Volunteer Zone Bénévoles - Intentional Dialogue 2005

 

In February 2005, Volunteer Canada hosted a unique event entitled Volunteer Zone Bénévoles - Intentional Dialogue 2005. The event was modeled as a national think-tank on volunteerism in Canada and brought together 75 leaders, expert practitioners and others who play significant roles in furthering voluntary action in Canada for three days of discussion. The selection of a diverse group of participants from a variety of areas ensured that the perspectives of youth, managers of volunteers, practitioners, as well as funders and influencers were represented.

 

The vision of Volunteer Zone Bénévoles was to create a societal agenda with volunteerism as its priority. Its stated goals were to redefine and embrace volunteerism in its original sense; identify actions to overcome current challenges to volunteering; and recommend actions to support and relieve the stress of volunteer programs.

 

Participants identified four priority areas in which the proper investment of time, energies and resources could result in a holistic societal agenda for volunteerism. These included:

 

Public Policy and Advocacy: the process of speaking and working with governments at all levels about volunteering and volunteerism in a society where contributing to one’s community is perceived as the fundamental right of every Canadian.

Organizational Capacity: the building of healthy organizations; this includes supporting and enabling healthy management, governance and leadership, and funding policies.

Volunteer Engagement: the experience of volunteering, as well as the knowledge and understanding of how and why people are engaged as volunteers, and how they want to be engaged. Recruitment, retention and recognition of volunteers are important components of this priority area, and marketing is a consideration that permeates the entire action area

Movement Building: the creation of a social movement to broaden external understanding and recognition for a societal agenda with volunteerism as its focus. The building of such a movement is about creating shared awareness, commitment and other values, and includes connecting with organizations, reclaiming the language and strategic communications.

Understood within this model is the notion that demographic shifts are an important consideration for each of the four areas.

 

 

 

The Board of Volunteer Canada embraced the proposed outcomes of Volunteer Zone Bénévoles and provided strategic direction to integrate these areas into Volunteer Canada’s program development. The following actions have been taken:

 

A Public Policy Committee was established to identify pertinent policy issues to enhance volunteerism in Canada and strategize on effective ways of interacting with government.

Viewing effective leadership as a key component in ensuring organizational capacity, the board confirmed the need for organizational resources to be targeted beyond the managers of volunteers to the leadership and decision-making levels of organizations.

 

In a continued focus on volunteer engagement, Volunteer Canada produced resources on Mandatory Community Service, as well as on board training on engaging culturally diverse communities.

In efforts to foster the growth of a societal movement, Volunteer Canada’s promotional campaigns continued to promote the stories of ordinary Canadians achieving extraordinary things through volunteering. Additionally, a Corporate Council on Volunteering was established to help create a broadened public commitment to employee volunteerism.