History of VP
In its infancy Voluntary Planning had both a different name and a different focus. In 1963, during Robert Stanfields government, Voluntary Economic Planning was founded. The concept was to use volunteer citizens to guide the provinces economic policy and strategy. Volunteers were organized into a variety of sectors which represented segments of Nova Scotias economy. The volunteers on these sector committees would meet and discuss issues and goals surrounding their particular segment of the economy. The various sectors were all responsible for reporting to the Board of Voluntary Economic Planning, who would then pass on policy advice to the Premier and Cabinet. From 1963 to 1969, Voluntary Economic Planning was the sole economic planning body in the province.
In 1972 the focus of Voluntary Economic Planning expanded. Instead of being limited to the economy, the organizations scope widened to include all sectors of life in Nova Scotia and the organization was renamed Voluntary Planning. Devising a new series of sectors and enlisting the aid of citizens from across the province, Voluntary Planning continued for years to provide advice to the Premier and Cabinet.
In recent years Voluntary Planning has been called upon again and again to deal with large and pressing issues. To deal with these issues Voluntary Planning has moved away from its former structured sector approach, instead favoring a more adaptable ad hoc approach to major projects. Voluntary Planning responds to a request from government by structuring a group of Volunteers around whatever challenge it has been asked to address. In this way, Voluntary Planning is able to adjust its approach and processes to the changing needs of citizens and government and custom tailor each engagement effort for maximum effectiveness. These task forces or committees work for a set period of time, engage citizens and experts, conduct worldwide research, create a report with findings or recommendations and then disband when the work is complete.
From the sectors of 40 years ago, to the adaptive nature of Voluntary Planning today, there are some things that have remained core to what Voluntary Planning is and does. Voluntary Planning empowers citizens in the policy process by providing meaningful opportunities to contribute thoughts and opinions, it seeks to engage Nova Scotians of all backgrounds, knowledge and skill levels, and it values all opinions equally. Voluntary Planning recognizes that a democracy remains strong through the inclusion of its citizens in the political process and in all its iterations, Voluntary Planning seeks to engage Nova Scotians in helping influence and shape the major policies that will affect their future.