The voluntary, community-based sector is a key partner in the provision of vital services, supports and programs to communities throughout our province. As a partner in ensuring our province’s sustainability and prosperity; the sector -- comprised of organizations, volunteers and paid employees -- has a unique expertise and insight into our communities.
As a policy office the secretariat is uniquely positioned to advise government on the perspectives, key issues and contributions of the sector to our province. We do this by meeting with the community, asking them to share their opinions and experiences and identify how government and the community might work together more effectively.
During the summer and fall of 2009 we partnered with the Rural Secretariat to hold a series of community roundtables in each of the Rural Secretariat regions. Over the past few months, our minister and secretariat staff traveled throughout the province and met with hundreds of volunteers, youth and community leaders. Participants came together to talk about the successes, challenges and key issues facing organizations in their communities. The successes, challenges and issues raised by community leaders will be used by the secretariat in the coming months as we prioritize our work.
In addition to community roundtables, in the future the secretariat will also hold issue-based consultations and informal meetings with community organizations and their leaders to allow the secretariat to hear first hand the challenges and successes of organizations. These conversations will assist us in drawing a roadmap for the future to ensure organizations have the leadership and capacity needed to carry out their vital work.