Volunteer Alberta Sector News

Creating a Universal Brand For Alberta Fire Chiefs Association

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 15:56:19 GMT

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

(Past member) — Tue, 31 May 2011 15:51:44 GMT

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

(Past member) — Tue, 31 May 2011 15:49:58 GMT

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

(Past member) — Tue, 31 May 2011 15:49:21 GMT

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 GMT

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 GMT

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 GMT

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 GMT

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 GMT

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 GMT

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 GMT

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 GMT

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 GMT

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.