“Cracking the nut from different angles.”

Those are the words Michelle Gauthier, vice-president, public policy and community engagement with Imagine Canada, used when asked what actions have taken place as a result of the HR priority area discussions at the National Summit for the Charitable and Nonprofit Sector that took place in November 2011.

The main goal identified by summit participants as captured in the National Summit Report released February 2012, is to ensure that organizations have access to quality HR information and support for the implementation of effective HR management policies and practices. To this end, Gauthier stated that there are activities moving forward at the national level as well as in regions and communities across Canada, however one was top of mind for many.

The future of the HR Council

Gauthier explained that Imagine Canada is hopeful that the HR Council for the Nonprofit Sector (HR Council) will continue to take the lead in supporting sector organizations with their HR needs. As many in the sector already know, the federal Sector Council Program, the HR Council’s principal funder, has eliminated core funding for all sector councils effective March 2013, and has significantly reduced available project funding. This news was shared at the National Summit and participants in the HR priority area agreed that without the HR Council the task of addressing HR issues in the sector would be more difficult.

HR Council Executive Director Gay Hamilton has been working with staff and board members since the announcement to bring partners, funders and corporate supporters to the table to discuss how they can assist the HR Council in their transition to a more sustainable operational model. Since the Summit, the HR Council’s board has met twice and a meeting with prospective funders was hosted in May 2012. The future of the HR Council however has still not been determined.

“After the June board meeting, we have agreed that conversations to date have been encouraging, however given the uncertainty we are also preparing a legacy strategy should it be deemed the appropriate course of action,” says Owen Charters, the HR Council’s recently appointed board chair. “The board of directors will be meeting again in September to determine if enough resources and support are available to continue our work.”

In a telephone interview, Marlene Deboisbriand, vice-president, member services with Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada, past-chair at the HR Council, and one of the three co-leads for the HR priority area, says that there is good news coming from the HR Council. The organization has continued to do a great deal of work that is in line with the priorities identified by summit participants. Recent examples include:

Regional and community initiatives

As Gauthier mentioned, there is work being done at the regional and community level to support the HR priority area, not all a direct result of Summit discussions.

Andrew Lockie (CEO, United Way of London and Middlesex) explained that the summit helped him to understand what is taking place at the sectoral level. To date he has brought the discussion back to his board and has connected with other United Ways. The discussions with these organizations have centered around how they can promote collaborative approaches to supporting HR within organizations.

Kimberly Yetman Dawson, director with the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing & Homelessness Network, says that as a result of the discussions she “thinks about HR differently. I better understand in particular the value of training and the cost savings in retaining those employees you invest in.”

She hasn’t wasted any time either. The organization has already taken a look at their own professional development budget and HR management procedures, identifying where they fall short. As a membership-based organization, Yetman Dawson will also be focusing on being more responsive to their members’ needs by providing appropriate training to help build the capacity of their staff to deliver services to the ever growing complex needs of clients.

She says, however, “It’s discouraging seeing outstanding employees that we’ve invested in being scooped up by the private sector or government because of better compensation and job security.” She notes that this issue will not be resolved by simply providing training but that it is one step they are taking.

Over in Alberta, Mandie Abrams, workforce strategy project manager with the Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations (ECVO) shares that all of the Edmonton-based National Summit participants have met a couple of times to discuss what the Summit results mean to organizations in their community. Abrams indicated that “the priorities are a good guide, and are serving as a base for action in their area.”

While no concrete action has come from the discussions to date, Abrams feels that they are still in the early stages and that their participation in the National Summit has sharpened their focus on these important issues.

Mike Grogan, vice president, programs & operations with the Calgary Chamber of Voluntary Organizations, elaborated on the work being completed in Alberta but he was quick to point out that the work isn’t a direct result of the Summit but rather that much of it was already underway and that the work continues. This includes the launch of the 100,000 Voices Campaign by the Alberta Nonprofit Workforce Council to build the profile and understanding of work and career paths in the sector, in addition to the creation of a Workforce Alliance to address the issue of providing competitive wages and other supports for human service organizations.

Moving forward

In thinking through next steps Abrams believes that there needs to be some clarity around the types of discussions that need to take place. “Conversations at the Summit were actually taking place at two levels,” she explains, with some participants exploring the practical HR needs of an organization (e.g. how do employers develop a wellness policy), while others were considering broader strategic questions (e.g. supporting access to quality HR information). “Both conversations need to happen, however they need to be defined.”

She also hopes that the conversations will continue at a national level but she agrees that local discussion ensures that appropriate and relevant action is taking place across the country. Upon reflection, Grogan talked about being concerned that concrete actions had not materialize and that there was a focus on issues that have already been discussed rather than on next steps. This he explains makes it difficult to address the issues moving forward.

He suggests that it would be helpful if there was follow up from Imagine Canada that talked about what actions need to be or are taking place to address the issues discussed.

Editor’s Note: For additional context read Tanara’s original article which was published shortly after the National Summit in 2011. 

Tanara Pickard has been working and volunteering in the nonprofit sector at national and local levels for a number of years. Currently she works as a project manager with the HR Council for the Nonprofit Sector overseeing projects that build the HR capacity of organizations. She is also a recent addition to the Planned Parenthood Ottawa board of directors. Her background is in recreation with a Master’s degree in Leisure Studies from Dalhousie University.

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