John Ivison: How to reverse our unravelling social cohesion

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The revival of our communities has to be generated at the grassroots level.

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Megan Conway, the chief executive officer of Volunteer Canada, said this is not just a pandemic anomaly and that there is evidence of a 20-point decline in the volunteer rate over the last decade.

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But as Conway notes, the situation is not hopeless. The sense of irrelevance, cultural alienation and the drift towards extremism is not irrevocable, and that, while much is taken, much remains.

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One-third of Canadian adults — close to 11 million people — still show up to volunteer for organizations, providing mutual aid, civic care and a bulwark against intolerance and disinformation.

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Conway suggests many more people want to participate but just don’t know how. Barriers ranging from the decline of local journalism to the complication of criminal record checks mean either potential volunteers don’t know about opportunities that exist or feel they don’t have time to contribute.

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Young Canadians who no longer attend church or the Scouts have not been taught the value of contribution and service.

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Conway talks about the need for all levels of governments, local communities and businesses to create an “enabling structure” to promote volunteerism, using the existing network of volunteer centres, libraries and Royal Canadian Legions.

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She said there is a role for business in backing support policies for would-be volunteers.

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“This needs to be a whole-of-society response,” she said.

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Farah Mohamed, an independent senator who is driving volunteer issues in the red chamber, said she is proposing a “national year of service,” which would see young people awarded paid placements that would also include a volunteer element.

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There are other suggestions out there to incentivize volunteerism, including introducing a tax deduction for volunteer hours (currently only firefighting and search-and-rescue volunteers qualify).

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Gordon Brown recounted in an interview that after World War Two, members of the Resistance were asked why they had joined. He said the most common answer offered was that they were asked by someone they respected.

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That suggests a huge, missed opportunity in Canada. Volunteer Canada’s research reveals that older Canadians are the least likely to be asked to volunteer, yet when they commit, they donate twice as much time as other age groups.

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That’s not rocket science, but it reflects a less forward-thinking agenda when it comes to healthy Canadians in later life. (The Japanese have long been at the forefront of such policies, with their “silver human-resource centres” that connect retired seniors with part-time community work).

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The benefits of an older adult service corps to the country and the economy are clear — from reduced polarization to lower health-care costs.

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It is a message Conway hopes will resonate at all levels of Canadian society, up to and including the Prime Minister’s Office.

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“It is one of the easiest ways you could unleash the power of everyday Canadians and build a strong and resilient Canada,” she said.

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National Post

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