Evidence of meeting #94 for Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was young.
A video is available from Parliament.
6:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
It seems to have been resolved.
Please continue, Ms. Trauttmansdorff.
6:30 p.m.
Executive Director, Volunteer Ottawa
That training for non-profit staff is a big part of what we do. Obviously, training people who are very new in their careers and new to working in charities or volunteer management is a big part of what we're doing.
We go more broadly than that. We're offering training in governance—how decision-making processes work in not-for-profit organizations. Strategic planning is something that is very important, as well as communications, how to use Canva, etc. There are a lot of different angles.
There are not a lot of sources for inexpensive training workshops that are very focused on what's happening in Ottawa and the not-for-profit sector. It's a peer learning and networking opportunity, in addition to training. All of our facilitators are volunteers themselves, which is an enormous boost to our ability to deliver.
6:30 p.m.
Liberal
Peter Fragiskatos Liberal London North Centre, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Before I ask questions of our witness, I'll go to Mrs. Gray's point.
It's no problem. I am just looking at the minutes that have been found. Thank you to the clerk and staff for finding that. Thank you, Vanessa, for finding that.
I'm looking at what was committed. The question was to provide the minutes of CMHC board meetings from 2016 through to 2022. I don't have any information on this, but I believe it's taking such a long time, probably, because there are a lot of documents, and a lot of translation has to happen. That's just a guess. I suppose we'll find out. We should see these documents. It was a commitment made. We're in favour of that.
To our witness, thank you very much for being here today.
The question I have picks up on a comment you made, I think, in relation to one of the questions asked by Mr. Van Bynen.
This committee heard, just a few days ago, about how cumbersome it can be in this country when individuals wish to volunteer but are sent for multiple police checks. You might want to volunteer, let's say, by coaching hockey. Then, you might want to volunteer for another organization—the food bank, or whatever it might be. Another police check has to be taken up. You can see how cumbersome this could prove to be. I think it stands as an impediment to volunteering in a very genuine sense.
The example given by that witness was Australia, where you get a police check once and it applies to every organization you wish to volunteer with. It would be seen as valid. That's what I'm trying to say.
Are you aware of that system in Australia? We didn't have enough time to explore it in detail in that meeting. I wonder if you could offer comments on that.
6:30 p.m.
Executive Director, Volunteer Ottawa
Actually, I heard about it when I listened to the testimony from Monday, but I'm not familiar with it myself.
I can confirm that it is a real barrier or choke point for the volunteers and for the organizations. There are a number of different dimensions to that. It's a risk management process for the organizations in terms of making sure that the people they are engaging as volunteers can interact with the vulnerable people they work with. Sometimes it tends to get overused and that can slow down the process as well.
The idea of having a common platform and a single sort of blue ribbon or blue chip pass card is very attractive. There is a good case for a national strategy, or even just at a provincial level, because none of us individually could undertake that kind of initiative to put that infrastructure in place.
There are other barriers to police record checks, particularly for newcomers who don't have police records in Canada. I think we have to think carefully about where we need them, why we need them and what kinds of checks are appropriate in order for that not to become a barrier to people—not only becoming volunteers, but engaging in society and building relationships in their community more quickly.
6:35 p.m.
Liberal
Peter Fragiskatos Liberal London North Centre, ON
Thank you very much.
You've shared a number of very important things with us today.
This is one thing I always like to ask witnesses, because they bring so many valuable ideas to the table. What are one or two key points that you would want our committee to really keep in mind? Of all the things you've said, what would be, in your view, the most important for our committee to really consider in terms of providing recommendations to government on this issue?
6:35 p.m.
Executive Director, Volunteer Ottawa
I know this is kind of the witnesses' most popular answer, but it's funding.
We are partners in making society work. We weave the social fabric. That's not just volunteer centres; it's all the charities and non-profits that work in your communities.
The mechanisms that are in place right now are just crippling in terms of us doing our best work and having the biggest impact. They even prevent us, in many cases, from collaborating with one another effectively. Grant mechanisms are usually set up for one applicant, one funder, one project or one organization. I work very closely with my colleagues and other volunteer centres in Ontario. We have all kinds of good ideas for things that we could do together, to develop one tool kit and then deploy it locally. We see the same needs, but there aren't mechanisms in place for us to do that easily and to put our best effort forward collectively.
6:35 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
Thank you, Mr. Fragiskatos.
Before we move on, I just want to advise the committee that it's my intention to adjourn at 6:54, which is two hours after we began.
I decided to advise the next two witnesses that we will not get to them. We will have to reschedule because it would be unfair, given the timeline, and members have to leave.
With that, we will go to Madame Chabot.
Ms. Chabot, you have the floor for two and a half minutes.
6:35 p.m.
Bloc
Louise Chabot Bloc Thérèse-De Blainville, QC
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
With all due respect to my colleague, I would like to point out that, in terms of volunteering, we have systems in Quebec for criminal background checks. I would say that, in the various communities where volunteers operate, it is more positive than negative. I think that question does indeed concern our respective areas of jurisdiction. Although that is not what my colleague did, I think it is important not to trivialize this issue.
Ms. Campeau, there are two programs at the federal level: Canada service corps, which promotes civic engagement among young people and provides volunteering opportunities, as well as new horizons for seniors, which you mentioned and which is more aimed at seniors.
I would like to know, in the wake of what you said and considering that there are two clienteles, whether it would be easier to promote projects if those programs had an intergenerational component.
What is your opinion on that?
6:40 p.m.
Executive Director, Le Petit Peuple
Yes, it certainly would. Actually, I'm not familiar with the first program you mentioned.
6:40 p.m.
Bloc
Louise Chabot Bloc Thérèse-De Blainville, QC
I'm sorry, Ms. Campeau. I'm talking about Canada service corps.
6:40 p.m.
Executive Director, Le Petit Peuple
For a few years now, we have been using the Canada summer jobs program, which enables us to hire young people throughout the summer.
I do think we are missing a category related to intergenerational volunteerism. We need to target that, since all of our programs and services, all of our activities, are based on that. Even the home care services we provide to seniors are provided free of charge by young people. The visits we make to the residential and long-term care centres are also made by young people. The intergenerational aspect is at the heart of our organization and all our activities.
Above all, we need recurrent, long-term funding to avoid having to think and create new projects every year.
6:40 p.m.
Bloc
Louise Chabot Bloc Thérèse-De Blainville, QC
Thank you.
In terms of recruitment efforts, what do you think is the major asset we should focus on to promote volunteering? What is the winning formula that facilitates that?
6:40 p.m.
Executive Director, Le Petit Peuple
It's a challenge. Every year, we ask ourselves that question. We also attend training sessions dedicated to recruiting volunteers. Having said that, youth and seniors are two very different groups, and we won't recruit them in the same way.
Over the years, we have established a lot of partnerships with high schools, and that greatly facilitates recruitment. Teachers are aware of our organization, and they are aware of the opportunities we offer young people.
It is more difficult when it comes to seniors. In fact, it is often the people who have used the services we provide who then become active volunteers. That has worked the best so far.
There are also people who hear about us by word of mouth or in newsletters. It is the multiplicity of recruitment techniques that makes us succeed.
6:40 p.m.
Liberal
6:40 p.m.
NDP
Bonita Zarrillo NDP Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC
Thank you.
For our witnesses, I'll say that we're working on a study right now. After all the testimony, our analysts will put together a report for us. I think one of the things that will need to be clarified at the outset is the definition of intergenerational volunteering. I think most of us are thinking of it as youth and seniors together.
I wonder if each of the witnesses—maybe we can start with Ms. Campeau this time—could let us know their definition or how they would like to see the definition of intergenerational volunteering laid out in this report. If it is related to youth and seniors, what are those two age groups?
6:40 p.m.
Executive Director, Le Petit Peuple
We don't have age-related restrictions. Our organization even welcomes toddlers and families. We consider people 65 years of age or older to be seniors, but we never check. Anyone who considers himself or herself to be a senior can join us.
My definition of what constitutes intergenerational volunteerism is bringing together two different age groups that can benefit from each other. For me, it's about meeting needs that youth and seniors share by having those two groups interact.
That's a good question. Intergenerational volunteerism has a broad scope, but it is much more complex than putting a 14-year-old in a room with an 80-year-old and telling them to figure it out. A relationship of trust must be developed. Once that is done, it is so relevant because seniors are an asset in our society. They tend to be forgotten and discarded.
Young people also have a lot to say and a lot to contribute to society. When those two groups are combined, a sharing of knowledge takes place. Seniors are often surprised. They often tell us that they think we have an active and dedicated youth. Reference is often made to the harm that young people do, but young people do good. They want to get involved in society and make a difference.
So it's a matter of working together and bringing something to each other. That would be my definition.
6:45 p.m.
NDP
Bonita Zarrillo NDP Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC
Thank you.
Ms. Trauttmansdorff, can you answer the same question?
6:45 p.m.
Executive Director, Volunteer Ottawa
It's a difficult question to answer, but I've had a bit more time than Madame Campeau to think about it.
I think it comes down to breaking down silos. It's community building. We all live, at various stages of our lives.... We're going to school or living a career life, or we're older and in a long-term care home or seniors' residence. I don't think those silos are natural. I don't think it's the way we live naturally, as human beings. A lot more natural interaction should happen.
Intergenerational volunteering finds ways to break down those silos. It brings people together to work together to accomplish something as simple and as complicated as building community.
6:45 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
Thank you, Ms. Zarrillo.
That will conclude the first witness panel.
We are not proceeding to the second group of witnesses. They have already been advised and will be rescheduled in the new year, along with some other rescheduling we had to do.
6:45 p.m.
Conservative
Tracy Gray Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC
I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.
I thought we were going until 6:50 p.m.
6:45 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
We can. It's a few more minutes.
I want to thank the witnesses, Madame Campeau and Ms. Trauttmansdorff. Thank you for your testimony before the committee.
We will reschedule the others in the new year.
At this time, I have two minor things before we adjourn.
The ministers will be appearing on Monday. We're finalizing that for next week's meeting.
I want to, again, clarify the request for CMHC—
6:45 p.m.
Conservative
Tracy Gray Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC
I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.
Can I ask for clarification? Which ministers are you referring to?
6:45 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
I'm still finalizing among Minister Boissonnault, Minister Khera, Minister Sudds and Minister Fraser. When we have the final confirmations, I will send a notice to the committee members.
Mrs. Gray, with regard to the request you had for the clerk on CMHC, are we clear on that?