ADVR Presentation January 2009

www.volunteeralberta.ab.cawww.volunteeralberta.ab.ca

ADVR 2009 First meeting of the New Year!

Focusing on removing barriers to volunteers and promoting volunteerism as a powerful social investment for 19 years


About Volunteer Alberta• Support & networking opportunities• Establishment of volunteer centres• Connecting to volunteer-engaging organizations• Professional Development• Awareness of issues facing volunteers• Access to information and resources• Removing barriers to volunteerism

Session OverviewWhat does Volunteer Alberta mean for Albertans and

Alberta’s nonprofit/voluntary sector organizations and volunteers?

Volunteer Alberta Board of DirectorsDiverse, dynamic, representative of Albertans

Volunteer Alberta StaffExpert, experienced, and entrepreneurial

What is a Volunteer Centre?

•Promotes volunteerism and raises awareness of the power of service • Builds capacity for effective local volunteering through management consulting on volunteer programs and training of volunteers and managers of volunteer resources • Provides leadership and advocacy on issues relating to volunteerism and volunteer programs

• Connects people with opportunities to serve through recruitment & referral of volunteers to community agencies

Where are Alberta’s Volunteer Centres?

Airdrie

Banff

Calgary

Camrose

Canmore

Crowsnest Pass

Cochrane

Cold Lake

Edmonton

Fort Saskatchewan

Grande Prairie

Grasslands Regional

Hanna

High River

Hinton

Innisfail

Lethbridge

Medicine Hat

Okotoks

Paintearth

Red Deer

Rimbey

Rocky Mountain

St. Albert

Stettler

Stony Plain

Strathcona County

Sylvan Lake

Vegreville

Wood Buffalo

Who does all this work? Program Manager Rosanne Tollenaar

[email protected] Communications and Administration Cindy (Chow) Walter

[email protected] Program/Administrative Assistant Lisa Michetti

events @volunteeralberta.ab.ca Member Service/Marketing Manager Carol Cheung

Police Information Check update

Sigh…….. Unexpected challenges Still will happen Solicitor General and Minister for Public Security staff and Wild

Rose Foundation very helpful Definition of Vulnerable population The services provided by the organization involves volunteers having

personal contact with vulnerable groups, i.e. children, the elderly, people with a disability

“A volunteer is a person who performs an activity which is of benefit to the community, is done of their own free will and is undertaken without monetary reward”

oh my gosh…late breaking update just in….

Alberta Nonprofit/Voluntary Sector Initiative Collaboration Committee

The Collaborations Committees Mission is:

“To develop a mutually supportedinterdependent partnership between the NPVSector and the GOA that enables mechanismsand processes to address cross-cutting issues,to build capacity of the sectors and to engageboth sectors in the policy dialogue”

ANVSI Vision

ANVSI’s Vision is:

“To achieve a robust and healthy

Nonprofit/Voluntary Sector as a vital

component of strong and vibrant communities

that are supported and served by the voluntary

and public sectors”.

ANVSI Core Issues

The challenges faced by the NPVS include issues of: funding human resource availability risk management and protection as well as escalating

operational costs

If left unresolved these issues will dramatically reducethe capacity of the sector to fulfill its vital role incommunities across the province. Failure or collapseof the NPV sector may obligate the GOA to assumethe delivery of those community-based programs andservices demanded by Albertans.

ANVSI outcome

The long-term impact is a sustainable NPVS

which is able to evolve to effectively and

efficiently deliver programs and services which

contribute to strong and vibrant Alberta

communities.

NPVS Priority Activities

Communication Build communication pathways to inform and engage the sector

Sector Issues Develop a process to move the CC from Issue to Resolution Develop a framework for addressing issues such as the funding of the voluntary

sector individual organization.

Sector Knowledge Information gathering and research that will inform both the sector and ANVSI This will also influence both the issue resolution and policy dialogue work This knowledge gathering will include but not be limited to academic research

Policy Dialogue Engage the CC to ensure that NPVS & GOA work together to create social

policy and outcomes resulting in communities with the capacity to meet the needs of citizens.

Alberta Nonprofit/Voluntary Sector

Initiative (ANVSI) Alberta Nonprofit/Voluntary Sector Initiative (ANVSI)

Nonprofit/Voluntary Sector (NPVS) Collaboration Committee (CC) is searching for leaders reflecting the diversity of the 19,000 organizations in Alberta.

Nomination Committee recommends the selection of NPVS CC leaders with the following specific characteristics, skills and attributes: Working in northwest or southwest Alberta An emerging leader Networked leader within sports and recreation Networked leader within population health sector Political acumen within all three levels of government Ability to articulate, translate, interpret discussions in a manner

that clarifies and removes concerns

ANVSI HR Strategy

Educate all levels of government about the importance of the sector to quality of life in the community and the economy, and the challenges related to labour force shortfall;

Advocate the need for departments to establish common policies, procedure, and standard formats for granting and funding; partnership to gather updated data on the Non-Profit sector.

Foster development and strengthen human resource management practices

Work with government and business on strategies to promote the sharing of personnel, resources, training and professional development.

Advocate to government and business for the availability of scholarships, bursaries and ongoing funding to support board, staff and volunteer training and development; and

Advocate to government and other funders for funding levels that allow for fair compensation, long term planning and job security and support organizational sustainability

Trends in 2009

Know your target audience and adapt your practices!

Highly skilled volunteers Baby boomer retirees Urban shift to rural communities Screening volunteers in a mobile society Labour force migration demographics Episodic volunteering Employer supported volunteering

What do you mean there aren’t any volunteers?!

Integrated Human Resources (IHR) is a strategically planned approach to identifying the work functions that need to be accomplished in organizations and involving people – both paid and unpaid to perform the work needed to achieve the mission.

With the changing demographic trends in the voluntary sector and an understanding of the challenges that organizations face, the need to look at an IHR approach is critical for voluntary sector organizations.

In June of 2008, Volunteer Alberta introduced this concept to Volunteer Centres across the province during a provincial forum for these centres. Much work and learning is still needed in this area, as it is a shift in thinking about how to utilize people in this sector

Volunteer Vancouver, a leader in this approach, was contracted to share at a high level the knowledge that they had learned around involving people – both paid and unpaid into organizations in a very strategic process.

“We Inspire and Build Leadership in the Voluntary Sector”

Integrated HR Strategy

Volunteer Alberta will lead 8 – 10 organizations through a process to develop an integrated human resource strategy approach to involving people (both paid and unpaid). In working closely with Volunteer Vancouver as a coach and mentor, Volunteer Alberta will gain the skills and knowledge to work with the selected organizations to develop and implement an integrated human resource strategy.

In order to participate in the project, organizations must have a culture that already supports the involvement of volunteers. In addition, the Executive Director of each organization must commit to work closely with Volunteer Alberta throughout the duration of the project. The process will involve both group learning sessions on key concepts as well as one on one coaching provided to the Executive Director.

Tax credits for volunteering

Mount Royal College Centre for Nonprofit Studies research project

Canada Revenue Agency

Volunteer Canada Public Safety measures Membership and membership benefits volunteer.ca renewed website Economic value of volunteering research

Volunteering Among Immigrants…

Volunteering Among Immigrants

IntersectionsSupporting Rural Organizations to Better Engage Immigrant Volunteers



Partners:

Volunteer Alberta

Alberta Human Rights, Citizenship & Multicultural Education Fund

NorQuest CollegeCentre for Excellence in Intercultural Education



Project Goals: To increase the body of knowledge about recent immigrants choosing to live in Alberta’s rural communities and these individuals’ community engagement, specifically volunteer activities

To increase the ability of rural Alberta NPVS organizations to engage immigrant volunteers

To build networks between organizations with expertise in the area of immigrant services and organizations in other sub-sectors such as the arts, recreation and health

To create awareness of tools available to the NPVS focusing on diversity

To facilitate community engagement and enhance integration of newcomers through volunteerism



Next Steps:

• Complete Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) assessments with organization representatives/community leaders in eight pilot Alberta communities

• Develop individual learning opportunities for participants based on IDI and focus group results

• Develop and deliver group cultural competency training based on findings from IDI and focus groups (Group Learning Retreat)

• Develop and design resources for Volunteer Centres to support other nonprofit/voluntary sector organizations in their community


What does this mean to volunteers who work to develop and strengthen volunteerism?

• Homogenous versus heterogeneous volunteer pool

• Importance of sustaining efforts to involve immigrants as volunteers

• Volunteer Alberta Intersections Project

Centre of Excellence for Corporate Volunteerism – Volunteer Canada•The next step of the Corporate Council on Volunteering

•The Council will drive the initiative along with a leadership team from the nonprofit sector.

•Provides technology, curriculum, research, and information sharing for non-profit practitioners as well as corporate community relations professionals.

•Through the curriculum developed by the Centre for Excellence,businesses and nonprofits alike will learn from each other andultimately help bridge the gap between the for-profit and nonprofitsectors in communities across the country.

Employer Support for Volunteerism

• What does this mean for volunteers who work to develop and strengthen volunteerism?

– Contributing more than just money

– Fostering involvement prior to retirement

– Building the capacity of the sector to involve employer-supported volunteers

Status of Volunteering nationally

Statistics Canada is recognized as a world leader in data collection. Data provided by StatsCan is accepted as indisputable.

Longitudinal nature of the survey data provided by StatsCan is crucial in realizing the full benefit of the data to ensure that key trends and patterns in the sector are observed and recorded.

Stats Can tracks participation and community engagement in the more remote northern and rural communities that a private firm would not have reach into.

Given the changes to the funding structures for nonprofits, it is essential that Canada’s nonprofit and volunteer involving organizations have access to the same data tools that business has in order to identify potential volunteers and donors, understand donor trends, and develop and execute fundraising strategies.

Statistics Canada

NPVS Voice Heard!

April 19 -25, 2009 National Volunteer Week Release of 2007 gathered stats Major coup for nonprofit/voluntary sector Watch for announcements Wild Rose Foundation Alberta extracts

volunteer alberta

Unleashing the potential or“planning for sustainability”!

•What is the relationship between a strong voluntary sector and a strong economy?

Access to the Future Fund Announcement

iCCAN project

The iCCAN project will enable these organizations, their members, boards of directors and volunteers to create new opportunities for learning and collaboration. It will also facilitate administrative efficiencies and reduce the need for travel.

Early adopter sites: Sherwood Park, Fort McMurray, Red Deer, and Medicine Hat

Screening Volunteers In…Not Out!

Brainchild of Nadine Maillot New educator is Cheryl Humphrey Funded by Wild Rose Foundation

Response to concerns about police information checks used as sole screening tool

Eight centres around Alberta before March 15,2009 Locations on VA website as of January 20

Generative Governance

When people join a board of directors or become governors or trustees, they have a notion about what they are expected to be doing. Their preconception is oversight of operations and reviewing and approving budgets. Being a board director or trustee means much more! It includes both accountabilities as stewards of charitable property and responsibilities to the wider community.

Generative Governance is a new way to govern.

Instructors and experts, Keith Seel and Anita Angilini from Mount Royal College Institute for Nonprofit Studies will be facilitating these sessions.

The New Perspective

Generative Governance

Sessions Dates:

Oct 27, 2008 Fort McMurray

Nov 13, 2008 Jasper

Dec 4, 2008 Grand Prairie

Feb 12, 2009 Camrose

Few other odds and ends…

Alberta Mentoring Partnership Encourage higher levels of engagement from corporate Alberta

(large and small) Membership Engagement Strategy

Communication from not just to you… Volunteer Engagement Audits In-depth research audit to uncover challenges and strengths United Way of Calgary Human Services Project

Provincial network of social service agencies Personal Information and Privacy Act (PIPA)

CCVO survey results; best practice education versus legislation

Rural Alberta’s Development Fund: Heard of it?

• Independent not-for-profit company that wants to work with groups, organizations and communities that care about growing rural Alberta.

• Board of Directors are looking for new or innovative projects that are community-supported, collaborative, and will have a positive, sustained impact on rural Alberta.

• 2006 Volunteer Alberta offered 400 organizations access to insurance seminars in over 40 Alberta communities.

• In 2007, 8 Volunteer Centres hosted 150 organizations at D&O Liability Insurance seminars

•In 2008…

volunteer alberta

Volunteer Alberta focuses on Risk Management in all its forms

volunteer alberta

volunteer alberta

A Risk Management Solution: Community Guard

Bookmark 3Free Online Resources

General Insurance Toolkit Directors’ and Officers’ Liability Insurance

Handout Volunteers & the Law in Alberta Online


volunteer alberta

Volunteer Alberta

Membership

volunteer alberta

volunteer alberta

Volunteer Alberta

Membership

gives you access to OASSIS

Employee Benefits

Need photos of volunteers in action?

Download them for free from the Volunteer Alberta website!


Volunteer Alberta

Updates:

Sector Connector

eNewsletter

Sign up today!

volunteer alberta

“The true role of infrastructure organizations is way beyond their service delivery functions. It is important for organizations to understand

this in order to continue addressing the challenges and developing solutions.”

Martha ParkerMartha Parker

volunteer alberta

Volunteer Alberta can provide access to resources & experience

Toll Free (877) 915-6336Phone (780)-482-3300 Email [email protected] www.volunteeralberta.ab.ca

Business

ADVR Presentation January 2009