Dorothy Westerman
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Nov 25/05) - Volunteers in the North need more federal money to remain vibrant, according to organizers of the Voluntary Sector Awareness project.

Representatives from 30 volunteer organizations met for a brainstorming session on how to raise awareness of the work they do.

Funded by Social Development Canada, the national project was designed to generate dialogue and get feedback from volunteer organizations.

Lack of funding is a common problem in the volunteer sector, organizers were told.

Volunteer Don Helfrick said burnout is also an issue.

"We're not getting support from the upper levels of government," he said.

"We need support in administration, accounting and structural facilities so we can carry on our work for the good of our society.

"We do have the volunteers, we do have the workers - we just don't have the money," he said.

Volunteer NWT co-ordinator Aggie Brockman said the meeting was a way for volunteers to connect.

"People saw the challenge that people are stretched so thin because of funding issues," she said.

Helfrick said while the session was interesting and a good way to network, what is really needed is money.

"They know what the problems are, but they are not focusing on them," he said.

"The number one problem from every group here is the government - they don't recognize us."

As a volunteer for the annual Caribou Carnival celebrations, Helfrick said lack of funding is evident.

"There used to be an association for non-profit societies. That's gone. It just disappeared.

"For Caribou Carnival, we have a tiny office and a tiny desk and we have to pay for our own telephone, fax and we have nothing but volunteers to exist. We don't have the dollars and continuous funding," Helfrick said.

The city should support such organizations through funding, he said, as the territorial government throws them "peanuts."

Information obtained from the participants will be compiled and forwarded to the national Voluntary Sector Awareness project.

A final report based on the results of each community discussion then will be produced in 2006.

It will explore how the voluntary sector could benefit by having a unified voice.

Ponchit Santos of the St. John Ambulance Brigade in Yellowknife, said his volunteers are in the process of increasing its membership.

"This was a very good opportunity for organizations to get together, find out our common problems," Santos said of the session.

Lack of funding and membership are two major problems, he said.

When it comes to St. John Ambulance, the more volunteers the better, he said.

Increasing the numbers means more campaigning is necessary to raise awareness of the organization, he noted.

Jan Fullerton, a volunteer representing the arts society and Skills Canada NWT, said she enjoyed networking with others and she discovered many other volunteers feel the same way in terms of lack of volunteer support.

"It gives you strength to know you are not alone and I'm hoping we have more opportunity to have these sessions," Fullerton said.