Agency of the Future – Concept Paper
Canada’s immigrant service agencies and umbrella associations are facing major changes that will profoundly change the sector’s orientation, financing and organization. In the past, the sector’s response to such changes has been passive and adaptive. The Agency of the Future project is designed to help the sector chart a more pro-active and strategic course. The project’s premise is that agencies and umbrella associations need to open up new territory in place of defending existing turf. This will entail re‐conceptualizing the opportunity landscape facing the sector and bolstering its capacity to identify and seize opportunities. The aim is to win new clients and fend off competitors. This will require a focus on excellence and innovation in areas where the sector enjoys a strategic advantage. The way forward implicates both individual agencies and umbrella associations. It also implicates government in that there exists a shared interest by the sector and government in bolstering the capacity of settlement agencies in those areas where they enjoy a comparative advantage over other organizations.
