The National Survey of Nonprofit and Voluntary Organization (2003) reports that “Canada has 19,000 Social Services Organizations, which account for 12 % of the nation’s 161,000 nonprofit and voluntary organizations” (p. 1).In total, their annual revenues amount to $ 11 billion which is10 % of the total revenues receive by all organization in Canada. In this respect, funding this organizations
The evolution and origins of social programs and services date back to the beginning of the twentieth century, during the period of Great Depression. At this time, the social policy was associated with the difficulties that people had to overcome in a post-war period, including the high unemployment rates, industrial injuries, and poor health state.
Earlier references to the rise of Canadian social policy were highlighted in sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the time when poverty and unemployment was also on the rise (Prince, 2008). In 1930, the depression time made the citizens to think over the concept of idealization, the main idea that was adapted to recognize the existing problems and focus on the equal opportunities for all the Canadians.
The depression period in the 1930s follows the concept of equalization that was introduced by the Diefendbaker government in the 1950. This conceptualization was recognized by the Constitution Act in 1982, Part III, section 36 (Prince, 2008).
According to this provision, the Parliament and provincial authorities should promote equal opportunities for Canadian citizens, advance economic development to minimize the disparities in possibilities, and provide essential public services (Prince, 2008).
Additionally, the section stipulates that the Canadian government should adhere to the principle of equal payment to ensure that local governments have sufficient financial support to reach “reasonable comparably levels of public services at reasonable comparable levels of taxation” (Prince, 2008, p. 6).
Such a decision provided government with the potential to create laws and establish peace and order in the country. In two days, the Canada Health Act 1984 was adopted to set out main provisions for federal funding of health care in provincial regions.
Finally, the development of Canada Pension Plan introduced in the 1960 was introduced after the amendments made to the Canadian Constitutions, according to which all province should accept the constitutional change that supported the federal government in policy development.
There are many organizations that strive to support and finance social programs in Canada and provide a new level of services and care.
Ontario Trillium Foundation (2011) is among such organizations whose main mission is to create flexible and healthy communities throughout the city by enhancing the capacity of voluntary ventures and encouraging them to invest into community-based initiatives (Ontario Trillium Foundation, 2011).
The Foundation also invests in not-for-profit and charitable organizations that operate in the sphere of environmental protection, cultural development, human services, and recreation. All these initiatives are possible to achieve through active collaboration, civic engagement, innovation, and capacity building.
The Centre for Communicable Diseases and Infection Control has also provided its initiative in addressing HIV/AIDS in Canada. These programs are presented under the Federal Initiative that supports a voluntary sector and focuses on leadership and coordination to react to the HIV/AIDS challenges (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2012).
The funding venture also engages in meaningful catering for people who are under the highest risk of HIV/AIDS exposure, as well as encourages partnership and collaboration to tackle the risk factors of the disease and shape the integrated approach to HIV/AID prevention (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2012).
The National Funding Organization in Canada embraces a wider response to epidemic and underpinnings for the development of the disease.
There is a certain procedure to obtain funding for a specific social program. Canadian Heritage, another funding organization, provides financial assistance to the First Nations Canadians. The organization introduces a series of steps for organizations and corporations to become the candidatures for participating in funding process.
The Canada Heritage introduces documentation and information, application guide, and application form for all programs and event that organization can introduce (Canadian Heritage, 2012). The first step for funding process to start includes the analysis of service standards and delivery of program information.
The organization should also describe the objectives and eligible recipients that can benefit from the program. The application requirements should premised on complete, signed and accurate application template that involve balanced budget. In case of failure to fill out the application form can result in rejection to finance the project.
The program proposal should correlate with the achievement of Program objectives (Canadian Heritage, 2012). In addition, submitting final activity report must be introduced as soon as the money is invested in regional office. In case the report is not submitted, the program will be withdrawn by the funding organization.
While applying for dunging, the organization should be able to conform to all the requirements and responsibilities imposed on them as soon as they receive money for their project.
In particular, Canadian Heritage (2012) recognizes that funding initiative will be satisfied as soon as their requirements are met. In particular, the organization should appreciate cultural, linguistic, geographic, and ethnic diversity in Canada, as well as take part in celebrating the traditions and customs of indigenous population.
Through the Federal Initiative, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Public Health Agency of Canada, and Correctional Service Canada correlate with other federal, territorial, and provincial governments, researchers, and health care professionals who address the issue of HIV/AIDS (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2012).
Program interventions, constant communication, planning, coordination, and social marketing are also among the leading processes that shape the core responsibilities of the funded organization.
Each of the above-identified departments have particular obligations and duties that promote further collaboration, which can include joint planning, evaluation, monitoring, policy development, laboratory research, and global engagement.
Health Canada is another non-for profit organization whose primary responsibility entails HIV/AIDS prevention, education and global coordination (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2012). With regard to the above-presented responsibilities, specific emphasis should be placed on the analysis of the connection between local and global institutions.
The Canadian Institutes conducting laboratory and health research take responsibility for establishing priorities and controlling the Federal Initiative’s research programs, in collaboration with the Public Health Agency of Canada.
Although the above-presented responsibilities refer to the initiative conducted by a narrow-focused objective, its responsibilities are similar to those that other funded organizations and corporations should take to receive financial support.
Funding for various organizations is predetermined by various goals that contribute to improvement of a certain social sphere. In particular, the Mental Health Commission of Canada is one of the pioneers in advancing the mental health system and shifting perceptions and attitudes of Canadian citizens concerning mental health problems (Mental Health Commission of Canada, n. d.).
The commission is funded by the Health Canada and seeks to create Canadian first mental health strategic framework that will help reduce stigma and examine possible alternatives for help homeless and disabled people.
The Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse is also funded by Health Canada to handle the issue of alcohol and drug dependence. The Nunavut Department of Culture and Heritage also invest money into developing and publishing the resource that help the centre educate the population and introduce effective prevention programs.
The main purpose of the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse lies in brining in knowledge to people and reducing the consequences of alcohol and drugs consumption for society (Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, 2013). Engaging private, public, and non-governmental organizations is also a priority for the social program.
The Health Canada also encourages funding of the National Aboriginal Youth Suicide Prevention Strategy Program that supports the welfare of children and their families by using a community-based strategy for preventing suicide. Increasing awareness and understanding reasons for suicide prevention among youth are among the leading priorities in which Nunavummiut can thrive (Health and Social Services, 2010).
The main aspects of the strategy funding involve programs premised on Inuit tradition and culture, long-term suicide prevention programming through increased awareness, training and education for health care professionals, and crisis response management. Finally, Service Canada is another organization, which promotes funding for people with disabilities who seek employment and professional growth.
By widening their opportunities, the organization strives to provide equal employment opportunities and possible alternative for disabled people irrespective of their ethnicity, gender, and social status (Service Canada, 2012). Legal and income assistance is also an important factor that provides social schemes and bonus plans.
Aboriginal programs funding plays a tangible role in developing and enhancing the First Nations culture and identity, as well as in preserving the development of such spheres as education, social communication, employment and culture.
Revitalizing culture and languages is an important characteristic of Aboriginal People’s program which differs much from the programs that are dedicated to improving quality of social services for the non-native Canadian citizens (Canadian Heritage, 2011).
Specific attention requires the emergence of aboriginal women’s programming elements that introduce Family Violence Initiative, Women’s Community Initiatives, and Women’s Self Government Participation Initiatives. All these programs are oriented on addressing the role of aboriginal women in society and in family. These programs are much more object-oriented as compared to other programs devoted to women’s welfare.
Focus on culture, ethnicity, and gender in Aboriginal programs is a historically and socially predetermined phenomenon because it provides an overview of the challenges that Aboriginal people should overcome to integrate into Canadian society and achieve the necessary employment rate.
What is more important, the funding of health-related programs is more associated with Aboriginal people who face significant problems with their physical and mental health. According to the statistics provided by CUPE (2012), “Aboriginal people suffer high rates of diabetes, tuberculosis, infant mortality, alcoholism, and teen pregnancy.
Rates of suicide in Nunavut …are 12 times higher than the rest of the country” (n. p.). Therefore, the Canadian government has decided to increase funding by millions of dollars to tackle the problem. The numerical data proves the critical situation in the sphere of Aboriginal social welfare, which leads to further need for financial support.
References
Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse. (2013). Meeka Wellness Manuals Now Available in Inuktitut. Web.
Canadian Heritage. (2010). Aboriginal Peoples’ Program – Funding Opportunities. Web.
Canadian Heritage. (2012). Celebrate Canadian Funding. Web.
CUPE (2012). Federal Budget 2012: Systemic Underfunding for Aboriginal Peoples. Web.
Health and Social Services. (2010). National Aboriginal Youth Suicide Prevention Strategy (NAYSPS) Program. Web.
Mental Health Commission of Canada.. Vision and Mission of the MHCC. Web.
Ontario Trillium Foundation. (2011). Strategic Framework. Web.
Prince, M. J. (2008). The Evolution of Social Policy in Canada and the Expression of Canada in Social Policy. Social Policy University of Victoria. Web.
Public Health Agency of Canada. (2012). Federal Initiative to Address HIV/AIDS in Canada: National Funding. Web.
Service Canada. (2012). People with Disability. Web.
The National Survey of Nonprofit and Voluntary Organizations (2003). Social Services Organizations in Canada. Web.