Community-based social services are critical to the well being of children, adults, families and their communities. Governed by volunteer boards, community-based non-profit organizations provide threads of support that together weave a social fabric of safety, capacity and sustainability in towns and cities across our province. Community social services also make critical contributions to successful outcomes in the health and education sectors. As one board member succinctly put it, “Our agencies are the heartbeat of our communities.”
Volunteer board members are grounded in community and bring that value-added sensibility to the governance role for each agency in each community. They are diverse, accomplished, and with their own strengths, experiences and spheres of influence. Board governance addresses social issues of importance to the province and to our communities. Board Voice was created in 2009 to be the vehicle for which these governors can bring their collective voice to bear at a provincial level, and do their part in building healthier communities across the province.
Provincially, these non-profit boards represent a layer of governance responsible for billions of dollars in public, charitable and private funding. Board Voice works to bring these board voices forward on behalf of their communities and the community-based non-profits that they govern so that the vital work of social care is better understood, valued and supported. Through our collective provincial voice we will champion the importance of community social services, and speak to governments and the general public about directions and issues of concern to this essential sector.