Policy Internships and Fellowships: Bridging the Policy Dialogue Between Voluntary Organizations and the Federal Government

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D - CONCLUSIONS

Public policy development often seems out of reach and too complex to deal with, yet citizens and voluntary organizations want to make important changes in society. The PIAF Pilot Program has proven to be an innovative approach to achieving the objectives of developing policy knowledge, experience and skills in both the voluntary sector and the federal government and of enabling the voluntary sector to become a more viable partner in the development of public policy. The benefits derived from PIAF participation have undoubtedly enriched not only the working lives of its participants but also the capacity of their organizations to work collaboratively with the other sector(s). It is anticipated that these impacts will be multiplied through greater participation in cross-sectoral initiatives, through expanded networks and through increased knowledge transfer endeavours, once participants return to their home organization. More generally, it is hoped that this modest pilot program will have made an important contribution to mutual understanding, respect and appreciation for the ways in which the sectors can work together to achieve public policy changes in years to come.

The Policy Interns and Fellows Program (PIAF) is one of the initiatives funded by the Government of Canada through the Capacity Joint Table of the Voluntary Sector Initiative (VSI).

The Capacity Joint Table, one of 7 joint tables created to undertake the work of the VSI, undertook projects in four key areas of capacity-building for voluntary organizations.

• Research and Information Sharing
• Skills Development and Human Resource Management
• Policy Capacity
• Financial Capacity

These projects have resulted in a multitude of resources that are available to non-profit and voluntary organizations, governments, educational institutions, volunteers and voluntary sector researchers. Many of the products will be released during 2003.

For more information about these projects, the joint tables and the VSI, please check the VSI website at www.vsi-isbc.ca.

This project was supported by funding from the Capacity Joint Table, through the Social Development Partnerships Program of Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC). The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the Government of Canada.

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