The purpose of the Voluntary Sector Awareness Project (funded by Social Development Canada and led by Imagine Canada) is to generate dialogue and solicit feedback from a broad range of charities and non-profits and, over the summer of 2006, to launch a public awareness campaign to be delivered by the sector utilizing communications resources provided by the project.

Over the summer of 2005 a short discussion paper will be widely disseminated outlining the benefits and challenges of creating a “unified voice” for the voluntary sector. The purpose of the paper is to both raise interest and seek input on the value of a more integrated sector-wide communications strategy. Over the fall 100 community conversations will be held across the country, involving thousands of local and provincial organizations in order to deepen and enrich this dialogue and feedback process.

The project offers a wonderful opportunity to challenge diverse and different voluntary organizations to consider commonality and to think about how speaking to Canadians through a shared vision-centered campaign may enhance their individual abilities to achieve goals.

There are a number of ways that local, provincial and national voluntary organizations can get involved in the project: order a copy of the discussion paper, attend a community conversation, participate in the public campaign utilizing the materials and messaging provided, and send us their feedback.

You’d have to look pretty hard to find a sector as diverse in form and in function as that of what we call the “voluntary sector” in Canada.

Comprised of 161,000 charities and non-profit organizations the sector encompasses tens of thousands of organizations with no paid staff and budgets under $30K as well as thousands of large, multi jurisdictional monoliths with annual budgets in the ten million dollar + range and hundreds of staff people – and every organizational iteration you can imagine in between.

The reach and kinds of work undertaken by the sector are also incredibly broad; from sport clubs to environmental organizations, international aid to disease prevention, from arts to social development, from hands on care to advocacy, research and training.

Three key factors are held in common by this amorphous collection of organizations:

Our regulatory status. We are incorporated as not-for-profit entities. Almost half (76,000) are registered as charities.

We all involve volunteers – as our governors via Boards of Directors and in a myriad of ‘service’ roles.

And finally, and most importantly, we all exist, one way or the other, to achieve purpose that is “other serving”. We are all engaged in work that seeks to provide service, generate ideas, challenge the status quo, help people or communities in need, fix problems, bring to fruition a vision for something more, better, best. In short every organization in the voluntary sector exists to reach dreams.

For many in Canada the true breadth and impact of the voluntary sector is a best kept secret. While many experience the sector in some way, they rarely get exposed to the whole picture. And voluntary organizations themselves are part of the reason for that.

We are, most of us – and understandably so - primarily focused on “our” work. Whether we’re coaching a hockey team, organizing an arts festival, recruiting oversees volunteers, participating in an advocacy campaign or working in a health charity or social service agency we tend to look inward, hoping to generate pride and support for the contribution we are making.

How often does the voluntary sector ever speak with the proverbial one voice?

How often do we talk about the importance of sport and culture at the same time?

How often do we seek the similarities between radical environmental organizations and libraries or hospitals?

It’s true that sometimes we pause, as a sector, to acknowledge and celebrate the amazing work of volunteers. And every now and then groups of voluntary organizations will come together to speak with funders or on an issue of shared importance. But the times our sector steps forward to present a cohesive vision for itself, for community and for citizens are arguably rare.

Seven national organizations* representing a broad cross section of charitable and nonprofit purposes and organizations, have come together to generate awareness and celebration of the voluntary sector as a whole in Canada.

The Voluntary Sector Awareness Project, funded by Social Development Canada, as one of the last “deliverables” of the Voluntary Sector Initiative, will culminate in the development of an awareness campaign inside the sector and out toward the public. The project is led by Imagine Canada, staffed by a small team and works under the direction of the Project Partners listed below.

We look forward to hearing from you, working with you and celebrating the voluntary sector in Canada.