Chair and finance committee members, my name is Karen Lynch. I am the executive director of Volunteer Alberta, a 20-year-old provincial organization connecting the non-profit voluntary sector, and specifically volunteer-engaging organizations. I'm also a volunteer on three boards.
I have with me today in the audience three current or former Volunteer Alberta board members: Dr. Christina Nsaliwa, executive director of Edmonton Immigrant Services Association; Mr. Ryan Stasynec, a fourth-year business student presently in a co-op position with Meyers Norris Penny, and Mrs. Mary O'Neill, the executive director of the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation, a former member of the legislative assembly and an educator.
Some Canadians might question why an organization with the word “volunteer” in its name might be concerned about an economic stimulus plan. The fact is that in the 21st century volunteers are not free. This statement may further confuse committee members who are painting a visual picture of volunteers reflecting the warm adages of motherhood and apple pie and wondering, “Since when did volunteers start getting paid?” I can assure you that you have not missed this important detail as you search to find an economic silver bullet for Canadians in this worldwide recession.
What costs is developing the leadership in volunteer-engaging organizations. Investing in both defining the knowledge and then transferring it efficiently and effectively throughout all 12 sectors, not just the social service delivery sector—which is the one that most government and elected officials think of when the word “volunteer” is spoken—but the entire range of organizations, from faith, sports and recreation, and arts and culture to environmental groups, requires more than just “business as usual” during not only the current economic downturn but also to be the partner in delivering your public policy on the ground.
Volunteer Alberta's position on specific economic investment measures that our government could take that would generate great returns not only in the traditional way of measuring return on investment, or ROI, but in terms of service delivery and creating community is in the brief respectfully submitted to you in August.
There are three points.
First, investment in infrastructure needs to include the powerful social investment of volunteerism, not just capital infrastructure but the people infrastructure, the very foundation of Canada's wealth. Funding to Canadians most negatively impacted by the recession must also address the infrastructure required for the service delivery mechanisms: non-profit organizations.
Secondly, although thankfully Canadians do not have the fractured American financial system model, there are a few American initiatives in the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act that should be considered in Canada to act as a catalyst to increase the opportunities for Canadians of all ages and demographics to serve our country—most importantly, investing in the non-profit sector's capacity to recruit and retain volunteers. This is where the “volunteers are not free” comment comes in. It is not true that volunteers are in short supply in this country. What is true is that the types of Canadians interested in volunteering are dramatically different from the motherhood-and-apple-pie volunteer. Engaging and keeping volunteers engaged is challenging, but the bigger challenge is for non-profit leaders to adjust and learn an entirely new approach to 21st century volunteerism. Knowledge is there; capacity is lacking.
That leads to our final recommendation: leverage the existing academic research and best-practice learning to eliminate inefficient and outdated voluntary sector practices; create funding opportunities for capacity-building organizations so the government receives value for its investment. The responsibility for transferring this knowledge in leadership organizations across the country is again an investment in the infrastructure.
Like others presenting today, I follow media reports on the economic action plan and applaud you for the investment made today in the non-profit sector. As a recipient organization of the extra investment in the Canada summer jobs program, thank you. Just a word, though: it would be really helpful if the grant approval process were actually six weeks earlier so non-profits could actually attract the best of student populations.
Many volunteers and elected leaders toy with the suggestion that tax credits would be incentives to offset the perceived declining rate of volunteerism. Earlier this year, Volunteer Alberta commissioned a research study, of which your chair received a copy, that finds that the wide-scale implementation of the tax credit policy for volunteer time donations is potentially problematic. The research, undertaken by a CA and funded by the Muttart Foundation, revealed the complexity of the issue. The research is available to inform you about the fallacy of volunteer tax credits as a quick fix to improving volunteer rates in Canada.
On that note, I would like to leave you with one memorable statistic. According to government data from StatsCan, the non-profit voluntary sector represents nearly $80 billion, or 7.8% of the national GDP. It's a larger share than the manufacturing sector, and that is only when you use traditional accounting methods.
The passion, the commitment, and the civic engagement levels are immeasurable.
Thank you.