Accord and Codes of Good Practice on Funding and Policy Dialogue
The Accord
The Accord Between the Government of Canada and the
Voluntary Sector is a framework that represents a public commitment by the Government
of Canada and the voluntary sector to more open, transparent, consistent and collaborative
ways for the two sectors to work together. It has as its base the values aspired to by Canadians.
These include active citizenship, democracy, equality, diversity, inclusion and social justice.
The Accord establishes the following commitments to action for the Government of Canada
and the voluntary sector:
- The Government will consider the implications of legislation, policies and programs
on the sector and engage the sector in open, informed and sustained dialogue, and
- The voluntary sector will identify important or emerging issues and trends and bring
them to the Government of Canada's attention and call upon the full depth and diversity
of voluntary organizations when at the table.
Tools for Implementing the Accord
The Code of Good Practice on Funding
and the Code of Good Practice on Policy Dialogue
were developed as a resource of tangible, concrete ideas about how to take the spirit and
guidelines of the Accord and put them into action in both government and voluntary sector
organizations.
Other tools to help organizations implement the Accord include:
- A generic PowerPoint presentation on the Voluntary Sector Initiative and the Accord
and Codes that can be customized to meet training or briefing needs
- A short training video, The Accord and Codes: A Practical Guide, that provides
examples of good practices already in use
- The Rubber and the Road: A Workbook for Implementing the Codes of Good Practice
- A CD-ROM containing all of the above plus useful web links and contacts
These tools were designed to promote awareness of the Accord and Codes throughout the
Government of Canada and the voluntary sector and to encourage their implementation. You
may wish to use them to conduct briefing or training sessions (jointly with a voluntary
sector or government partner, if appropriate) in your organization.
Click here to download and order the Accord
and Codes tools.
Reporting to Canadians on Implementation Progress
In October 2002, the Clerk of the Privy Council tasked all Deputy Ministers and agency heads
with responsibility for the implementation of the Accord and Codes within their departments/agencies.
Each department and agency has identified a Champion who, with the Deputy Minister promotes
and leads the use of the Accord and Codes within their organization.
The Voluntary Sector Forum (VSF) is responsible for increasing the awareness and use
of the Accord and Codes in the voluntary sector.
The Government of Canada and the voluntary sector have both established structures to
lead their respective work on the Voluntary Sector Initiative. In addition, a Joint Steering
Committee oversees the initiative overall. Working together, the government and the voluntary
sector have developed reporting instruments that will allow both parties to survey a broad
sample of their respective organizations about awareness of the Accord and Codes and progress
on implementing them.
Each year the Joint Steering Committee will prepare a report to
Canadians on the status of the relationship and the results that have been achieved.
Throughout fall 2003 and winter 2004 the VSF worked with Government colleagues and local
organizations to hold workshops and training sessions across the country. These sessions
involved both federal government staff and sector organizations whenever possible. A critical
part of this was the establishment of a group of local trainers in provinces and territories
that are able to offer workshops to organizations close to home.
The VSF also undertook a survey during the summer of 2003 to determine the awareness
level of the Accord and Codes in the voluntary sector. This survey provided important
base line data prior to beginning the training sessions. This survey was done again in
the spring of 2004, after some of the training sessions occurred. The results of both
surveys are included in the 2003 and 2004 voluntary sector background reports.
To view the report to Canadians and background papers of December 2003 and December 2004,
please select one of the links below:
December 2003
December 2004
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If you would like more information, please contact:
Community Development and Partnerships Directorate
Human Resources and Social Development Canada
Place Vanier, Tower A
2nd Floor,
333 North River Rd.,
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0L1
Voluntary Sector Forum
130 Albert Street, Suite 1705
Ottawa, K1P 5G4
Tel: 613 238-7555, ext. 227
Toll Free: 1 800 821-8814
Fax: 613 238-9300
E-mail: info@vsi-isbc.org
Accord/Codes
