Volunteers Sought by Agencies, Boards and Commissions

Nova Scotians are being given a chance to make a difference.

Twice each year the province advertises opportunities to serve on various provincial agencies, boards and commissions. This spring, advertisements will appear in select daily newspapers across the province on Saturday, April 22. It will also be available, for a limited time, on the government website at www.gov.ns.ca .

"The province's agencies, boards and commissions need volunteers from all walks of life," said Peter Christie, chair of the legislature's all-party standing committee on human resources. "This is an ideal opportunity for people to get involved, perhaps to serve on a library board or a health authority or to offer some expertise to a professional group. It is a chance to make Nova Scotia an even stronger, better place to live and work."

Information on various agencies, boards and commissions is also available by following links on the website at www.gov.ns.ca/exec_council or by calling toll-free 1-866-206-6844 (or 424-4877 in Halifax Regional Municipality).

Some agencies, boards and commissions are looking for people from a particular line of work, or from a specific geographic area.

"By reading the information on an individual agency, board or commission online, people can explore the possibilities and see where their input might be valuable," Mr. Christie said, adding it is important for people to remember that many of these groups do not need people with previous government experience.

While many of the positions are voluntary, some are not. As part of the process, all applicants consent to the public release of their application information if they are seeking a seat on an agency, board or commission that pays $100 or more per day.

Applications are reviewed by department screening panels and by cabinet members before names of qualified individuals are forwarded to the standing committee on human resources for final decisions.

Applications for adjudicative boards are reviewed by non-partisan advisory committees. These boards -- which are required to receive evidence, make findings of fact and law or make decisions that can affect a person's liberty, security or legal rights -- advertise separately.