The Journey Continues: The Second Report to Canadians on Implementing An Accord Between the Government of Canada and the Voluntary Sector

Background Paper: Voluntary Sector Implementation

About this Paper

A little background
Almost five years ago, the Government of Canada announced the Voluntary Sector Initiative (VSI), a joint initiative between the federal government and the voluntary sector aimed at enhancing the sectors’ relationship and strengthening the voluntary sector’s capacity over the long term. From the outset, a major focus of the VSI was the development of a joint accord or framework agreement that would provide visible and concrete recognition of the importance of the relationship. Signed on December 5, 2001, An Accord Between the Government of Canada and the Voluntary Sector also called for practical guidelines to support implementation of the Accord. Less than a year later – in October 2002 – the Code of Good Practice on Funding and the Code of Good Practice on Policy Dialogue were launched.

The Journey Continues: The Second Report to Canadians on Implementing An Accord Between the Government of Canada and the Voluntary Sector fulfills the sectors’ commitment to report annually to Canadians on their progress in implementing the Accord. A collaborative effort, the report provides highlights of the two sectors’ accomplishments from October 2003 to September 2004. In addition to looking back over the past year’s activities, it sets out joint priorities for the sectors into the coming year. (The Journey Continues is available on the VSI Web site at www.vsi-isbc.ca.)

What this paper does
One of two background papers to the joint report, this document is intended for those wishing a more detailed assessment of voluntary sector activities over the past year (the background paper outlining federal government activities is available on the VSI Web site at www.vsi-isbc.ca). A particular focus of this background paper is the results of a survey of voluntary sector organizations undertaken in the summer of 2004 to monitor progress on Accord implementation.

The paper describes the voluntary sector’s activities and accomplishments in the areas established as priorities by the sector in the previous year’s supplementary report, Taking the Accord Forward: Background Paper – Voluntary Sector Implementation. These priorities were to:

• continue a commitment to a joint partnership between the voluntary sector and the Government of Canada
  
• encourage government action on advocacy
  
• continue efforts to encourage government action on financing
  
• establish monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for voluntary sector awareness and use of the Accord and Codes

Section C of this paper looks to the future, setting out the voluntary sector’s priorities as it continues its work in implementing the Accord and Codes of Good Practice on Funding and Policy Dialogue.

Find out more!
For more information about these reports, or to find out more about the Accord and Codes of Good Practice or the VSI, see the VSI web site at www.vsi-isbc.ca or the Voluntary Sector Forum Web site at www.vsf-fsbc.ca or call (613) 238-7555 or 1-800-821-8814 (toll free).