Knowledge Sharing

Health Canada is committed to the development of an improved and expanded base of knowledge regarding the voluntary health sector. Further research and policy work on the sector would continue to build better understanding of the role VHS plays in strengthening our communities and improving the health of Canadians.

VHS Research

Health Canada has worked on a number of research projects during the last several years, which address some of the key issues facing the voluntary health sector. Ideas for projects and key themes have been developed in conjunction with voluntary sector partners. For full versions of these papers, click on the links below.

• Building The Relationship Between National Voluntary Organizations Working in Health and Health Canada: A Framework For Action (1999)
• National Inventory of Voluntary Sector Management Training and Education Programs (2000)
• Charitable Giving to Charitable and Non-Profit Health Organizations: Perspectives Provided from the National Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating (1999)
• Patterns of Association in the Voluntary Health Sector: The Heart and Stroke Foundations of Canada and the Huntington Societies of Canada and Quebec. (2000):
• The Voluntary Health Sector in Canada: Outcomes and Measurement (1999)
• The Voluntary Health Sector in Canada: Developing a Typology - Definition and Classification Issues (1999):

Working Papers

As part of the federal Voluntary Sector Initiative, and in keeping with its commitment to knowledge development and research, Health Canada has published Voluntary Health Sector Working Papers 2002. Each paper in this collection contributes to the beginnings of a body of knowledge about the role and responsibilities of the voluntary sector in health in Canada. As such, these papers will help build interest in the development of a research agenda about for the voluntary sector in health, they will inform policy and program development, and hopefully spark further research into this important sector. To view the executive summaries of the following papers, click here.

• Charitable Giving to Charitable and Non-Profit Health Organizations: Perspectives Provided from the (1997) National Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating
• From Discovery to Recovery and Beyond: The Voluntary Health Sector's Response to Breast Cancer
• Health Human Resources: The Role of the Voluntary Sector An Inventory of Past Research on the Voluntary Health Sector in Canada
• An Inventory of Voluntary Organizations Providing Health and Health-Related Services in Two Alberta Communities
• Toward Understanding the Role and Contributions of the Voluntary Health Sector Within the Health System: An Organizational Focus
• Voluntary Health Organizations in Canada: Public Involvement and Support; Results from the 2000 National Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating The Voluntary Health Sector: Integrators Across Health Domains
• The Voluntary Health Sector: Successful Advocates for Health Research Funding Volunteers Are Not All the Same: The Case of Health Organizations

For more information about the working paper series, click here. Also, to learn more about the authors, click here.

Important Notices