Increasing Cultural Diversity in Canadian Nonprofits

How culturally diverse is your organization?

If it’s anything like the majority of Canadian nonprofits, it probably isn’t. Our 2008 surveys of nonprofit employers and employees reveal that 89% of respondents identified as ‘white or caucasian’ and that only 6% identified as a member of a visible minority. While there are certain areas of the sector that are more representative of the Canadian cultural mosaic – most notably organizations that work in the fields of immigrant and settlement services – the vast majority of nonprofits are not.

There is ample evidence that immigrant and visible minority populations comprise a substantial pool of under utilized human resources. This is true in all sectors, including the nonprofit sector. Employers are not taking advantage of all the potential sources of qualified and skilled workers available to them. This presents a disadvantage to employers who cannot find the human resources they need, and it perpetuates inequalities in employment opportunities and career prospects for new immigrants and members of visible minorities.

 

What are we doing about it?

In response to an identified need from the sector for more information on the issue, the HR Council is undertaking a project to identify the key issues that are preventing nonprofits from accessing the talents of new immigrants and Canadians from diverse cultural backgrounds.

The project will employ a multi-faceted approach, including:

  • Engaging directly with people in the nonprofit sector in a series of cross-country consultations to explore the issues facing nonprofits when hiring and retaining a diverse labour force
  • Conducting a review of relevant literature and information in order to identify further the sector’s current reality
  • Developing practical tools and resources to support organizations in hiring and retaining immigrants and members of visible minorities
  • Creating profiles of good practices that will showcase strategies that have worked when recruiting and retaining workforces that are culturally and ethnically diverse

Increasing Cultural Diversity in Canadian Nonprofits

The HR Council has developed a three-part series about incorporating the skills of new immigrants and members of visible minorities into nonprofit organizations. The first report addresses the context that makes this process important. The second report addresses challenges and best practices related to recruitment. The third and final report addresses the retention of new immigrants and members of visible minorities.

Report 1 - Setting the context (PDF)
Report 2 - Recruitment challenges (PDF)
Report 3 - Retention (PDF)

 

 

The buzz

Check out an article in the Calgary Herald titled Non-profit sector seeks diversity to learn more about how younger generations are pushing for a more diverse labour force.

Follow this initiative Follow the Increasing Cultural Diversity in Nonprofits project and be among the first to know about project updates, be invited to participate in stakeholder feedback and validation sessions, and receive other relevant updates by e-mail.

 

Replay our live conversation on increasing cultural diversity in Canadian nonprofits

 

 

For more information

If you are interested in getting involved through a consultation or by sharing your story, please contact:

Tanara Pickard
Project Manager
613.244.8332 (extension 226)
tpickard@hrcouncil.ca