Forging Stronger Links
	About the Training Program
	In for the Long Haul: Working with the Accord and Codes: Post-Voluntary Sector Initiative
	Workshop Outline and Session Reports

"Forging Stronger Links: Applying the Voluntary Sector Accord and Codes of Good Practice"

About the Training Program

In the spirit of the Accord between the Federal Government and the Voluntary Sector , the "Forging Stronger Links" training initiative is an important part of the Office of the Voluntary Sector's (OVS) leadership role. This training program builds greater awareness of the voluntary sector's role and contribution to health and health care and is focused on enhancing government and voluntary sector relationships.

Using a collaborative process during 2004, the "Forging Strong Links" workshop was developed by the OVS for a joint federal government and voluntary sector audience. The approach builds on participants' extensive experience to date with the Codes of Good Practice in Funding and in Policy Dialogue in a health context, and focuses on applying these Codes to ongoing and future work together. The OVS is also using this training initiative as a means of identifying health issues for policy attention - opportunities, challenges, and concerns.

The workshop is set up for delivery by a two person government/voluntary sector team to a joint audience representing the same groups. Representatives from Regional Offices of both Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada took part in a "Train the Trainers" session held in Ottawa in November 2004. During the winter and spring of 2005, workshops and planning sessions took place in several Regions of Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada.

The workshop materials for "Forging Stronger Links" are composed of a Trainers' Manual and a Participants' Manual, both of which are available from the OVS in CD-Rom format. The workshop outline, taken directly from the Trainers' Manual, is also available for download below. The workshop was designed to take place over two days, however, most groups have preferred to use a one-day delivery process, setting aside the proposed case study materials from the actual workshop. Descriptions of these sessions are also available for download below.

To request a CD copy of the workshop materials, or to gain further information about hosting a "Forging Strong Links "training session in your area, please contact the Office of the Voluntary Sector at: 613-952-9930.

In for the Long Haul: Working with the Accord and Codes: Post-Voluntary Sector Initiative

In March 2005, the Office of the Voluntary Sector convened a planning session with representatives of the Canadian Federation of Voluntary Sector Networks, the Voluntary Sector Forum, and Social Development Canada. The purpose of this session was to examine the following points:

• Options for adapting the "Forging Stronger Links" workshop for delivery in northern Canada and isolated rural communities
• Implications of continuing implementation of the Accord and Codes of Good Practice beyond the Voluntary Sector Initiative (March 2006).

Workshop Outline and Session Reports

Download the "Forging Stronger Links" Workshop Outline 

The following reports on previous "Forging Stronger Links" workshops and planning sessions are also available for your review:

• Animators Report from a one-day "Forging Stronger Links" session, held in St. John's, Newfoundland on March 1, 2005
• Animators Report from a one-day "Forging Stronger Links" session, held in Halifax, Nova Scotia on March 21, 2005
• PowerPoint presentation used at the March 2005 Planning Session held in Regina, Manitoba.
• Report from the National Consultation meeting held March 31, 2005, entitled: "In for the Long Haul: Working with the Accord and Codes: Post-Voluntary Sector Initiative"

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