Voluntary Sector Awareness Project
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Voluntary Sector Awareness Project |
The Canadian voluntary sector is the second largest in the world, touching virtually all aspects of community life every single day in this country: from sport clubs to environmental organizations, international aid to disease prevention, arts to social development, from hands on care to advocacy, research and training. The sector’s 161,000 charitable and nonprofit organizations and millions of volunteers and staff are an integral part of what makes us “Canadian”. CCSD is one of eight national organizations* representing a broad cross section of the charitable and nonprofit sector that have come together to raise awareness and generate discussion about our unique Canadian “voluntary sector” through the Voluntary Sector Awareness Project.
The Voluntary Sector Awareness Project (funded by Social Development Canada and lead by Imagine Canada) is one of the last "deliverables" of the Voluntary Sector Initiative. The purpose of the project is to develop and launch a public awareness campaign in the summer of 2006 to be delivered by the sector using communications tools and resources provided by the project. The campaign will be directed inside the sector and out toward the public and will be informed by a series of Community Conversations being held across the country in the fall of 2005.
Community Conversations:
As part of this project, the Canadian Council on Social Development (CCSD) is liaising with social development organizations and networks in communities across the country to engage local organizations in discussions about the voluntary sector and its role in developing dynamic, healthy communities. Some of these community conversations will bring together local social development groups, others will include a broader cross section of local organizations.
As part of the project, 18 sessions for Social Development organizations will be held in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Regina, Winnipeg, Toronto (two sessions), Ottawa, Halton, Peel, Cambridge, Windsor, Montreal, Quebec, Halifax, Fredericton, Saint John, and St. John’s.
Discussion Paper and Online Feedback Form available
A discussion paper designed to help initiate dialogue not only in these Community Conversations but within Canada’s voluntary sector at large, written by Paddy Bowen, Project Manager, is now available for reference, reflection and feedback. (Greater than the Sum of our Parts).
An online feedback form is available to allow individuals not attending a Community Conversation the opportunity to provide their input. Responses will be collected and added to those received at the Community Conversations being held across the country.
We invite you to join us and get involved. There are a number of ways that local, provincial and national voluntary organizations can participate in the project: order a copy of the discussion paper, attend a community conversation, participate in the public campaign using the materials and messaging provided, and send us your feedback.
For further information, contact the Voluntary Sector Awareness Project office:
Project Manager: Paddy Bowen
Project Coordinators:
Camille Crôteau (
Melissa Roy (
Telephone: (613) 238-7555 Fax: (613) 238-9300
The Voluntary Sector Awareness Project Partners Committee
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Sharon Baxter – Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (representing a health charities perspective)
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Katherine Scott – Canadian Council on Social Development (www.ccsd.ca)
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Brigitte Gagné – Canadian Environmental Network (www.cen-rce.org)
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Victor Lachance – Sport Matters Group (www.sportmatters.ca)
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Alain Pineau – Canadian Conference for the Arts (www.ccarts.ca)
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Esperanza Moreno – Canadian Council for International Cooperation (www.ccic.ca)
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Marlene Deboisbriand – Volunteer Canada (www.volunteercanada.ca)
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Georgina Steinsky Schwartz – Imagine Canada (www.imaginecanada.ca)