Fact sheet: Mandate and Activities
Background
The Government of Canada and the voluntary sector launched the Voluntary
Sector Initiative (VSI) in the summer of 2000 with the goal of serving
Canadians better by strengthening the voluntary sector's capacity. One
way to achieve this goal is to help the voluntary sector make more effective
and efficient use of information technology. The Information Technology/Information
Management (IM/IT) Joint Table was established to meet this challenge.
Work of the IM/IT Joint Table
The IM/IT Joint Table was comprised of representatives from the voluntary
sector and the Government of Canada. The Joint Table examined previous
studies and reports on the needs of the sector, as well as conducted
its own needs analysis study in 2001. It also set up working groups
to examine issues and solutions. These research findings and recommendations
were released in February 2003.
The IM/IT Joint Table strategy involves five main recommendations:
- Campaign targeting funders: Encouraging funding agencies
to change their policies and procedures to permit IM/IT investments.
- Access to IT planning, hardware and software, training and technical
support: Giving sector organizations ongoing access, at the lowest
possible price, to IT planning, expert advice, current hardware and
software, training and technical support.
- Voluntary sector portal: An on-line location to link voluntary
sector related information and provide a meeting place for exchanging
and sharing.
- Funding exchange: A web-based interactive funding service
for both funding agencies and organizations seeking funding.
- Technology awareness campaign: A campaign to raise awareness
of the benefits of adopting and using technology effectively.
Expected Benefits of the Strategy
The strategy is designed to help voluntary organizations use technology
to develop more effective ways for carrying out activities essential
to their mission. It also supports the sector as a whole to develop
a greater capacity to play its role as one of the pillars of Canadian
society alongside the public and private sectors.
For more information, contact the IM/IT Secretariat at (613) 990-7233
or e-mail: imit@ic.gc.ca
