The Voluntary Health Sector

About the Voluntary Health Sector

The voluntary sector is a pivotal part of Canadian society that touches virtually all aspects of our lives. It is often described as society's vital third pillar, alongside the public and private sectors. The efforts and contributions of this sector are substantial. Throughout the last few decades, the voluntary sector has been growing rapidly. Currently, it is estimated that there are roughly 180,000 voluntary organizations across Canada, consisting of approximately 6.5 million volunteers and a further 1.2 million paid employees.

The voluntary health sector in Canada has been no exception to this trend, as voluntary health organizations play a key role in carrying out of the mandate of Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada. They contribute to program and service delivery, education, and the development of health policy. Without the direct involvement of these organizations, many existing programs and services within the Department and Agency would not be possible.

Volunteers in the health sector contribute approximately 3 billion hours every year and their total economic activity is estimated to be $20-30 billion annually. More specifically, they:

• Provide a wide range of programs, services and policy advice;
• Conduct health research;
• Educate the public on a wide range of health-related issues; and
• Mobilize the public by organizing volunteers and by enhancing citizen involvement within communities across the country.

Defining the Voluntary Health Sector

Although no clear definition for the voluntary health sector yet exists from either the sector or the government, the following working definitions and descriptions are offered.

The voluntary sector consists of organizations that exist to serve a public benefit, are self-governing, do not distribute any profits to members, and depend to a meaningful degree on volunteers. Membership or involvement in these organizations is not compulsory, and they are independent of, and institutionally distinct from the formal structures of government and the private sector. Although many voluntary sector organizations rely on paid staff to carry out their work, all depend on volunteers, at least on their boards of directors. (Accord, 2001)

The voluntary health sector includes voluntary sector organizations that focus primarily on improving the health of the people of Canada through advocating health promotion, service delivery, organizational capacity, information gathering, research, public education, or policy development. The voluntary health sector includes all levels of activity, from national coalitions to local grass root organizations.

The Voluntary Sector Initiative

The Voluntary Sector Initiative (VSI) was a unique undertaking between the Government of Canada and the voluntary sector to enhance their relationship and strengthen the sector's capacity. The VSI website contains documents and links to documents that were created during the Initiative. To find out how the Government of Canada and the voluntary sector are working together today please visit Human Resources and Social Development Canada.

For more information, please visit the VSI Website .

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