SymposiumJune 8, 2007

Project Summary & Key Findings

Alison Caird & Eric SaunterSteering Committee Co-Chairs

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Background

How the project began OCVI discussion MCI proposal & funding

What the project wasn’t No ‘magic bullets’ No media attention

What the project was Learning from strategic partnerships Building a growing consortium of organizations

dedicated to acting on what the sector wants

Project Challenges Difficult to get the sector to talk about this

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Contracted objectives & deliverables1. Provincial ‘Unified Voice’ Mechanism:

To explore options and identify a preferred model to support the development of a strong, inclusive coordinating body for the non-profit, voluntary sector.

2. Working Differently to Work Better Models: To identify effective approaches for working together to

address organizational and operational needs of sector non-profits, including regionally based best practices.

3. Consult with the Sector: To effectively dialogue with the non-profit, voluntary

sector about the value of a provincial coordinating body mechanism offering a unified voice on common good issues, and about regional or cross-sectoral collaborative models and approaches.

Work Plan Elements

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MilestonesSteering committee & work groups establishedSector Leaders Forum (Nov 06)Research & Environmental Scan Report (Dec 06)Sector Consultation (March to May ’07)

Regional Focus Groups - 5 sessions (Kingston, Kitchener, Ottawa, Sault Ste. Marie, Thunder Bay)

Key Informant Interviews On-line Sector Survey

Symposium VI (June 2007) Education & dialogue on model approaches Consensus-building agenda Networking and collaborations

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Environmental Scan & Research Results

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Environmental Scan and Research

Report analyzing current approaches prepared by the Centre for Voluntary Sector Research and Development (CVSRD) of Carlton University. Key findings include:

Reviewed 25 specific initiatives from North America and United Kingdom

Identified a range of 7 component-model approaches Scan found that associations that have a broad

membership to be the most prevalent form and also appears to be the most sustainable.

The ‘pure’ coalition is most common form to address a particular issue but is less sustainable.

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Environmental Scan and Research

Report identified ‘Success Factors’ for a mechanism including:

Sector led and independent Reflecting all parts of the sector Sticking to cross-sector issues Establishing positive links with all levels of government Having staff strength to enable strong organizational

and follow-through capacity Demonstrating benefit/value to the sector Listening, responding and building

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Sector Consultation Results

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Sector Consultation Strategy

Variety of communication vehicles employed

Broad questions posed:1. What are your needs and wants? 2. Would a mechanism be useful?3. What would a provincial mechanism look like?

Structure Matrix Review (see hand-out)1. Network2. Alliance3. Coalition4. Confederation

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Yes! We want a mechanism!

Sector Leaders Forum: unanimous agreement

On-line Sector Survey: 88% said yes

Key Informant Interviews: 75% said yes

Regional Focus Groups: yes

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"We need strategic planning at the provincial and national level to ensure that the voluntary sector has the resources necessary to improve.  This strategic planning cannot be

done - at the level necessary - by individual organizations.  It needs research and planning. 

It is not a goal - rather it is to be used for advocacy…on an ongoing basis with government and major businesses and

associations.”

Key Informant Interview 2007

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On-line Survey Results

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How useful would it be for your organization to have a cross-sectoral, provincial, coordinating mechanism that would assist your organization in each of the following areas?

50%

52%

53%

65%

67%

42%

43%

39%

26%

30%

8%

5%

8%

9%

3%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Networking among organizations

Develop better policy and legislation

Leadership, mentoring and training

Expert advice

Recognition of sector

Very useful Useful Not useful/a little useful

% Rating 5 Very Useful; 3-4 Useful; 1-2 Not useful/a little useful

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How useful would it be for your organization to have a cross-sectoral, provincial, coordinating mechanism that would assist your organization in each of the following areas?

27%

47%

47%

47%

48%

38%

39%

26%

25%

15%

14%

27%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Collaborative staffing

Recruitment/retentionof volunteers

Collaborativemarketing

Collaborativepurchasing

Very useful Useful Not useful/a little useful

% Rating 5 Very Useful; 3-4 Useful; 1-2 Not useful/a little useful

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Please rate the priority that you think should be given in the first year to each of the following areas:

32%

32%

34%

37%

61%

57%

58%

59%

55%

37%

11%

10%

7%

8%

2%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Leadership, mentoring and training

Networking among organizations

Better policy and legislation

Expert advice

Recognition of sector

Very high priority Moderate/high priority Low priority

% Rating 5 Very high priority; 3-4 Moderate priority; 1-2 Low priority

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Please rate the priority that you think should be given in the first year to each of the following areas:

10%

18%

24%

28%

58%

65%

49%

61%

32%

17%

27%

11%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Collaborative staffing

Collaborativemarketing

Collaborativepurchasing

Recruitment/retentionof volunteers

Very high priority Moderate/high priority Low priority

% Rating 5 Very high priority; 3-4 Moderate priority; 1-2 Low priority

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Overall, do you agree or disagree that a provincial coordinating mechanism is needed to support organizations in the non-profit, voluntary sector?

0%5% 7%

38%

50%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Stronglydisagree

Disagree Neither Agree Strongly agree

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Which of these four approaches would be your 1st and 2nd choice as the most appropriate type of mechanism:

33%29%

17%21%

12%

28%35%

17%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Confederation Coalition Alliance Network

First Choice Second Choice

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Regional Focus Group Results

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Most pressing issues facing organizations:

1. Funding2. Recruitment/Retention of volunteers3. Increased training burden (due to ↑turnover)4. Specially skilled volunteers (↑need)5. Changing demographics (traditional sources more

difficult to access)6. Recruitment funding (i.e. new money needed to

recruit)7. Required professionalization of administrators of

volunteers8. Competing organizations9. Communication and awareness10. Northern Ontario issues (i.e. geographical,

economical, limited access to professionals)

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What could a provincial wide, coordinating mechanism do?

Identify needs and address/represent sector on common issues

Share knowledge and organize regional meetings like the focus groups to facilitate dialogue at the local level

Work with all levels of government to find solutions to keep volunteer centres open

Be a representative voice, advocate on volunteer, corporate funder, and public issues to government

Facilitate sharing of resources focused on education, best practices, capacity building (funding)

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“Confederation (model option) received the most discussion during the focus groups and may be one of the favoured options to move

forward with the design of a provincial mechanism.”Meeting Input Summary SVO

Participants comments offering the rationale for that selection: Ability to access multi-way communications and decisions

from grass roots to the political level Democratic and reflective of common issues in the sector Open membership and opportunity for networking locally The opportunity for all non-profits to be represented Diversity of membership so that geographical, cultural and

ethnic issues can be addressed Powerful voice because it would represent the whole sector Defines a new level of commitment and accountability Larger pool of ideas that can be refined to a common goal

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Questions Generated by the Sector During the Consultative Process

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Questions generated by the sector include:

What benefit would there be for local organizations?

Who will it serve, will it speak to the volunteer sector and serve the needs of the volunteer community?

How will the mechanism represent the urban and rural communities?

Why do we have to create something that we already have in Provincial Organizations?

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How would a mechanism be different than previous organizations like COVO/OCVI?

How would priorities be determined?

How would representation be determined?

Is this provincial body a group to strengthen volunteerism in Ontario, or is it to build capacity for the non-profit voluntary sector?

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Where do we go from here?

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Learnings to date

Strong desire in the sector to develop a cross-sectoral and inclusive provincial mechanism

Mechanism will strengthen volunteerism at regional and local level

Growing recognition that a mechanism will offer value to the sector & civic society

Diversity and complexity of the sector presents strength & challenges

While a mechanism is wanted, questions remain about it will it look like

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Next Steps? Symposium VI: continuing to gather feedback from the

sector, and defining a preferred mechanism/approach

Purpose of the process

Refine and build

Commit to move it forward

If a Confederation/Coalition/other Model?

Define the Guiding Principles, and

How do we design it so it can serve the sector?

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"If the Strengthening Voluntarism in Ontario project does not result in the development of a provincial

mechanism, we believe that a lot will be lost: synergy, momentum, a voice to government, sector recognition,

advocacy for the profession, growth, and an opportunity to do something historic.”

Key Informant Interview 2007