EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Awareness Table is one of the six Joint Tables of the Voluntary Sector Initiative. Its mandate is to increase public awareness of the vital role of the voluntary sector in Canadian society. The Table held consultations in cities across the country in February and March 2002 to ask representatives of the voluntary sector about a national Awareness Campaign and an annual Awards Program. Participants were very receptive to the idea of a national Awareness Campaign and gave their input about the message, the target audiences and the tools and support needed by their organizations in order to take part in such a campaign. They also discussed the merits of an Awards Program, although other alternatives were preferred.
Participants were very helpful in articulating the positive message that the Awareness Campaign should contain. The central message should stress the importance and value of the sector's contributions to society and community. The voluntary sector:
- Responds to a wide range of community needs.
- Contributes to the quality of life of individuals and communities.
- Provides for innovation, and is more open to risks than the other sectors.
- Reflects a strong democracy and a cohesive civil society.
- Enhances social justice and contributes to collective responsibility.
- Centres it actions and expresses its passion through core values of sharing, compassion and commitment.
- Forms the glue of the community.
These are the essential points of the campaign message.
In addition, many other messages were suggested. Two were raised in a number of communities: the extent of the sector's economic contribution and the skills of people involved in the sector. Two potential themes to deliver the message were also articulated: "What would happen without the sector?" and "Are you up to the challenge?" (of being involved in the voluntary sector).
As well as formulating the message, participants were asked to identify potential target audiences. The main target audiences identified included: the voluntary sector, especially at the Board level, the media and youth. In order to meet the goal of the public awareness campaign, which is to raise awareness of the voluntary sector as an essential contributor to the vibrancy of Canadian society and to mobilize support for it among key national and community stakeholders, participants also recognized the importance of targeting influential audiences, namely: opinion and business leaders, the national media, particularly editorial boards, and government leaders at all levels.
Voluntary sector organizations were asked what tools and support they would need to participate in the Awareness Campaign. Their response included a wide range of general and specific tools and support. The tools required to participate in the campaign can be grouped into four categories: background information and communications tools; promotional materials; events; and human resources. Tools that link the national campaign with community-based activities involving individual organizations are essential. Communication tools and promotional materials need to be tailored to the specific target audiences. Given that resources are limited, the following tools are the priority:
- A video or some other kind of multi-media presentation.
- A poster.
- A multi-use how-to kit that would include basic statistics, advice on use of the tools, and templates.
Developing a campaign logo and using common imaging on the tools will also be critical to the success of a campaign.
As far as a proposed Awards Program is concerned, the majority did not support this idea. It was viewed as competitive, unfair, complex to manage and a duplication of effort. Many alternatives to an Awards Program were proposed: to recognize the contribution of the voluntary sector in a non-competitive way, to increase professionalism and capacity building within the sector, to increase sector cohesion, and to promote the sector.
The purpose of the Awareness Campaign is to focus on the role and contributions of the voluntary sector as a whole, and not on individual volunteers. In each of the consultations, maintaining this distinction has proven to be a challenge. Participants from the voluntary sector are often more accustomed and comfortable discussing the contributions of individual volunteers. For many, these consultations were an opportunity to envision, some for the first time, the voluntary sector as a single entity however defined, diverse or complex it may be.
