Premier Signs Collaboration Agreement With Volunteers

Volunteer organizations across Nova Scotia will now have the full support of government thanks to a collaboration agreement with the province.

Premier Rodney MacDonald met with Steve Young, chair of the Nova Scotia Volunteer Community Advisory Council, and members of the volunteer community today, Dec. 5, to sign the agreement as part of International Volunteer Day.

"Volunteers play a critical role throughout Nova Scotia, providing many of the services and programs that build and support healthy communities," said Premier MacDonald. "The Nova Scotia government is pleased to work in partnership with volunteers to identify opportunities for strengthening organizations so they can achieve more."

The purpose of the collaboration agreement is to lay the foundation of a healthy relationship between the government and volunteers. It represents a commitment to create open, transparent and collaborative ways to work together on issues, policies and programs that will have positive outcomes for volunteers.

The collaboration agreement was created by the advisory council, which was formed in March to develop action plans and recommendations to increase volunteer work, healthy public policy and create better public services. The council also acts as a communications link with government, and is the first step to developing a relationship between government and volunteer organizations.

"Volunteerism is alive and well in Nova Scotia," said Mr. Young, "Statistics show that the Atlantic provinces have the highest volunteer rates per capita in Canada, and for this reason, I am pleased to be a part of the creation of this agreement."

In Nova Scotia, more than 377,000 people or 48 per cent of the population, contribute their time and expertise to volunteer work. That is the third leading province or territory after British Columbia and the Yukon in the number of volunteer hours contributed.

Nova Scotia also has the second largest number of volunteer organizations per capita in Canada, with 5,820 registered not-for-profit organizations. There are thousands more that are not registered but provide a wide range of services in communities across the province.