Leadership in the Voluntary Sector

Many literacy organizations are part of the voluntary sector. They are governed by a volunteer Board of Directors and use volunteers to help deliver programs. Working in the voluntary sector presents lots of challenges. Workers are dedicated to making a positive difference in the world, but are also challenged because of the complexity of their jobs, and because of quick changes in the funding and regulatory environments.

The National Learning Initiative (NLI), is working to help the voluntary sector to meet those challenges by enhancing the quality of education and training available for the voluntary sector. The NLI project is a joint project of the Coalition of National Voluntary Organizations and the Association of Canadian Community Colleges and is sponsored by the Voluntary Sector Initiative (VSI) Joint Capacity Table and funded through HRDC’s Social Development Directorate. The first focus of the initiative is on leadership, particularly for senior staff of an organization. The central question for the project was: What makes leadership of a voluntary sector organization different from private or public sector leadership?

Through a series of five regional meetings with over 100 participants including leaders from the literacy sector, the project has identified the core competencies of today’s voluntary sector leaders. The leaders who participated said that many things had changed in their operating environments over the past 10 years, and their jobs were much more complex now. Today’s voluntary sector leaders must collaborate more, develop and nurture increasingly complex relationships and deal with multiple funding sources and diverse program partners. Their integrity and values are the bedrock for their actions as leaders.

Par ticipants agreed that a good voluntary sec tor leader:

• helps effect social change

• collaborates well with others

• stays informed about relevant issues

• remains focussed on the organization’s mission

• uses the skills of creativity, innovation and strategic thinking

• works toward change with care and ethical consideration

• manages effectively with tenacity and determination

• cares for self, is aware of limits, remains flexible and open-minded, and

• mentors, cares for, trusts and delegates to staff

Other core competencies can be grouped into four areas: complexity, vision & alliances, strategies & resource management, and relationships. These come in addition to the specific expertise and skills required for their field (i.e. literacy) and geographic context (i.e. provincial legislation and funding). For a full listing of the core competencies, please check the website at www.nvo-onb.ca.

Specific resource materials are now being developed, based on the research. These include:

• brochure outlining the competencies, available in English and French
• plain language versions of the competencies, written at Grade 9 reading level, in both English and French
• learning objectives as a basis for curriculum development, based on the competencies
• sample position descriptions for senior staff positions
• sample performance evaluation tools for Boards to use in evaluating the work of their Executive Director or other senior staff person
• sample self-assessment tool for individuals interested in becoming an Executive Director.

For more information, or to be added to the electronic communications list, please contact Bev Suderman at bsuderman@nvo-onb.ca.