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Table of Contents
It has been said that
volunteers are Canada’s greatest resource. Like any resource, volunteerism
needs tending, investment, strategic development, and protection. We can be much
smarter in how we engage with volunteers. The relationship of the Voluntary
Sector to society has changed and so has the role of volunteering. A new and
smarter ethos of volunteering is emerging, one that demands a more thoughtful
approach. An increasingly rich global body of research and writing provides us with
significant knowledge about the nature of volunteers and the practices that
encourage and sustain effective volunteerism. This knowledge has the potential
to inform our work, if considered intentionally. Many organizations have
responded to changing demographics, lifestyle, and trends to create dynamic and
evolving volunteer programs. Sadly others lament on the decline of active
volunteerism, while making no changes in their planning, policies, or processes
related to volunteer involvement. While Canada has been slow
to actively research and document volunteer involvement, the past five years
have provided useful and exciting information about our country’s patterns of
volunteerism. The National Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating (NSGVP)
undertaken in 1997 and 2000, through a partnership of federal government
departments and Voluntary Sector organizations, is the largest and most
comprehensive study of its kind. The legacy of International Year of the
Volunteer (IYV) has also played a part in ensuring current and future volunteer
management practices reflect the changing nature of our community. The need for informed
practice and intentional effort to encourage volunteerism has never been more
important. The NSGVP 2000 study reported a decline in the number of Canada’s
volunteers from 7.5 to 6.5 million, in just three years, with a decrease of 5%
in volunteer hours. One in four Canadian adults volunteer, but 7% of the
population does 73% of all the volunteer work. In most provinces the number of
people who volunteer dropped, but the number of volunteer hours increased (fewer
doing more). In Alberta both the rate of volunteerism and the average number of
hours/person volunteered declined slightly. In most cases the largest decline
was among those who have a University education (from 48% to 39%). The volunteer
time contributed in Canada in 2000 equaled 549,000 full-time jobs, 29,000 fewer
than three years ago. Coupled with increasing need for volunteer involvement to
develop and sustain services, and an understanding that volunteerism encourages
community engagement, action is critical. This dynamic has created a
kind of knowledge revolution in the voluntary sector. It is comparable to the
discovery, some years ago, by private enterprise that customer service is not
only a desirable characteristic of a successful business, but absolutely
necessary to it. It is only when organizations that involve volunteers
incorporate this knowledge in every layer and aspect of their organizational
culture that we will begin to see a real and measurable effect. We have focused attention
and energy on the individual. It is now time to take the next step, to think
anew about the organizational policies, practices, methods and approaches that
support the volunteers who make such a huge contribution to the achievement of
our goals. NSGVP and many other
sources have identified issues that significantly impact active and effective
volunteer involvement. The willingness of organizations to support realistic,
meaningful and ethical volunteerism, through thoughtful volunteer management, is
the single most critical factor in ensuring a vibrant future for volunteer
involvement in Canada. Supporting effective volunteer involvement through
planning and resources must be a major focus of individuals, organizations, and
stakeholders from the wider community. Well- documented trends include:
How is your organization
integrating the emerging knowledge that helps us better understand volunteer
involvement? Effective practice is built on a foundation of values, principles
and standards. The recently developed Canadian Code of Volunteer Involvement
(Volunteer Canada 2001) provides many ideas and guidelines based on generally
accepted ethical involvement of volunteers. It is an excellent framework for
discussion and decision-making. Coupled with a commitment to using knowledge
about volunteer involvement and management, which is readily available, dynamic
and sustainable volunteerism can flourish in our communities. This is our most
significant challenge: in changing times, we cannot overvalue the power of a
strong volunteer culture. Volunteers translate our intentions and our values
into work that is useful, meaningful, and mutually rewarding. We in turn, must
revitalize volunteerism to ensure it is alive, well, and resilient. Wendy MacDonald is the Chair of the Voluntary Sector Management Program at Grant MacEwan Community College in Edmonton, AB. She has special interests in volunteer motivation as well as volunteerism and career/life planning. She can be reached at 780-497-5267. Additional
Reading
Not all charities are in a
position to establish a full planned giving program. However, there are several
questions a charity’s board should ask itself even if it does not actively
encourage planned gifts; after all, donors may seek you out to benefit from
their generosity. You may be surprised to find that the answers to these
questions may lead to the board commitment needed for any form of proactive or
reactive planned giving program.
A charity must properly
administer and remain accountable to donors over periods of time (and in the
case of endowments, virtually forever).
(Use this information to
develop policies). In order for your board to
actively encourage planned gifts, the board must understand and commit to
providing adequate support to the program. Does your board understand
that:
What financial commitment
will be made to this program over the next, say, 5 years? Given the resources
available, will this program be volunteer directed (e.g. board directed) or
staff directed? Who will:
Is the board prepared to
provide leadership in the form of making planned gifts themselves? If not, why
not? (The answers to this question will provide real insight into the strengths
and challenges of the program you propose.) Has your board read either
Planned Giving for Canadians or Planned Giving, Making it Happen? (Both provide
a range of sample agreements, policies and other documents and useful guidance
so charities do not need to “recreate the wheel” of a planned giving
program.) If after answering the
above, your board decides to take the plunge and establish a planned giving
program, the key steps to be taken (not necessarily in this order) include:
Develop policies and
guidelines (Use the information gathered when answering the questions above to
create the policies and procedures of your planned giving program, e.g. types of
gifts, and gift acceptance procedures, use of gifts.) Develop proposed budget and
staffing recommendations Establish a system for
creating, administering and being accountable for planned gifts (and expected
gifts) Develop a comprehensive
business/marketing/action plan Develop policies and
procedures for recording, recognizing and providing stewardship to donors Hire or appoint person(s)
to oversee and be responsible for the program. Kathy Hawkesworth is Director of Planned Giving at the Edmonton Community Foundation. Karen Platten is Leader of the Estate Practice Group, McLennan Ross, Barristers and Solicitors.
The framework agreement
between the Government of Canada and the Voluntary Sector was announced on
December 5, 2001 in Ottawa and across the country. Working together, the
voluntary sector and the Federal Government have developed and endorsed this new
Accord as a first step in the continuing process to strengthen their
relationship and create more cooperative ways to work together. In launching the landmark
Accord, this major initiative goes forward to strengthen the 180,000 non-profit
groups and charities that enrich the social, cultural, spiritual, environmental
and recreational lives of communities across the country. The Accord between the
voluntary sector and the Government of Canada documents shared values,
principles and commitment that will shape future practices, including the right
of each to independence, and the contribution of the voluntary sector and its
advocacy activities to the development of better public policy. It focuses on
what unites the two sectors, honours the contributions of both and respects
their unique ways of working. “We are confident that
this Accord is the first step toward a constructive, collaborative approach to
serving Canadians, including the development of public policy informed by
community experience,” said Lynne Toupin, voluntary sector co-chair of the
Joint Accord Table. “We look forward to the development of the tools and
processes that will put it into practice in the coming months.” For more information on the
Accord, see the web site at: www.vsi-isbc.ca
A challenge in working with affiliated
associations is the lack of continuity among leaders and volunteers. As
volunteers rotate through leadership positions, we frequently find ourselves
re-communicating information to them. Current leaders do not always train or
prepare their successors to carry out the objectives, goals, and long-term
vision of the association. Our national association, the Canadian Parks
Partnership (CPP), works closely with the affiliated association’s paid staff.
The affiliated associations with paid staff tend to experience a higher level of
success, as the senior staff manages the day-to-day administrative operations of
the association while the decision makers (e.g., board and active members) focus
on the implementation of programs and services to help their members. Whether we’re working with an affiliated
association that is volunteer-based or with an association that is fortunate
enough to have paid staff, CPP has found that it is beneficial for the
association to write, implement, and complete an annual strategic plan. This
plan establishes a framework for the association to set short- and long-term
goals, monitor progress in achieving those goals, and celebrate the successes
along the way. When new association leaders are elected, they can use the plan
as a reference to build on the association’s accomplishments. Developing a plan Your association should have at least a half-day session during which there are limited or no interruptions. During the planning session, a facilitator helps the association leader create a strategic plan. Association leaders complete four steps
during the planning process.
Reviewing the plan During the planning session, we emphasize the importance of involving members in
launching and completing the association’s strategic plan. The facilitator
prepares a draft of the plan for the association’s board of directors within
two weeks following the planning session. The association board is encouraged to
review the draft, make initial revisions, and share it with members for their
input. As association members and leaders review a
draft of the plan, they answer these questions:
If the answer to these questions is yes,
then the association moves forward with implementation. Implementing the plan After all revisions are completed and a final plan is written, the association
is encouraged to distribute copies to members at monthly meetings or as a
supplement to its newsletter. Once the plan is launched, it is the
responsibility of the association’s leaders to ensure that each task is
completed. We suggest that the association’s board evaluate a different part
of the plan at each of its meetings, perhaps with the help of progress reports,
and also print quarterly or annual updates in the association newsletter or
include them in a special membership mailing. In addition, we encourage association
leaders to schedule a special meeting or set aside time at an annual orientation
meeting to review their strategic plans and evaluate the past year’s successes
with the new leadership teams. This is the time for making adjustments or
addressing new goals or challenges that the association will face in the coming
year. Michael
Tryon is the Executive Director of Canadian Parks Partnership. He can be reached
at 403-292-4212 or toll-free at 1-888-454-7275.
Candace Widmer and Susan
Houchin have written a practical book that recognizes that what may be one
board’s policy is another’s implementation. Widmer and Houchin discuss ten
fundamental board responsibilities, which fall into three parts: Mission, Money
and Management. The four chapters included
in Part I “The Board’s Responsibility for Mission” are establishing the
organization’s mission, engaging in strategic planning, overseeing programs,
and helping the organization communicate effectively. Part II “The Board’s
Responsibility for Money” has chapters on overseeing the board’s finances,
developing funds and ensuring sound risk management practices. Part III, “The Board’s
Responsibility for Management”, covers Chapters 8 through 10 selecting and
supporting the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), selecting and educating board
trustees, and managing the work of the board. What makes this book a worthwhile reference are the case studies, examples drawn from the authors’ experiences as consultants with nonprofit boards. The book concludes with a list of board governance references, resources, websites and the index. Janet Buckmaster’s 25+ years with the nonprofit sector is varied: as workshop leader, board member, manager, front line staff, and program volunteer. For nine years, Janet was with the Board Development Program (under Alberta Community Development), which is recognized nationally for advancing board leadership and as a model of volunteer management. Janet has served on the boards of values-driven organizations, whose beliefs and practices of governance and community development were compatible with her own. Along with her knowledge of board leadership, Janet has an extensive social work
background in human services, including her work with the YMCA in Montreal,
Services to Persons with Disabilities (Alberta Family and Social Services), and
the YWCA of Edmonton. She is an alumnus of the Voluntary Sector Management Program at Grant MacEwan
College, and earned the National Certificate in Voluntary & Non-Profit
Sector Management from the Canadian Centre for Philanthropy. Janet continues to work in a private capacity with nonprofit organizations in
the voluntary sector, This article may be reprinted with permission from the RCVO. Please credit the author and source.
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