Thank you, Mr. Chair and members of the committee, for organizing this important study on intergenerational volunteering.

My name is Dr. Megan Conway, and I am the president and CEO of Volunteer Canada. We are a registered charity that provides national leadership and expertise on volunteerism to enhance the participation, quality and diversity of volunteer experiences. We represent 1,100 members across the country and support them in their efforts to strengthen Canada's volunteering infrastructure.

This study comes at a critical juncture for Canada's social infrastructure. We're facing a growing loneliness epidemic alongside an intensifying crisis in volunteering and participation. Combined, these challenges deplete the ability of communities to support those in need and threaten our health, well-being, economy and resilience, as well as the collective fabric of our nation.

Intergenerational volunteering holds the power to address these mutually reinforcing challenges. It is a powerful avenue for building, belonging and connecting, offering positive multiplier effects for our communities. To deliver intergenerational initiatives at the scale required to address these complex challenges, we need to build a stronger support infrastructure and capacity.

Today I'll share more about the interlinked nature of the loneliness epidemic and the crisis in volunteering and participation, and I'll offer insights into how intergenerational volunteering can help counter these challenges. I'll also present a series of recommendations for how the Government of Canada can contribute to building the infrastructure necessary to effectively promote and support intergenerational volunteering.

The COVID-19 pandemic eroded our social connections and led to a significant rise in social isolation and loneliness. Just a few weeks ago, the World Health Organization declared that loneliness is a global public health concern. Combined, social isolation and loneliness have profound consequences for our public health systems, and they threaten the social capital and sense of belonging that keep our communities connected and productive.

In Canada, one in five Canadians now identify as lonely, with certain groups disproportionately affected, including newcomers, indigenous people, those living on low incomes and people with disabilities or chronic health conditions. Ageism and social isolation are closely associated, leaving older adults and youth particularly at risk.

Since 2015, rates of loneliness have increased by 67% among women aged 65 to 74, and 45% among men in the same age bracket. Today, an estimated 30% of older adults in Canada are at risk of social isolation, with this number expected to increase as the proportion of older adults multiplies in the coming years. The risk is compounded for older adults with intersecting risk factors, such as living alone, having compromised health, living with a low income or living in a rural area.

Our youth are also grappling with loneliness. Nearly one in four Canadian youth between the ages of 15 and 24 report feeling lonely, with higher rates of loneliness among young women. Given that a feeling of belonging and connection with others is fundamental to healthy youth development, this is deeply concerning.

Shifting patterns of social connection extend the way people engage in their community, including through volunteering. While volunteering has historically served as a safeguard for the support systems we rely upon and as an avenue for social connection, there are signs that volunteering and participation are no longer givens. Charitable and non-profit organizations across the country are reporting a shortage of new volunteers, challenges with volunteer retention and an inability to fill long-term roles. The pandemic has exacerbated these issues, with many older adults—who have historically contributed significantly to volunteering—not returning to their roles due to health concerns. Youth, despite their willingness to participate and make a difference, face persistent barriers to volunteering, such as not being asked to participate, time constraints, ageism and financial limitations.

We have an opportunity to reinvigorate the virtuous cycle between volunteering and social connection. We know individuals who volunteer are more connected to their communities and experience higher levels of belonging and inclusion, and that the benefits of volunteering are even greater among those who are socially connected. Intergenerational volunteering amplifies these benefits. When different generations come together, they nurture friendships, understanding and compassion, reduce ageism and strengthen communities in the process. There is a robust evidence base pointing to the benefits of intergenerational volunteering, including enhanced well-being and mental health, skills transfer and increased cross-cultural competency across generations.

Currently, Canada lacks the infrastructure necessary to promote and support purpose-fit and inclusive intergenerational programming and services. For example, effective intergenerational programs require staff training and support, but insufficient investment in volunteer management capacity limits organizations in these areas.

Moreover, there's a substantial data gap in understanding how older adults and youth engage in volunteering, especially when it comes to different ethnic and cultural groups, intersectional identities, religious affiliations, generational trends and rural versus urban volunteering.

These gaps are indicative of a more widespread issue across the volunteering landscape, and many of them stem from the lack of a cohesive and integrated national approach to promoting, supporting and facilitating volunteering.

In 2019, the Special Senate Committee on the Charitable Sector recognized many of these persistent problems and called for the federal government to implement a national volunteer strategy. Volunteer Canada was identified as the leader in this effort and is interested in collaborating with a diverse network of stakeholders.

To this end, we have three recommendations that we wish to make: that the Government of Canada commit to engaging and strategically investing in the development and implementation of a national volunteer action strategy; that it invest in building a robust evidence base on intergenerational volunteering; and that it deepen and expand its investment in long-term, high-impact intergenerational volunteering initiatives that increase the number and diversity of participants in intergenerational volunteering.

Mr. Chair, this concludes my opening statement. I'm happy to answer any further questions that the committee might have.