Building Community And Connections
Ontario is a vast province —so large, in fact, that many people outside Canada struggle to grasp its scale. A few years ago while visiting Aruba, a small island nation in the southern Caribbean Sea, I found myself trying to explain this to locals. Aruba covers just 179 square kilometres and has a population of under 110,000. It’s a beautiful desert island built around tourism, and its compact size means that people can cross it in an hour, not days. When I shared that it could take three days to drive across Ontario, and that the weather can vary dramatically on the same day depending on where you are, they were stunned. Yet regardless of geography, everyone shares the identity of being an Ontarian even though their lived experiences differ widely.

I often think about this contrast when considering the work of volunteer engagement professionals and leaders of volunteers. Just like Ontarians, our experiences can be vastly different depending on where we live, the communities we serve, and the resources available to us. Two leaders of volunteers may share the same job title yet face completely different realities shaped by geography, organizational focus, and local needs.

This is why building community and fostering connection is essential in volunteer engagement. In southern Ontario, where organizations and residents are more concentrated, connecting with peers can be easier. In northern Ontario, the need for volunteer engagement professionals is just as strong, but the work must account for distance, dispersed communities, and the reliability of Internet access. The challenges differ, but the importance of connection remains constant.

Fortunately, the widespread availability of online platforms (Zoom, Google Meet, Teams, WhatsApp, and others) has made it easier than ever to learn, share, network, and problem‑solve together. Many of these opportunities simply didn’t exist or weren’t widely used before the pandemic. Now, they help bridge the physical distances that once limited collaboration.

Still, building community doesn’t happen by accident. It requires intention, involvement, and effort. It takes people willing to step forward and rebuild pathways for connection. Throughout my career and during my time on PAVRO’s Board of Directors, I’ve seen that coming together—whether in person or online—is consistently the most meaningful and memorable part of our work. Think about your own experiences: you may remember one or two tactics from a workshop, but it’s the conversations, the shared stories, and the renewed connections with fellow leaders of volunteers that stay with you.

So let this be your invitation and your challenge. Make it a goal this year to strengthen the volunteer engagement community in Ontario. Connect with someone you meet at a PAVRO workshop. Share your career journey at a local high school. Tag PAVRO, Volunteer Canada, VMPC, and your local AVA or Volunteer Centre when celebrating volunteer impact online. Consider pursuing your CVA certification. Host a local meet‑up. Be intentional. Be bold.
Most importantly: get involved. Our community is stronger when you are part of it.
As Heather's term on the board comes to a close in June, we want to recognize and celebrate her incredible contributions, leadership and dedication. While we’ll miss Heather's presence at the table, we’re excited that she’ll be sharing her insights and experiences in a special three-part series. It’s a wonderful opportunity to learn from Heather's journey and the wisdom she’s gained along the way.

Learning The Leadership Curve
You know the saying, “it takes a village to raise a child.” It reflects the many people who teach, guide and support someone as they grow. In volunteer leadership, the same idea applies — it takes a network to create a leader.

Many volunteer engagement professionals work as a “department of one.” Without colleagues in similar roles, professional networks become essential. Associations like PAVRO and TAVA, along with local volunteer centres, provide a vital circle for sharing questions, ideas, and successes.

Throughout my 15+ years in volunteer leadership, these connections have been invaluable. When I stepped into a leadership role with PAVRO, I had no experience in provincial board governance. What I did have was a network of colleagues, some long-standing and others newly met, who generously shared their time and expertise. They answered questions, suggested contacts, and recommended learning opportunities that helped me grow as a leader and communicator.

Leadership within a provincial association is a team effort. Board members are united by a commitment to serve the membership and to advance understanding of the value that volunteer engagement professionals bring to the nonprofit sector. Our work is grounded in seven core competencies and applied differently across subsectors, creating ongoing opportunities to learn from one another.

Serving on the PAVRO board also builds awareness of the diverse challenges facing professionals across the province. By drawing on the strengths of board members, we support education, advocacy, and networking for our community.

Leadership requires effort and intention: pursuing self-directed learning, seeking advice from past leaders, preparing for meetings, and asking thoughtful questions. It also requires confidence in the skills you bring. Leadership is not about working alone; it is about collaboration, exploring options, seeking input, and responding to member needs.

While moments of doubt are inevitable, they are far outweighed by the clarity that comes from working together. Strong networks and shared purpose enable leaders and our profession to thrive.

As Heather's term on the board comes to a close in June, we want to recognize and celebrate her incredible contributions, leadership and dedication. While we’ll miss Heather's presence at the table, we’re excited that she’ll be sharing her insights and experiences in a special three-part series. It’s a wonderful opportunity to learn from Heather's journey and the wisdom she’s gained along the way.

Taking The Plunge
I was sitting between Aleks Vasic and Shannon Hill in a restaurant in Toronto in 2014. Faiza Venzant had organized an after-work gathering of TAVA (Toronto Association of Volunteer Administrators) members for a casual evening of connection. I had been a member for a couple of years and was starting to think about expanding my involvement, ready to move beyond the comfortable role of “member-at-large.”

I turned to Shannon Hill, then TAVA’s President, and said, “If there was an opportunity to get involved on TAVA’s Executive, I’d like to be considered.” With those words, my volunteer engagement world changed for good.

Like many stepping into leadership for the first time, I took on the role of Recording Secretary. As Adriane Beaudry told me, it’s one of the best positions when you’re “green”: responsible for taking minutes, connected to all Board and committee members, and usually without an additional portfolio.

In this role, I benefited from strong connections with fellow members. The requirement to attend every monthly meeting meant I also participated in every professional development workshop offered during my two-year tenure as Secretary. My network of volunteer engagement professionals grew, and I made new friends along the way.

Mentored by Shannon and Aleks and supported by the rest of the TAVA Board and its membership, I thrived in my first experience as part of a board. I made mistakes and was gently corrected. A couple of my ideas were adopted. Most importantly, I learned a great deal. Those lessons not only strengthened my work with TAVA but also influenced my role as a volunteer manager with a local social service agency. Serving on TAVA’s board gave me access to a highly skilled group of colleagues I could turn to between meetings with questions and concerns — and the volunteers I supported in my day job benefited directly.

Through TAVA, I learned about PAVRO and its relationship with the AVA. Before my first term on TAVA’s Board had ended, I joined PAVRO. Through its webinars and resources, my confidence as a leader of volunteers continued to grow and all from taking the initial step of saying, “I’d like to get involved.”

Stepping outside your comfort zone can feel uncomfortable, even a little scary. That small voice may try to talk you out of it, whispering that you won’t be “good enough.” But let me be clear: no one steps into a leadership role sprinkled with pixie dust that magically turns them into a board or committee member. There is work to do and things to learn.

Here’s the secret: the other members of the board or committee — and the organization’s membership — want you to succeed. No one invites a colleague into leadership hoping they will fail.

So if you’re considering getting involved with your local AVA or PAVRO, with apologies to Nike...Just Do It!

As Heather's term on the board comes to a close in June, we want to recognize and celebrate her incredible contributions, leadership, and dedication. While we’ll miss Heather's presence at the table, we’re excited that she’ll be sharing her insights and experiences in a special three-part series. It’s a wonderful opportunity to learn from Heather's journey and the wisdom she’s gained along the way.

National Volunteer Week (NVW) offers a powerful moment to recognize the contributions of volunteers, and it also offers an opportunity to lift up the vital role of those in the profession of volunteer engagement (VE).

Despite its importance, the profession is sometimes undervalued or misunderstood. Behind every impactful volunteer program is a skilled professional like you. You play a critical role in ensuring that community efforts are effective, ethical and sustainable. Advocating for our VE profession means acknowledging the multifaceted expertise required to manage volunteer resources.
 
Some Practical Tips To Advocate:

• Share impact stories that clearly demonstrate how VE contributes to organizational success and community outcomes
• Use social media strategically (e.g., LinkedIn posts, short videos, infographics) to highlight best practices and results
• Provide internal presentations to leadership on ROI (return on investment) of effective volunteer programs
• Translate volunteer contributions into measurable outcomes (hours → dollars, impact metrics, mission advancement)
• Pursue and promote certifications, such as CVA (Certified in Volunteer Administration)
• Advocate for clear job descriptions, fair compensation, and career pathways in VE roles
• Use consistent terminology that reflects expertise (e.g., “Volunteer Engagement Professional” instead of “Volunteer Coordinator”)
• Collaborate with HR, communications, and leadership teams to align VE with organizational goals
• Partner with other organizations to share resources, data, and advocacy efforts
• Participate in consultations, advisory groups, or local government initiatives related to the nonprofit sector
• Advocate for funding and policies that support volunteer infrastructure and capacity building
• Join or contribute to professional associations that advocate for the field 
• Lead strategic planning initiatives that include VE as a core component
• Track volunteer metrics (retention, satisfaction, impact, diversity, etc.)
• Benchmark against other organizations to show standards and growth opportunities
• Frame VE as community-building, not just task support
• Celebrate successes and recognize excellence within the field

Thank you to our cherished Volunteer Engagement Professionals across Ontario and beyond. Happy National Volunteer Week!

PAVRO is proud to present two awards to volunteer engagement professionals who have demonstrated leadership and excellence in our field. 

The Alison Caird Young Leader Award was created to recognize and encourage excellence in the up and coming generation of leaders within the Volunteer Engagement profession. It acknowledges a professional, aged 35 years and younger (age 35 within calendar year award is presented) who is working directly in the profession and has demonstrated leadership and excellence in Volunteer Engagement either within their organization and/or accomplishments within the professional body.

The successful recipient will receive a $100 credit towards PAVRO activities or events (conference, workshop or membership) and a personal letter will be sent to the recipient’s supervisor to inform them of the award. Complete this form and send, along with a copy of the nominee’s resume.

*Note - The winner of each year's Award will serve on the Awards Selection Committee for the following year.

Nominate someone for The Alison Caird Young Leader award here!

The Linda Buchanan Award is given to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the field of volunteer administration. It is named after Linda Buchanan, a visionary of human capacity and a pursuer of community improvement.

Nominations are invited each year from our membership - a colleague who deserves this special recognition, an administrator who has inspired and mentored, someone who has strengthened the volunteer force in their organization or community.

 *Nominees must hold current PAVRO memberships. The winner of each year's Award will serve on the Awards Selection Committee for the following year.

Nominate someone for The Linda Buchanan Award here!

Award nominations will close on March 31, 2026 and will be presented at PAVRO's Annual General Meeting in June. 

PAVRO is officially announcing a call for conference presenters for our upcoming September Workshops.

OTTAWA, ONTARIO
Date: Wednesday, September 10, 2025
Time: 9:30am-4:00pm
Location: The Ottawa Hospital-Civic Campus

LONDON, ONTARIO
Date: Wednesday, September 17, 2025
Time: 9:30am-4:00pm
Location: London Public Library

Speaker Recognition

Invited speakers will be recognized through promotion of the Learning Day by allowing accessibility to selected content for our attendees via the PAVRO website for members only.

Speaker Compensation

An honorarium of $300 will be offered to presenters. Those selected are welcome to attend the day at no cost on the day of their workshop. Lunch will be included.

Please note: 

• PAVRO will require a written invoice containing your name, mailing address etc. in order to provide payment.  
• The purpose is to educate its audience and not promote any specific products.  
• Presentation selection will be made based upon relevance of topics, flow of content, educational value and understanding of the content.

Presentation Topics

PAVRO seeks to offer a professional development program relevant to managing and leading volunteers and volunteer programs. Case studies and interactive presentations are very popular. Please ensure that the material you present and examples you use are relevant and applicable to leaders of volunteers and the management of volunteers and volunteer programs.  

There are no limits on the categories for your proposal. Some ideas include, but are not limited to:

• State of the Sector
• Understanding and Utilizing Artificial Intelligence in Volunteer Programs
• Advocacy
• Supporting Volunteers through Trauma

Presentation Requirements:

• Presentations will be 90 minutes. Speakers will also provide an additional 30 minute interactive session, post presentation.
• Speakers are required to provide an electronic copy of their PowerPoint presentation which will be available to conference participants after the conference for a limited time.  Speaker may be required to provide presentations ahead of time to meet accessibility needs.
• Presenters are required to provide, at minimum, a one-page handout summarizing their presentation with at least one take-away tool or action for members (hard copy or digital)
• Presentation materials should be culturally aware and not contravene PAVRO’s commitment to anti-racism and anti-oppression. 

Next Steps:

1. Submit a brief proposal via email no longer than two pages in length outlining the following:
2. Brief bio on the speaker(s), including websites and social media if applicable. This should be no longer than 50-75 words and be suitable for printing in the conference program to promote the event and your session.
3. Identify key messages that will be delivered and/or learning objectives
4. A description of the person who would most benefit from your presentation (i.e. years in the field, skill set, previous experience, or stream, etc.)

Deadline for Proposals:  Extended to Thursday, July 31

Presenters who have been selected will be contacted by: Monday, August 11

Please submit proposals electronically or direct any question regarding this RFP to the attention of Johanne Deschamps at pavro@pavro.on.ca

Please indicate Speaker Proposal 2025 in the subject line of the e-mail and please also include your location preference of Ottawa or London. 

Celebrating Excellence: Heather Honoured with the King Charles III Coronation Medal

The nonprofit sector thrives because of dedicated individuals who tirelessly work to uplift their communities. Today, we celebrate one such outstanding leader—Heather—who has been awarded the prestigious King Charles III Coronation Medal in recognition of her exceptional contributions to volunteer engagement and nonprofit leadership.

A Well-Deserved Honour

The King Charles III Coronation Medal is awarded to individuals who have demonstrated exemplary service to their communities, making a lasting impact through dedication and leadership. Heather’s career in the nonprofit sector, spanning over two decades, exemplifies the values of service, commitment, and passion that this medal represents.

A Legacy of Volunteer Engagement

Heather’s journey in the nonprofit sector began in 2003, following 12 years at Enbridge Gas (Toronto). She quickly became a pillar in the world of volunteer engagement, championing causes and inspiring others to give back. As the Director of Volunteer Halton, she plays a pivotal role in strengthening volunteerism across Halton Region. Her past leadership roles include positions with Volunteer Toronto, the Canadian Cancer Society, Dixon Hall Neighbourhood Services, Hope Air, FOOTPRINTS 4 Autism, and Habitat for Humanity York Region.

Heather’s passion for storytelling and advocacy has helped countless organizations connect with volunteers who share their mission. Her ability to inspire action and foster community involvement has left a lasting mark on the sector.

A Recognized Leader in Volunteerism

Heather’s influence extends beyond her organizational roles. She is an active member of professional associations such as PAVRO, VMPC, and TAVA, currently serving as Past President of PAVRO and formerly leading TAVA. Her academic achievements, including a BA (Honours) in Communication and Digital Media Studies from UOIT, and her research on the ethics of communication, further showcase her dedication to the field.

In 2020, Heather earned the Certified in Volunteer Administration (CVA) designation, underscoring her expertise in volunteer engagement best practices.

Looking to the Future

Heather is eager to continue making an impact within Waterloo Region’s nonprofit community. Her commitment to service remains unwavering, and this recognition with the King Charles III Coronation Medal is a testament to the profound difference she has made.

Please join us in congratulating Heather on this well-earned honour! Her work continues to inspire and shape the future of volunteerism in Canada and beyond.

Learn more about the King Charles III Coronation Medal here.

International Volunteer Manager Day

The first time I remember volunteering on my own I was in about gr. 3 or4 and I had to volunteer for some reason (yes ironic as volunteering means not mandated volunteering), but the experience intrigued me because I was volunteering with the popular kid in class and I saw they (organizers, organization) didn’t care about that kid’s popularity or my unpopularity, anyone could volunteer and be treated the same. So my interest in volunteering began. It bloomed again in gr. 7 when by watching the experience of my older next-door neighbours I learned if I volunteered at a summer playground for two weeks in gr. 7 and 8 I’d have a good chance of getting a summer job in gr. 9. Here I was  introduced to volunteer management and an excellent volunteer trainer who trained us for our role and also to be eventual playground leaders.

This brings us to International Volunteer Manager Day on Nov. 5. Maybe you don’t remember a fun volunteer trainer who helped you learn new things but I’m sure you appreciate the many paid and unpaid coordinators who assist volunteers in sorting food at food banks, supporting sports events, cleaning up after natural disasters, and we say thank you to you all today!

If you are yourself a volunteer coordinator or manager or administrator (paid or unpaid), you may not be aware there are a host of resources and organizations behind you. Volunteer Management Professionals of Canada (VMPC) is a national member organization for volunteer leaders. They offer webinars, Connect calls, a yearly conference, awards and more – including a distribution list where you can ask volunteer management related questions and receive answers. There is a small fee for membership.

In Ontario PAVRO is the Professional Association of Volunteer Leaders-Ontario. PAVRO distributes a monthly newsletter of resources, coordinates a yearly conference and regular webinars for members. The newsletter is free to join so you can check it out before joining. They’ve offered excellent tips on selecting the right volunteer software and more.

AVA’s are also specific to Ontario. These are community- based associations for volunteer administrators. These groups have their pulse on the volunteer beat in the local community. They are great for networking and taking on a leadership role in the volunteer community. PAVRO lists the AVA’s in Ontario.

Then there are more formal organizations to support volunteer managers such as Volunteer Toronto. Volunteer Canada lists the volunteer centre near you. Volunteer Canada is also helping develop a national volunteer action strategy – for more information check out https://volunteerstrategy.ca/. And thank you again volunteer managers on International Volunteer Manager Day!

Diana Bumstead
Director of Advocacy
advocacy@pavro.on.ca

Introduction

Ontario’s nonprofits are the critical frontline of community support, and communities need more support than ever. Integral to the success of the entire nonprofit sector are leaders of volunteers, individuals tasked with ensuring that citizens who wish to volunteer connect the organizations who need them. The Provincial Association of Volunteer Leaders-Ontario (PAVRO) promotes the profession of Volunteer Administration by advocating for understanding of its value to civic engagement, its requirements for success, and appropriate recognition (including compensation) for the individual professional.

For over 25 years, PAVRO members have been on the frontlines of the nonprofit sector, using their unique skill set to bring together the expertise of millions of volunteers and employee building strong social capital to develop and deliver innovative solutions for the public good. Leaders of volunteers are leaving the profession, driven by a lack of sustainable funding that is impacting the retention and recruitment of staff across the sector. Our ability and capacity to serve communities is tied to our resources (both finances and people). If one or both are not healthy, we cannot support communities. The nonprofit sector is at a tipping point, and it is time to invest in Ontario’s social infrastructure with investments that reflect the actual cost of service delivery that includes appropriate wages and benefits for current and future sector employees.

Summary

Ontario’s voluntary sector is:

The PAVRO is:

In advance of the 2024 Provincial budget, the PAVRO would like to support the Ontario Nonprofit Network’spre-budget submissions and expand on their recommendations to reinforce the role of volunteerism in our Province.  We urge you to:

1.    Fund a Provincial Action Strategy for Volunteerism led by Volunteer Canada

2.    Address the nonprofit human resource crisis.

3.    Future-proof Ontarians’ social infrastructure with investments that reflect the true costs of service delivery.

4.  Enable a whole-of-government approach for Ontario’s 58,000 nonprofits and charities by creating a “home in government” for the sector including a secretariate for volunteerism.

Context

Pre-pandemic, leaders of volunteers engaged with and empowered Ontario citizens to volunteer with the nonprofit sector, supplying just over 50% of the sector’s human resources. Recent numbers out of the Ontario Nonprofit Network report that a quarter of nonprofits in Ontario have multiple concerns related to volunteer engagement, including safety, and just over a third report concerns with loss of volunteers and recruitment new volunteers. Many nonprofits are expressing the need for volunteerism modernization where a strategy would reflect the way people of all ages and communities connect to causes and volunteerism.

Non-profit across Ontario face a loss of volunteer program infrastructure due to mass layoffs of volunteer engagement professionals. PAVRO membership is down 36% compared to pre-pandemic levels. Organizations continue to experience challenges in recruiting volunteers while at the same time experiencing hiring challenges to bring qualified volunteer engagement professional back into their programs.

In 2024, more than at any other time in the recent past, investment in the nonprofit sector and in volunteerism in particular is paramount.

Detailed Recommendations

Pandemic-related restrictions have severely disrupted the system of volunteer engagement, leaving many volunteers hesitant to return to their roles, and, as a result, nonprofits representing both urban and rural areas are reporting volunteer shortages. This means programs are shutting down/scaling back programs delivered by volunteers, despite increased needs or readiness to ramp up programming.

To address this disruption, PAVRO recommends investment in a Provincial Action Strategy for Volunteerism which should include: 1). Delivering capacity building for nonprofits and new volunteer leaders aligned with the Canadian Code for Volunteer Involvement and the Ontario Human Right Code in partnership with the Ontario Volunteer Centre Network (OVCN), and 2). Intensifying public engagement to ensure older adults, employee-groups, newcomers, and other key demographics have increased access points to re-engage in volunteer services with less barriers.

 We call on the Government of Ontario to:

2.    Address the nonprofit human resource crisis

We cannot keep doing more with less. Future forecasting reveals the collapse of the sector is looming. As a sector, nonprofits receive less than half of their revenue from government, which we leverage with private grants and donations, the sale of goods and services, and volunteer efforts to create additional value for the communities we serve.

We call on the Government of Ontario to:

3.  Future-proof Ontarians’ social infrastructure with investments that reflect the true costs of service delivery

The nonprofit sector contributes $65 billion to our province’s GDP, employing 844,000 people.  With $1.00 of investment, nonprofits generate up to $2.18 in GDP impact, $1.76 in employment income impact, and create 1.5 jobs with every million dollars in output. And it does all this with unstable, and inadequate funding, often obtained in competitive ‘contests’ with funders.

We call on the Government of Ontario to:

• Transition to stable, adequate, long-term, and flexible operational funding for nonprofits that reflects the true cost of delivering services and programs, keeps paces with inflation, responds to emerging needs, is on par with the public sector delivering similar services, and reduces administrative burden. This is particularly important for transfer payment agreements involving nonprofits serving equity-deserving groups, including Black and other racialized communities; First Nations, Inuit, Métis, and urban Indigenous communities and organizations; and person with disabilities, women, 2SLGBTQIA+ people, youth, newcomers, and low-income individuals and households. 

4.  Enable a whole-of-government approach for Ontario’s 58,000 nonprofits and charities by creating a “home in government” for the sector including a Secretariate for Volunteerism

Mandates for volunteerism are held by multiple ministries, including Citizenship and Multiculturalism, Ontario Health, Emergency Management Ontario, Seniors and Accessibility, Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, and Children, Community and Social Services.

Even as government after government relies on the sector to deliver critical services, no entity exists to ensure the health of charities and nonprofits as a sector, and many measures in the last few years initially did not include the nonprofit sector or consider their unique characteristics and revenue models. A host of other issues, ranging from inefficient and ineffective funding practices to a lack of access to support for social enterprise activities, also continue to impact the sector in chronic ways, with no end in sight. While individual mandates have enabled targeted voluntary sector programming, the siloed approach to volunteerism means the sector is underappreciated for the potential it has to impact all Ontarians and nonprofit groups serving diverse community needs.

We call on the Government of Ontario to:

• Create a home in government for nonprofits, and more specifically, a secretariate for volunteerism that will leverage the potential for engaging, recognizing, and mobilizing volunteers for cross- ministerial functions.

Conclusion

The nonprofit sector, and specifically, volunteer engagement professionals, are vital partners for the province during these turbulent times. It is essential and urgent that the government made the investments needed to shore up our vibrant nonprofit sector so every Ontario can access the critical programs and services they need now, and in the future. The nonprofit sector and the voluntary sector stand ready to partner with the province as we move towards progress. We look forward to building Ontario’s future together.

About PAVRO

The Provincial Association of Volunteer Leaders-Ontario (PAVRO) is an association of leaders of volunteers – paid and unpaid – which builds individual, organizational, and community capacity to effectively engage volunteers through the professional management of volunteer resources. Guided by the core competencies of volunteer engagement, PAVRO empowers our members to employ the best practices in the management of volunteer resources. We promote the profession of Volunteer Administration by advocating for understanding of its value to civic engagement, its requirements for success, and appropriate recognition (including compensation) for the individual professional.

For more information:
Heather Johnson, President
Tel: 416-258-5495 Email: president@pavro.on.ca

Introduction 

Ontario’s nonprofit sector is a significant job creator, a strong enabler of volunteer engagement, and a critical program and service delivery partner to the government. Employing over 844,000 workers¹in Ontario and contributing $65 billion to the economy², Ontario’s nonprofit sector has never been more critical for Ontarians. Integral to the success of the entire nonprofit sector are leaders of volunteers, individuals tasked with ensuring that citizens who wish to volunteer are connected with the organizations who need them. The Provincial Association of Volunteer Leaders-Ontario (PAVRO) promotes the profession of Volunteer Administration by advocating for understanding of its value to civic engagement, its requirements for success, and appropriate recognition (including compensation) for the individual professional.

The very purpose of our sector is to confront immense challenges, but our strength, capacity, and capability to do so are not drawn solely from within. The support of others, especially government, is so paramount. We have worked hard to deliver on basic needs and maintain a quality of life during the greatest health and economic crisis in generations. There is, however, pandemic fatigue. Volunteer motivations are changing. The sector is dealing with the biggest loss of volunteer management expertise in living memory. Recovery is occurring, but it has not followed a linear trajectory, and our sector continues to struggle.

Summary 

Ontario’s voluntary sector is: 

• An economic driver, contributing to 8% of the provincial GDP.

• Provides over 50% of the human resources for the nonprofit sector or the work contribution equivalent to 2.6% of the provincial GDP.

• As relied upon system for essential program delivery, meeting the needs of community, and providing millions of dollars in labour alleviation for frontline services.

• An access point to increased opportunity and skills for youth, newcomers, jobseekers, and other vulnerable positions.

The PAVRO is: 

• An established association of volunteer engagement professionals with decades of experience and presence across the province.

• A ready ally to the government on the ground, supporting leaders of volunteers and their nonprofit organizations who steward millions of volunteers annually.

• Subject matter experts with ability to consult, deliver, and drive impact that achieves the province’s goals.

• Ready for government investments to directly strengthen leaders of volunteers, the communities they serve, and address pandemic-drive disruption to the voluntary sector.

In advance of the 2023 Provincial budget, the PAVRO would like to support the Ontario Volunteer Centre Network’s and the Ontario Nonprofit Network’s pre-budget submissions and expand on their recommendations to reinforce the role of volunteerism in our Province. We urge you to: 

1. Establish a minimum core funding threshold that invests in quality services and decent work.

2. Enable a whole-of-government approach for Ontario’s 58,000 nonprofits and charities by creating a “home in government” for the sector including a secretariate for volunteerism.

3. Develop and deliver a Provincial Action Strategy for Volunteerism.

Context 

Pre-pandemic, leaders of volunteers engaged with and empowered Ontario citizens to volunteer with the nonprofit sector, supplying just over 50% of the sector’s human resources. Recent numbers from Statistics Canada and Volunteer Canada report that 65% of community benefit organizations are having difficulty recruiting volunteers, 50% report challenges with volunteer retention, and 42% are reporting that volunteers are not able to commit to long term volunteer roles.

Pandemic-related restrictions severely disrupted the system of volunteer engagement. One in two leaders of volunteers were let go or redeployed from nonprofits, and hundreds of thousands of volunteers were dismissed from their roles in 2020. PAVRO membership dropped by over 50% in 2020/21 and today, membership is down 36% compared to pre-pandemic levels. Organizations continue to experience challenges in recruiting volunteers while at the same time experiencing hiring challenges to bring qualified volunteer engagement professional back into their programs. 

In 2023, more than at any other time in the recent past, a need for a strategy to support volunteerism is paramount. 

Detailed Recommendations 

1. Establish a minimum core funding threshold that invests in quality services and decent work

Essential charitable and nonprofit sector organizations have the same needs as organizations in the public and private sphere. They must focus on organizational health, resilience, and preparedness. To do this, they must invest in staffing, governance, financial management, communications, revenue generation, training, technology and overhead. Many of these basic activities are ineligible to be covered by current government projects funds or the percentage allotted falls far short of comparable budgets in the private and public sectors. 

For many volunteer-led organizations, the pandemic was the straw that broke their funding model. The pandemic restrictions increased their operational costs, strangled their fundraising, and, in many cases, reduced their staff and volunteers. Many carved into their long-term sustainability to meet the increased need for services. Even with the wage subsidy, many volunteer-led organizations had to let go of staff. The pandemic restrictions shut down many volunteer programs, so the groups could not afford to keep their “volunteer managers”. In Toronto, half of volunteer managers were laid off, redeployed, or had their positions eliminated. This cascaded down to fewer volunteers being recruited. Now organizations are scrambling to fill these manager positions with limited success.

The sector workforce is diverse, made up of 77% women, 47% immigrants, and 35% Indigenous and racialized people³. These groups are often the most negatively impacted by the working conditions created by project-based funding which include but are not limited to lower wages, lack of benefits, little or no professional development opportunities, and precarious, short-term contract work. 

We call on the Government of Ontario to:

• Provide core funding for nonprofit organizations to support the re-engagement of dedicated volunteer engagement professionals who were dismissed during the pandemic.

• Take an equity approach to the provision of core funding to address historical inequities.

2. Enable a whole-of-government approach for Ontario’s 58,000 nonprofits and charities by creating a “home in government” for the sector including a secretariate for volunteerism 

Ontario nonprofits deal with more than 16 ministries for policy planning, program delivery, regulatory compliance, and transfer payment agreements administration. While nonprofits often have great relationships with their most immediate ministries, more complex and collaborative innovative work requires a minister-level appointment and office to lead, listen, and enable innovation without red tape. Currently, no such mechanism exists, creating a myriad of inefficiencies and lost opportunities.  

Even as government after government relies on the sector to deliver critical services, no entity exists to ensure the health of charities and nonprofits as a sector, and many measures in the last few years initially failed to include the nonprofit sector or take into account their unique characteristics and revenue models. A host of other issues, ranging from inefficient and ineffective funding practices to a lack of access to support for social enterprise activities, also continue to impact the sector in chronic ways, with no end in sight. While individual mandates have enabled targeted voluntary sector programming, the siloed approach to volunteerism means, as a whole, the sector is underappreciated for the potential it has to impact all Ontarians and nonprofit groups serving diverse community needs.

We call on the Government of Ontario to: 

• Create an Associate Minister-level appointment within the Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation, and Trade, supported by a Deputy or Assistant Deputy Minister in an Office representing nonprofits, charities, and social innovation. 

• Create a secretariate for volunteerism that will leverage the potential for engaging, recognizing, and mobilizing volunteers for cross-ministerial functions. 

3. Develop and deliver a Provincial Action Strategy for Volunteerism 

The loss of volunteer engagement professionals has severely disrupted the system of volunteer engagement. Whereas volunteers provide a diverse range of skills, contribute their time, and have tremendous impact on the lives of Ontarians, this vast human resource does require coordination, guidance, and oversight. The lack of dedicated volunteer engagement

professionals to restart and revitalize volunteer programs means that 65% of nonprofits representing both urban and rural areas are reporting volunteer shortages as of late 2022. 

We call on the Government of Ontario to: 

• Rehabilitate the systems of volunteerism through a Provincial Action Strategy for Volunteerism delivering capacity building for nonprofits and leaders of volunteers in alignment with the Canadian Code of Volunteer Involvement and the Ontario Human Rights code in partnership with PAVRO and the Ontario Volunteer Centre Network (OVCN). 

Conclusion 

The current context highlights the need for a provincial strategy on volunteerism in Ontario. A home for the sector with a secretariate for volunteerism will provide a focal centre for this strategy. The nonprofit sector and the voluntary sector stand ready to partner with the province as we move towards progress. We look forward to building Ontario’s future together. 

About PAVRO

The Provincial Association of Volunteer Leaders-Ontario (PAVRO) is an association of leaders of volunteers – paid and unpaid – which builds individual, organizational, and community capacity to effectively engage volunteers through the professional management of volunteer resources.

Guided by the core competencies of volunteer engagement, PAVRO empowers our members to employ the best practices in the management of volunteer resources. We promote the profession of Volunteer Administration by advocating for understanding of its value to civic engagement, its requirements for success, and appropriate recognition (including compensation) for the individual professional.

For more information:

Heather Johnson, President
Tel: 416-258-5495 Email: president@pavro.on.ca

 

¹ Statistics Canada. Table 36-10-0617-01 Employment in non-profit institutions by sub-sector (x 1,000)
²Statistics Canada. Table 36-10-0616-01 Gross domestic product (GDP) of non-profit institutions by sub-sector (x 1,000,000)
³Statistics Canada. Table 36-10-0650-01 Employment