160 community and government leaders listened to and absorbed David and his proven solutions and candid wisdom.

First, David gave the keynote presentation Why Collaboration is Just Not Enough: Learning from Convergence to a full capacity audience comprised of leaders from Alberta’s voluntary sector, Government of Alberta staff from Ministries ranging from Culture and Community Spirit to Finance; Education to Executive Council), charitable and corporate foundations from around Alberta.

To contextualize David’s ideas outlined in Convergence, two young nonprofit leaders, Liz Lepper from Timeraiser and Christy Morin from Arts on the Avenue demonstrated how their unique, cross-sectorial, technology driven, network-based, and high civic engagement driven qualities are taking form. Above all, these examples demonstrate the importance of innovation and thinking strategically.

***The key take-away from this presentation – use Convergence as a framework to identify lurking environmental threats and opportunities, and then consider ways of thinking creatively to strategically plan for the future.

Next, David was a guest speaker at a special Alberta Nonprofit Voluntary Sector Initiative (ANVSI) Collaboration Committee meeting with representatives from the nonprofit/voluntary sector and government. Co-chairs Lois Hawkins, Deputy Minister of Culture and Community Spirit, and Jann Beeston, General Manager of Community Programming for Central Alberta College Community Partnerships, drew from David’s extensive background knowledge on how to create successful collaborative frameworks. The focus of Convergence is on structures and networks needed to shape the way government and nonprofits can create efficiencies in working together to deliver outcomes for Albertans.

*** Similar to a Venn diagram, collaboration involves identifying areas where overlap in interests and objectives exist, and then building on these areas through meaningful collective action.

Then, David chatted over dinner with senior GOA management , leaders in the nonprofit sector and Volunteer Alberta’s ED Karen Lynch. David informally discussed how collaboration and convergence applies to the Alberta case. The final stop was for an evening presentation over iCCAN videoconferencing on Strategically Planning the Future of Alberta’s Nonprofit/Voluntary Sector –Learning from Convergence: a session for nonprofit boards at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium and at various sites across Alberta for videoconferencing. The evening seminar and question and answers explored ways for boards to address these changes.

***Boards need to play more than a fiduciary role in nonprofit governance. In addition to providing organizational advice, they need to be generative in planning for the future. Breaking a board into three committees - Internal Affairs, External Affairs, and Governance - will enable boards to focus and have targeted action items for their work. Clearly, David had a busy day engaging with a variety of individuals and groups. Volunteer Alberta thanks David and all our participants for investing their energy into preparing for an environment created by the inevitable outcomes identified in Convergence.

Why David La Piana’s visit is so important for Alberta

For Volunteer Alberta and many of its members and forward thinking sector leaders, the day with David was a huge success. This unique opportunity created for nonprofit/voluntary sector organizations, government, funders, boards and other civically-engaged citizens, engaged each other and learned from a world leading expert on nonprofit governance and leadership.

Volunteer Alberta’s ongoing mission is “to create possibilities in Alberta’s nonprofit/ voluntary sector by strategically connecting leaders, members, organizations and networks.” Sharing David’s insights with sector organizations and municipal and provincial decision makers across Alberta contributes to this mission providing an opportunity to strengthen the capacity of organizations… which in turn supports Albertan communities.

After working with David, Volunteer Alberta clearly identifies with Convergence. Ongoing programs and services reflect an understanding of how Convergence plays out in Alberta.

Rural Volunteer Leadership Program - creating a one-stop web portal to enable NPVS learners to connect directly with service providers who offer professional development learning opportunities.
Volunteer Police Information Check Program – administering for Alberta Culture and Community Spirit a program to cover the costs of obtaining police information checks for volunteers in eligible circumstances.
Personal Information Protection Amendment Act (PIPA) – partnering with Service Alberta to encourage best practices for NPVS organizations to protect personal information.
Highly Skilled Volunteers – increasing the capacity of organizations to adapt to engaging specifically skilled volunteers to reach its mission (no more envelope stuffers!).
Intersections – promoting organizational change to improve integration immigrant volunteers through board development to be more inclusive.

Generative Governance – solving the challenge for nonprofit organizations - recruiting and retaining engaged board members - with a new approach to governing: Generative Governance.

Want to learn more?

See more of Volunteer Alberta’s programs and services

Volunteer Alberta recognizes and appreciates the financial support from the Government of Alberta Culture and Community Spirit, The Muttart Foundation and the Matrix Hotel to offset the costs of presenting David La Piana’s leadership on Convergence.

David’s insights influence the way people and organizations operate to serve Alberta populations. Want to learn more?

View David La Piana’s presentation SLIDESHOW

Discover more great resources and information from La Piana Consulting

Interview with Dr. Keith Seel

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 18:34:56 +0000

Listen to the interview with Dr. Keith Seel on the topic of his new book: Volunteer Administration – Professional Practice

Volunteer Alberta’s Rosanne Tollenaar, Program Manager, interviews Dr. Keith Seel about Volunteer Administration – Professional Practice, his new comprehensive reference book and guide on the administration and management of volunteers.

Learn from Dr. Seel about the five core competencies that serve as a foundation for the profession of volunteer administration: ethics, organizational management, human resources management, accountability, and leadership and advocacy.

Dr. Keith Seel is the Director of the Institute for Nonprofit Studies at Mount Royal University. He designed Canada’s first Bachelor’s Degree in Applied Nonprofit Studies and has initiated several major research projects exploring various aspects of the nonprofit sector.

Listen to the interview: Keith Seel Interview RT.wav

Major Collaborative Initiative Announced Today

Wed, 22 Sep 2010 20:02:08 +0000

Volunteer Alberta and Grant MacEwan University-School of Business announce the next phase of the Resource Centre for Voluntary Organizations (RCVO)’s development.

Since 1985, the RCVO built one of the finest nonprofit resource collections in Canada and provided access to this collection to nonprofit/voluntary sector volunteers and staff throughout Alberta. The RCVO collection and its consulting services have assisted nonprofit organizations with board and staff development, fundraising efforts, and more.

Effective January 1, 2011, Volunteer Alberta will assume ownership of this collection. With its provincial membership network, the RCVO collection will be now more readily available to groups across the province.

“We have been very pleased to host the RCVO here at MacEwan. Their services to the Alberta nonprofit community are extensive and valuable”, states Elsie Elford, Dean of MacEwan School of Business, “This is an exciting new partnership with Volunteer Alberta, expanding services to this sector – it’s a natural fit.”

MacEwan remains committed to the nonprofit sector and will support Volunteer Alberta during this transition and will continue to offer its post-diploma certificate in Executive Leadership for the Non-profit Sector.

Karen Lynch, Executive Director of Volunteer Alberta explains, “We are well positioned to leverage our province-wide networks to expand the RCVO collection’s reach in providing volunteers and nonprofit /voluntary organizations access to 21^st century information, resources, advice and tools.”

There is a need for like-minded nonprofit/voluntary sector organizations to come together so they can share and circulate resources and efficiently and effectively provide better services. In reaching this economy of scale, the net beneficiaries of RCVO’s transition to Volunteer Alberta will be volunteers and nonprofit organizations across Alberta.

The RCVO will continue working with Volunteer Alberta in strengthening and enhancing the vibrancy of Alberta communities through knowledge, resources and learning opportunities to support volunteerism.

For more information on the RCVO check www.rcvo.org or about Volunteer Alberta check www.volunteeralberta.ab.ca

For further information, please contact:

Evan Romanow

Manager, Communications and Policy

Volunteer Alberta

(780) 482-3300, ext. 226

Email: eromanow@volunteeralberta.ab.ca

Volunteer Managers meet to learn from Industry Mailout about mass communication tactics

Thu, 16 Sep 2010 23:39:25 +0000

Yesterday (September 15, 2010), we at Volunteer Alberta had the pleasure of hosted a videoconference session featuring Justin Jackson (from Industry Mailout, our neighbours down the hall from VA's office in Edmonton) about E-Newsletters and how to best communicate with various audiences. Through the power of iCCAN videoconferencing, the Edmonton Volunteer Managers Group and the Red Deer Volunteer Managers Network were effortlessly able to virtually assemble in the same room for a workshop on a topic of common interest.

Earlier this year, Volunteer Alberta held focus groups with various Volunteer Manager Groups across the province. It was identified by participants that being able to connect and collaborate with each other, share resources and help establish best practices would be a valuable asset to the volunteer manager profession. The E-Newsletter workshop was the first time that we were able to connect two Volunteer Manager Groups from different parts of the province to receive the same professional development training.

Managers of Volunteers often have the same issues and concerns regarding topics like recruitment, retention, procedures, or in this case, communicating with their stakeholders or volunteers. Instead of starting from scratch trying to create processes on their own, they can connect using resources like iCCAN videoconferencing and the VAULT website to talk to each other and share ideas, knowledge and best practices.

Justin from Industry Mailout shared with us some amazing resources. While the technology may have seemed overwhelming at first, after just a little time, these tools were really easy to use and will certainly make the jobs of volunteer managers much easier! Some of the great resources and tools we discussed in this first iCCAN videoconferencing workshop include:

We’re already brainstorming about the next joint Volunteer Manager professional development opportunity! A big thank you to Leslie Cleary with VMG Edmonton, Carmen Kostiuk of Red Deer VMN and Justin from Industry Mailout for helping to make this event happen.

Lisa Michetti

Program/Administrative Assistant

Volunteer Alberta

Volunteer Alberta's New Blog about our Newly Developed Website

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 19:00:00 +0000

A note from Karen (Eexecutive Director of Volunteer Alberta)...

I remember the first website development I led. It was only 11 years ago and it was a rather basic process. Yellow stickies with page headers posted on a blank wall outlined the layout and content structure. Simple and straightforward, but nevertheless it allowed us to stay ahead of the pack in the industry.

Now, there are millions of websites out there and Volunteer Alberta is on its third website reiteration. Websites are no longer big news or cutting edge technology, so why the excitement at Volunteer Alberta?

In a few months, it will be Volunteer Alberta’s 20^th anniversary. Over the years, Volunteer Alberta has: developed a responsive decision-making model of operation; delivered sector news as it happens; had a huge impact on public policy creation affecting volunteerism; created a successful social enterprise of consulting services for the voluntary sector; expanded service to represent 29 Volunteer Centres and Alberta’s thousands of volunteer-engaging organizations. All the while, the ‘inside’ organizational structure (in terms of staffing and budgets) increased five-fold. Volunteer Alberta’s growth has made a strain on our internal structures. The reiteration of the website needed to capture and express Volunteer Alberta’s growth and changes over the years. We really needed to stay ahead.

The relaunch of Volunteer Alberta’s website is the final project of four massive upgrades requiring considerable focus, energy, expertise and creativity.

Since February 2010, Volunteer Alberta staff and volunteers delivered:

· A critically needed IT overhaul including a new server. Much thanks to TransCanada for assisting Volunteer Alberta with the installation of the cabling. If you need a smart and efficient IT firm, our recommendation is Michetti Information Systems.

· A new phone system. When the Premier calls and gets voice mail because there are only two lines and 10 staff and volunteers in the office on the phones or more likely waiting to pounce on a free line the instant one becomes available, it’s time to get serious about telephone access. Thanks to Dexter at Telus, Volunteer Alberta now has eight telephone lines and a resource efficient phone system. Though same Edmonton local and toll free numbers!

· Finally a database. When the office volunteer passes the 500 mark in filing business cards, it is time to get serious about having a database. A more efficient and timely way of connecting with the many cherished contacts and colleagues throughout the sector was needed. Thanks to everyone who came and helped massage the data into a powerhouse of communication – including the volunteers in Australia and Hornby Island. Jenna and Harry – VA’s two brilliant U of A Business Coop students are responsible for getting the database project off the ground.

· The final piece –a complete revamp of the Volunteer Alberta website. Relevant, clear, responsive –those should be the hallmarks of a website which is supporting Alberta’s 19,000 nonprofit/voluntary sector organizations, businesses interested in corporate social responsibility, political decision-makers and volunteers. Bright, young, web-savvy VA summer student Gillian McDonald worked with web-designer Sean Byron in Ontario to make these upgrades. Their work was akin to solving a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle! Take a look. We are very pleased with the website, but scan the pages and if there’s something that does not quite fit or work or a text mistake, drop me a line and we’ll get it fixed.

So now with all of the above pieces in place, we’re ready to get back to our core work – removing barriers for Alberta’s volunteers. We can now do our core work more efficiently, ensuring the investment funders, donors and clients make in Volunteer Alberta is valued and effective.

On behalf of the Board, staff and volunteers, we sure hope Volunteer Alberta’s upgrades will allow us to serve you better.

Karen Lynch

Executive Director

Tell Volunteer Alberta what you think about the modified website!

Leave a comment or feedback and be entered to win a $100 donation to an Alberta nonprofit/voluntary sector organization. Be sure to leave your name and organization so we can contact the lucky winner. Check back on September 30 to see who won!

For any inquiries, please email Cindy at cwalter [at] volunteeralberta.ab.ca

Intersections - an immigrant experience

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:03:22 +0000

Volunteer Alberta works to provide volunteer-engaging organizations across the province with the tools to engage immigrants as volunteers through its Intersections program.

Immigration is on the rise in rural Alberta, and volunteerism is a beneficial way to help immigrants connect with their new community. Engaging immigrant volunteers is also a great way for nonprofit organizations to continue providing vital programs and services to their residents.

However, Intersections stresses the importance of understanding the challenges many new immigrant volunteers face. In the initial “Settlement” phase of immigration, new immigrants must deal with high levels of stress as they work to cope with the burdens of daily living in an unfamiliar place with often unfamiliar cultural codes and conduct. Over time, these groups are able to enter the “Adaptation” and “Integration” stages of immigration, and will be more receptive to volunteering and otherwise engaging in the community.

The blog post is meant to highlight the challenges new immigrants face to better understand how and why engaging immigrant populations is both relevant and difficult, and to help us empathize with the challenge

Imagine, for a moment, that you have just arrived in a new country.

You've left behind your friends, your culture, your favourite foods. Perhaps you've left a family, a home you love and a job where you are respected. You’ve come here for one of a variety of good reasons. Perhaps those reasons include economic opportunity, a job transfer, political turmoil, a business opportunity, a search for greater freedoms, or even just a change. Whatever the reason, you cannot help but feel a mixture of fear, excitement, and sadness as you contemplate your new life. You step off the plane, off the boat, or out of the car, and you have arrived in your new home. But it does not feel like home yet.

Perhaps you are lucky, and you have a partner or family member who is already in your new country. Your connection brings you to the apartment you will share, and it is beautifully finished. You know you are lucky, as you can immediately go about the work of settling into this country and making it your own. Most others are immediately forced to engage beyond their comfort levels, but you have the luxury of time.

The language of this new country might be somewhat familiar to you. Perhaps you've studied it before the move, but there are cultural and colloquial nuances you could never have anticipated.

Going grocery shopping has become an exercise in ingenuity -- in what other ways can you communicate "please help me with these apples," or "no, thank you, I don't need any more tomatoes"? Alternate words for those you still haven’t learned? Sign language? Pointing? Facial expressions? A combination of all of the above?

You’ve been here for several weeks now, and it is still a herculean effort to leave home. Every trip is filled with the pressure and the expectation that you will know and understand things about this new home that are still unfamiliar, and keeping pace with all of the change seems an impossible task, filled with endless challenge, in even the mendacity of daily chores and seemingly simple excursions. How does traffic work? Where is this store? What is the polite way to address a stranger? How much do you tip an employee for a certain service? Do you barter for food? Do you hold your ground in a line-up? Is it rude to push? Is it foolish to stare? Your mind is on continual overload with analysis and interpretation, and you suspect you are not always meeting your mark.

This new country is difficult to understand, but you are learning. Some days it requires all of your efforts, but you are making those efforts valiantly.

Soon this community will feel like home. In the meantime, you prepare for another daring adventure of a lifetime: a trip to the corner store, followed by tea at a neighbour’s house.

For more information on engaging immigrant volunteers, or to learn more about Intersections, visit Volunteer Alberta.

Risk Management Seminars

Tue, 19 Oct 2010 16:30:00 +0000

Risk Management

Risk Management is way more than insurance!

Risk Management is a process every single organization – regardless of size and budget, uses to identify, assess, control, and minimize the risks of Bodily Injury or Financial Loss arising from its activities and operations.

Seminars are being hosted in communities across the province.

Sign up today!

Click on Events Calendar on the right, then Risk Management Seminars

Generative Governance Fall 2010

Fri, 15 Oct 2010 16:00:00 +0000

The New Perspective: Generative Governance

Identified as a serious challenge for nonprofit organizations, recruiting and retaining engaged board members requires a solution. Solve this challenge with a new approach to governing – Generative Governance.

Dr. Keith Seel – an expert in Generative Governance from Mount Royal University Institute for Nonprofit Studies – will teach your organization how to revamp board meetings – taking them from insipid and ineffective to progressive and productive.

Cost is $20 for Volunteer Alberta members, $25 per individual, or $50 per organization (2 or more members of the same branch of an organization, with a maximum of 3 participants).

October 26, 2010 12:30pm-2:30pm
Volunteer Lethbridge

Volunteer Wood Buffalo

Medicine Hat Volunteer & Information Centre

Lac La Biche FCSS, hosted at the C.L.A.S.S. site, Portage College

November 2, 2010 12:30-2:30pm

Literacy Alberta (Calgary)

Hanna Learning

Grande Prairie Volunteer Services Bureau

Delburne Community Engagement Site

Cremona Community Engagement Site

Hinton Adult Learning

If you are interested in connecting your iCCAN videoconferencing site to this session, contact Lisa.

Register online today!

This session is made possible by the innovative Communities Connecting and Networking (iCCAN) program.