The Table - Spring 2022

May 2022 issue 2

In this Issue: Your SARC Board at Work

In Focus: December 2021 - May 2022

the table

SARC Welcomes the New SARC Board Directors!

Know Your SARC Board

Spotlight on SARC Board Vice President, Jim Morrison

A Publication for Boards of Directors

Collective Voice Advocacy Updates

Board Recruitment

by Desiree Tirk

Join SARC and SARC’s Board of Directors as we provide updates on strategic initiatives, Board decisions, governance resources, and more.

Did You Know ?

SARC Accreditation Update

Mark Your Calendars!

The SARC AGM is June 24

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Your SARC Board at Work In Focus: December 2021 - May 2022 PARTNERSHIP COMMITTEE For over twenty years, the SARC/Ministry of Social Services Provincial Partnership Committee has existed. This committee includes senior leaders from within SARC and CLSD. Committee composition also includes members of SARC’s Executive Committee of the Board and the Assistant Deputy Minister of Disability Programs and Housing/President of Saskatchewan Housing Corporation.

The Provincial Partnership Committee continues to prove to be an avenue for collaboration and provides an opportunity for SARC and the Ministry of Social Services to discuss common priorities or areas of concern relating to the Disability Service sector.

It is also a way for SARC to bring forward issues or concerns common among SARC Members, provide early input on CLSD sponsored initiatives or proposed policy changes, and partner on initiatives or special projects with mutual benefit to the Ministry, SARC Members, and the people they support.

The Provincial Partnership Committee met on December 10, 2021, and again on March 7, 2022. Key areas of discussion included: Accessibility Legislation Outcomes Based Contracts Social Media Policy Government procurement process COVID-19 Provincial Auditor’s Report 2021 – Volume 2 Agreements for Service 2022-23 Advocacy Priorities Our next meeting takes place on June 10; included on the agenda are plans for a strategic planning session with the Provincial Partnership Committee, to be held in September 2022.

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BOARD RECRUITMENT STRATEGY

Over the last nine months, the SARC Board has been assessing its approach to Board recruitment and exploring strategies. As part of this, the Member Service Committee of the Board: Identified potential barriers to participation on the Board Explored new methods for attracting and engaging candidates Discussed the current Call for Nominations process Discussed volunteerism in the 21st century Identified key messages related to recruitment efforts Based on recommendations from the Member Services Committee, the SARC Board approved changes to its Call for Nominations process. Although this is the first year using the new approach, the feedback and expressed interest in the SARC Board is encouraging. (See nomination/election results on page 3). We look forward to welcoming and formally introducing our new Board Members at our AGM in June.

SARC BOARD INVESTS IN SECTOR PUBLIC RELATIONS CAMPAIGN On May 28, the SARC Board approved the investment of up to $400,000 toward the development and execution of a public relations/awareness campaign in support of our 24month HR advocacy and lobbying strategy (see page 5 for more details).

This unprecedented investment, which will cover the development of promotional material as well as digital and traditional media advertising over a period of two years, will be aimed at raising the public’s awareness as to the value and professionalism of the sector and why it needs to be supported. As lack of public profile continues to be a hurdle when it comes to garnering government and public support toward SARC Members’ HR sustainability, this work is intended to set the stage for a higher level of awareness as SARC and our Members engage in advocacy and lobbying activity as per our two-year strategy.

Please join us at the SARC AGM on June 24 to learn more about this.

REGIONAL MEETINGS SARC held its Regional Meetings on April 6, 7, 11, and 12. For the most part, the meetings were reasonably well attended; however, we continue to see attendance decline. In the coming months, the SARC Board will be discussing the purpose of the meetings, timing of the meetings, locations, methods of hosting and the number of meetings. As a Membership Association, we place high value on Member engagement and look forward to opportunities where the SARC Board can come together with other Board Members, but we also understand the demands on people’s time.

The SARC Board remains committed to hearing from you and providing information about SARC to your Board of Directors. We encourage you to reach out to SARC if your Board could benefit from a presentation about SARC. We are always happy to travel out or attend an electronic meeting.

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sarc welcomes the new sarc board directors!

We are pleased to announce the following results from our Call for Nominations process. Please join us in welcoming these six additions to the SARC Board of Directors. We look forward to an exciting year ahead with new and familiar faces alike.

Results from the Spring 2022 Board Call for Nominations are: Unita Esau (returning to the board for a second term)

North Region Regular Board Representative

multiworks corporation meadowlake

Cameron Nicolle

North Region Regular Manager Representative

Valley Action Abilities Rosthern

Valerie Budd-Pritchard

South Region Regular Manager Representative

Moose Jaw Diversified Services Moose Jaw

Jenna Moore

South West Region Regular Board Representative

Wheatland Regional Centre Rosetown

Elaine Carter

North Region Associate Board Representative

Onion Lake Health Board Onion Lake

Rosa Smith (filled the last year of a vacancy, now is returning to the Board to start a first full term)

South Region Associate Manager Representative

Clare Parker Homes Regina

All SARC Board Directors will begin their term on June 24, 2022 in line with the SARC AGM. Please note that there are two vacancies for the SARC Board: South East Regular Board Representative and South Regular Board Representative. We will be holding a Call for Nominations again in Fall 2022. Organizations should watch for future communications regarding how they can get involved in the SARC Board.

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know your sarc board Hello, my name is Jim Morrison. I am the Chair of the Board of Plus Industries Inc. in Melfort and the Vice-President of the SARC Board. Melfort is a lovely, small city in the north-east part of the province. It is the home of the Northern Lights Palace and Pool and many other excellent sport, recreation and cultural facilities. Looking for a slower pace, yet with lots of amenities, Melfort may be the place for you.

I went to high school in Melfort, left to work in various places in our province and returned here after 30+ years to finish working and then retire. Most of my career was spent as an agricultural banker in various towns and cities across the province but I also owned and ran a hardware store/ liquor vendor for 10 years in southern Saskatchewan.

In 2003, I married my high school sweetheart, Debby, on the island of Santorini in Greece. We have four children between us and, at last count, eight grandchildren. We are both retired now, Debby having been a high school teacher.

We spend our spring, summer and fall at home, gardening and barbequing with some travelling thrown in. Winters have been spent in warmer climates such as the southern states, but usually in Mexico. This past winter in Bucerias, Mexico, I became a volunteer with Amigos de Bucerias (Friends of Bucerias) who spearhead a very successful plastic recycling project in the town of Bucerias. They have made wire bins and distributed them around the community and each week the plastic is collected from the bins, taken to a compound, put in large totes and shipped to a recycling company. Proceeds from the sale of materials are used to better the lives of

Jim Morrison

SARC Vice President Melfort, SK the people in the area. Both the locals and the visitors have embraced the project and tons of plastic has been recycled each year.

I don’t have hobbies, as such, so have been a volunteer all my adult life, mostly in the sports field, and that was what led me to enter the disability sector. In 1994, I was Chef-de–Mission for Zone 3, Moose Jaw/Swift Current at the winter games in Kindersley and ran into an old friend from Melfort, who was coaching the Special Olympic bowlers from the PA/Melfort zone. She invited me to come watch the Special Olympians bowl. I did and was hooked. After the games, I went home and called the local Special Olympics organization and shortly I was head coach of the athletics team. Over the next 22 years I coached athletics, soccer, softball, floorhockey and bowling, was a board member of three local Special Olympics committees, as well as being on the provincial board.

When I didn’t think I could effectively coach, I moved on to being a board member at Plus Industries and then the SARC Board.

I have been on the SARC Board for four years now and have immensely enjoyed my time there. The board and the senior management team work well together and while there is a lot of work done, there is also time taken to relax and get to know each other. It is a very inclusive organization, welcoming board members and their partners to participate in numerous fun activities. Volunteering here and in other areas is so rewarding. You don’t need thanks, although it is nice, for you get more back than you give, working in this sector.

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COLLECTIVE VOICE SARC'S ADVOCACY AND LOBBYING EFFORTS

In our first issue of The Table, published in December 2021, we profiled our ongoing advocacy efforts for increased compensation and benefits funding in order to improve employee recruitment and retention in the Disability Service sector. We also shared how we had been seeking feedback from our Members through surveys and information sessions to hear your views on advocacy priorities, which led to the formation of our Advocacy Committee and sub-committees which would focus on compensation, workforce development and promotion, policies, and standards. Throughout fall and winter, Members were again encouraged to meet with their MLAs to raise awareness of our issues and gain support toward solutions.

Since then, we have been through another Provincial Budget announcement. While the sector is receiving another funding increase, it is still not enough to meaningfully impact our ability to recruit and retain employees. At our April 2022 Regional Meetings, we shared with our Members what we know today:

97% of Spring 2021 Advocacy Survey respondents said it was either Very Important or Important to have SARC advocating for/on global issues facing the Membership.

Compensation, benefits, and workforce development initiatives remain top issues.

The Provincial Government is investing in workforce development strategies in both Health (Continuing Care Assistants) and Education (Educational Assistants and Early Childhood Workers).

Our request for a similar initiative in our sector was not supported.

Turnover in the Disability Service sector remains too high.

Member participation in basic advocacy strategy efforts remains low (34% in 2021).

Advocacy strategies over the last number of years have been ‘safe’.

Notable gains have been made since 2017 when the HR strategy shifted away from general increases and moved towards increases aimed at closing the gap between this sector and its largest competitor (Health).

MLA interest and commitment varies – many SARC Members reported positive, productive meetings with their MLAs in fall/winter 2021, and some shared that their meetings were less positive.

Workforce recovery and reestablishing staffing stability post-COVID will be important for our sector and others.

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At these meetings, we also started conversations on where we might head tomorrow in order for our advocacy initiatives to have more impact. As high Member participation increases our impact and chance of success, we needed to get a sense for what our Members would be able to support and get involved in.

Through a series of interactive polls, Members shared their general comfort level with a variety of ideas that can be seen in advocacy campaigns, including various types of media activity/advertising, employee/Board/client/family engagement, petitions, engaging the Opposition Party, days of action, collaborating with unions, and job action.

Members that did not attend our Regional Meetings were given an opportunity to weigh in via survey as well.

With the poll/survey results in hand, SARC’s Advocacy Committee and sub-committees are now back at the table discussing the next steps.

This is a passionate and dedicated group of 26 Board and leadership staff representatives from 19 Member organizations, and we can’t thank them enough for coming forward to help lead this important work. On May 5, they met in Saskatoon for a strategic planning session that will inform the development of a 24month multi-faceted advocacy campaign.

We intend to share the framework for this campaign at our AGM in June, so please join us to learn more and give us your thoughts.

We are at a critical juncture in our HR strategy advocacy movement – come be part of the path forward.

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board recruitment

by Desiree Tirk

Has your Board of Directors ever struggled to recruit volunteers? Have you considered quickly finding someone, anyone to fill a vacancy regardless of their skill set or experience? Do you think it would just be easier to ask the people we know to fill a seat rather than start the recruitment process? If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, you’re not alone. While this approach may save you some time and effort in the short term, it may not be the most effective way to ensure the organization’s Board has the various skill sets or the diversity needed to meet the current and future needs of the organization. Finding people with the right skill sets to serve on the Board can be a challenge, but it is an essential role of the Board.

As you may already know, volunteers today don’t look like they did yesterday.

According to Jonathan and Thomas McKee, authors of The New Breed: Understanding and Equipping the 21st Century Volunteer, there are new developments and trends in volunteering in the 21st century. Today’s volunteers want increased flexibility, expect

to be empowered, are busy with many obligations, are tech-savvy, and want to make a difference with short-term projects rather than long-term commitments. “These volunteers want to be asked what they see as the needs in the organization and how they can help accomplish the mission.” Organizations need to be strategic and be willing to accept that volunteer commitment and expectations have changed and so the way organizations do Board business, recruit and reward Board Directors must also change.

According to the article, The New Volunteer Workforce, published by Stanford Social Innovation Review, Boards can benefit from the professional skills offered by volunteers, who are often an undervalued and underused resource for tackling today’s challenges. “To capitalize on the opportunity presented by volunteer talent, nonprofit leaders need to expand their vision of volunteering, integrate volunteers into their strategic planning, and reinvent the way that their organizations support and manage volunteer talent.” Organizations that use “a talent management approach —investing in

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the infrastructure to recruit, develop, place, recognize, and retain volunteer talent” will find themselves with a new wave of volunteer talent. If organizations want to recruit and retain highly skilled volunteers, they need to create meaningful experiences that develop skills, demonstrate impact, and utilize the volunteer’s abilities and interests. “Not only do nonprofits get more value from using highly skilled volunteers to perform highly skilled functions, but these volunteers are also more likely to offer their services again.”

As outlined in Strategic Volunteer Engagement: A Guide for Nonprofit and Public Sector Leaders, there are four key areas that nonprofit Boards need to consider as they recruit volunteer Directors: 1. Understanding volunteer motivations and trends – people serve for a variety of reasons and have distinct interests and needs. Trends show that volunteers today: •

Look for episodic volunteer opportunities, these are short-term, bite-sized projects.

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Are often linked to the private sector (i.e. encouraged by their employer to volunteer).

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Want to build their resumes and gain experience.

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May have left the workforce but still seek to apply their knowledge (i.e. newly retired). And,

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Are technologically inclined to find ways to contribute virtually (rather than faceto-face).

2. Creating a vision for volunteer engagement – the process begins with an internal assessment and analysis of the organization (i.e. what skill sets exist and identify ‘gaps’ that will be needed according to the strategic plan). Organizations need to examine biases, take stock of where the organization is, and how volunteers fit within the strategic goals of the organization.

3. Maximizing your investment in volunteers – the more energy and resources expended on community engagement, the greater the return on the investment.

4. Minimizing challenges and embracing opportunities – organizations should weigh opportunities, challenges and risks (i.e. consider Director and Officer Insurance, conduct risk assessments, ensure good record-keeping).

As organizations prepare for Board recruitment: •

Review and update Board Director role descriptions, as they outline Directors’ roles, responsibilities, and term limits.

When everyone knows their duties and the expectations to serve on the Board, people are better prepared, which results in increased effectiveness.

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Have policies and foundational documents in place (i.e. Code of Ethics and Conduct, Conflict of interest and Confidentiality Policies, a Board Member letter of agreement or Board Director Oath) so prospective new Directors know what is expected. This ensures that all Board Directors understand the commitments they are agreeing to while serving on the Board. And,

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Develop an organized recruitment process that includes identifying what skill sets the organization needs, actively recruiting potential Board Directors, screening, selecting, orientating, and onboarding new Directors.

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We know that recruiting volunteers to serve on a Board of Directors can at times be challenging. Some ideas to consider include: •

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Analyzing the Board Director role descriptions, expectations, and term lengths. Are they too demanding?

Consider dividing the responsibilities or shortening term lengths to make the level of commitment you’re asking for more acceptable.

Planning or hosting an event to attract Board candidates – this can be as simple as lunch attended by potential new Board Members and existing Board Members or the nominating committee, inviting members of the community to a specific organized event, or hosting online information sessions.

Designing purposeful virtual calls to action on social media/website that encourage readers to ‘act now.’ This includes providing clear benefits of volunteering and why volunteers should take action.

Assuming your organization’s bylaws allow for it, inviting interested and knowledgeable community members to serve on individual Board committees.

While they may not be ready to fully commit to serving on the Board, this is a

great way to get them through the door and interested in the organization. It also brings new vitality and creativity to an organization whose volunteers may be feeling stretched thinly.

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Contacting your local Chamber of Commerce and local service clubs to see if they would be willing to promote your volunteer opportunities.

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Cultivating relationships with young people – post-secondary institutions, student associations, university students, and young professionals may be looking for leadership opportunities and experiences, and a way to be more involved in their community.

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Utilizing Board posting and matching programs – these make it easier for potential Board Directors to find your organization. Some of these programs may be free, while others charge a fee.

Consider programs such as Volunteer Connector, Charity Village’s Volunteer Job Search, Volunteer Canada, Volunteer Match, and Board Match Fundamentals, to name a few.

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Board candidates who may already be familiar with your organization and the nonprofit sector.

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Reviewing the organization’s donor base – donors may have an interest in becoming active in other ways in addition to providing financial support.

Donors have already decided the organization is worth investing money in, so they may also be willing to donate their time. Philanthropy goes well beyond the donation of money.

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Scanning community newspapers for retirement announcements – contact new retirees to consider serving on the Board. Many retirees have more spare time, a desire to build and utilize their skills, and remain connected.

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Organizing a ‘Board Director Swap’ – have current Board Directors contact and meet with leaders (such as the Board Chairperson) from four or five local nonprofit organizations.

Over coffee, Board Directors can then suggest that the organizations recommend ‘retiring’ Board Directors to one another. This is a great way to build the pool of potential Board candidates, as well as strengthen and build community ties.

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Promoting Board opportunities to other nonprofit organizations’ staff.

As long as the organizations are not affiliated or have formal service delivery partnerships (as this could be a conflict of interest), this could be a great way to attract potential

One of the most important things to keep in mind is that Board recruitment should not be viewed as a one-time event or something you only focus on when there is a Board vacancy. There is so much value in developing and maintaining positive relationships – you never know how or when they will pay dividends, but they will. Find ways to engage community members and be purposeful in your efforts to grow your organization’s circle of champions. After all, it is much easier to recruit someone who already values the work you do.

SARC offers a variety of training opportunities, resources, and templates to support your Board with recruitment and retention of volunteer Board Directors. Visit the Board Resource Area on SARC Learning Central or contact SARC for additional information.

About Desiree Spending the past 25 years working in community development in the nonprofit and government sectors, Desiree brings a variety of experience with developing and facilitating workshops and has held positions as Program Manager, Facilitator, and Trainer. Desiree has over 20 years’ experience as coowner of a business and holds a Bachelor of Indian Social Work and Bachelor of Arts in Native Studies.

To connect with Desiree Tirk about your Board’s resource needs, email her at dtirk@sarcan.sk.ca.

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DID YOU KNOW? SARC is pursuing Level 3 Accreditation through Imagine Canada's Standards Program.

The SARC Board struck an Accreditation Oversight Committee which will oversee SARC's initial attainment of accreditation and will have ongoing responsibility for ensuring we maintain the standards across the program's five areas: Board Governance Financial Accountability Fundraising Staff Management Volunteer Involvement

Why Accredit?

Validation - accreditation demonstrates to our Members, potential and current employees and Board Directors, funders, customers, and the general public that SARC is committed to quality and that we have attained a level that meets or exceeds standards developed by experts.

Improvement - accreditation provides SARC with opportunities for selfreflection and feedback and current practices and future direction.

Guidance - accreditation allows continuous improvement within the organization.

Process and Progress to Date:

Our work was placed on hold when we received notice that Imagine Canada intended to release a new set of Standards in the spring of 2022. Work has now resumed and we hope to be able to submit our application and all the required evidence in line with Imagine Canada’s fall submission date. The review process includes Part One - Screening by Imagine Canada and part Two - Peer Panel Review to reach the Accreditation Decision.

We look forward to providing progress updates to our Members as this exciting work continues.

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Your 2021/22 SARC Board Members dawn desautels president

south west region regular board representative

cypress hills ability centres, inc shaunavon

jim morrison vice president

north east region regular board representative

plus industries inc. melfort

Yvonne Nyholt – Secretary

North Region Associate Board Representative

Battlefords Residential Services, Inc. North Battleford

Lionel Prefontaine

Treasurer

External Appointment

bill powalinsky

North Region Regular Manager Representative

community service centre/ pine industries prince albert

Unita Esau

North Region Regular Board Representative

Multiworks Corporation Meadow Lake

Stefan Thomas

North Region Associate Manager Representative

Christian Horizons Waldheim

Donald Salie

North West Region Regular Board Representative

Battlefords Trade & Education Centre Inc. North Battleford

Marnie Watkin-Pawelko

South Region Associate Board Representative

Regina Residential Resource Centre Regina

Rosa Smith

South Region Associate Manager Representative

Clare Parker Homes Regina

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