LEARN together

Training Ottawa's Not-For-Profits

Volunteer Ottawa offers over 40 unique, practical workshops designed specifically for the sector, and they are free for learners from VO member organizations. 

Continuing professional development is essential for individuals working in not-for-profits. Every year, Volunteer Ottawa trains hundreds of staff and volunteers on topics like creating and running successful volunteer programs, developing more diverse and effective Boards of Directors, or increasing capacity in their everyday operations. Our training provides an environment to acquire new skills, network and learn best practices specific to the sector. 

Join one of our upcoming workshops or contact us to have a workshop designed specifically for your organization.

Logo: a braid made of the 3 VO colours leading into the words Learn Together, Gather Together, Recover Together initiative.

Learn, Gather, Recover Together

Volunteer Ottawa is committed to building capacity within the local not-for-profit sector. As part of our new Learn, Gather, Recover Together initiative, we are now offering all of our workshops at no cost for Volunteer Ottawa members.  

We’re excited to offer free workshop attendance to learners from our member organizations! Register early: each workshop will have limited seats to maximize learning outcomes and interactivity. Open spots will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

To register for an upcoming workshop:

  1. Consult the calendar of upcoming workshops and select the ones that you or your team members would like to enroll in.
  2. Email [email protected] and include: your workshop selection(s) and the full name, position/title, and e-mail address of proposed participants.
  3. Participants will receive an email confirming their registration within 24 hours of their request.

Become a member or renew your membership to access this and many other benefits.

Not sure if your organization is a current member?
You can search our member directory here: Search Member Directory

Not a member yet?
Read about our benefits and see if registering is right for your organization.

As part of Learn, Gather, Recover Together, VO is offering free membership for organizations with annual revenues under $75,000 for the remainder of the 2022–2023 membership year. This includes full access to all VO membership benefits, including no-cost workshop access. Please contact [email protected] for more information.

Yes! Volunteer Ottawa workshops are open to non-members for the usual $145 registration fee. Browse our workshops and register here: Upcoming Workshops

Interested in becoming a member?
Read about our benefits and see if registering is right for your organization.

As part of Learn, Gather, Recover Together, VO is offering free membership for organizations with annual revenues under $75,000 for the remainder of the 2022–2023 membership year. This includes full access to all VO membership benefits, including no-cost workshop access. Please contact [email protected] for more information.

March 21, 2023$145.00 5 Qty Available

Working with the Media

Staff and volunteers of Volunteer Ottawa member organizations can access...
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March 23, 2023$145.00 13 Qty Available

Orientation and Training – Preparing Volunteers for Success

Staff and volunteers of Volunteer Ottawa member organizations can access...
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April 4, 2023 Unlimited tickets

Board volunteering series: Why join a board of directors?

Volunteers interested in learning more about why and how to...
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Learn Together 2023:
Spring Learning Path for Leaders of Volunteers

This Spring, Volunteer Ottawa will offer a new learning path following on the success of our Fall learning path. 

The new Path is aimed at supporting people who lead volunteers in their role, and will include workshops and community-of-practice meetings. Through this series of learning opportunities, Volunteer Ottawa — in partnership with members of Ottawa Leaders of Volunteers — will help strengthen the local not-for-profit sector and help organizations to welcome volunteers with excellence.  

To learn more about the Leaders of Volunteers Learning Path, please register here to attend our info-session on Wednesday, January 18 at 12pm. 

Learning Path workshops meet on Thursdays from 9:30 am until 11:30, unless otherwise noted.  

See the calendar below for a first look at the Path.

February 2   Launch Webinar: Sharing Power with Volunteers, with Tanya Hannah Rumble

February 9   Workshop 1: Volunteer Recruitment: Welcoming People to Your Community

February 23   Workshop 2: Volunteer Screening: Fostering Community Accountability

March 9   Community-of-Practice Meeting 1

March 23   Workshop 3: Volunteer Orientation and Training: Preparing Volunteers for Success (afternoon session)

April 13   Workshop 4: Volunteer Monitoring and Supervision: Supporting Volunteers for Success

April 27   Community-of-Practice Meeting 2

May 11   Workshop 5: Leading Volunteers with Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: Shared Perspectives, Transforming Community

May 25   Workshop 6: Technical Resources for Volunteer Management (afternoon session)

June 8   Workshop 7: Discipline and Dismissal: Leading with Care in our Communities

June 15   Workshop 8: Recognition and Retention: Celebrating and Cementing Community

June 22   Community-of-Practice Meeting 3

Registration to the Leaders of Volunteers Learning Path is reserved for member organizations and their staff, and can be accessed through your Volunteer Ottawa account. Log in and register by clicking on the Leaders of Volunteers Learning Path item under upcoming workshops. Make sure to check all the boxes prompted by the website before checkout.

For more information, email us: [email protected]

Customized Workshops

Let VO create a workshop customized to your learning needs.

Volunteer Ottawa offers workshops customized for your organization and budget. Whether it is training for Board members, management or staff, we will meet with you to determine your needs.

Customized learning experiences can be offered on any subject required, including, but not limited to, the following topics:

  • Not-for-profit governance – Board training
  • Strategic Planning
  • Volunteer Management
ottawa -workshop-nfp

Faculty of Instructors

Our Faculty of Instructors include over 25 highly regarded professionals who are leaders in their field and dedicated to giving back to the community through volunteering their time and expertise.

What Ottawa’s not-for-profits are saying about VO’s education program:

"VO offers a broad education program designed with organizations like ours in mind. This means that we have access to valuable training and networking opportunities that we would not otherwise have".
John
Canadians Sharing Locally and Globally
"Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Support Programs has benefitted gratefully from the vast knowledge and expertise that is available through Volunteer Ottawa’s professional development training programs".
Jocelyn
Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Support Programs
"Volunteer Ottawa offers such a range of workshops suitable to different staff members. We have found it to be a very cost effective way to provide staff training, encourage networking and sharing of information!"
Nicole
Canadian Parents for French, National
"The professional development opportunities offered by Volunteer Ottawa provide skill development at an affordable cost. The training facilitators are …highly skilled professionals in their field, offering valuable expertise….The sessions that Volunteer Ottawa offers result in increased skills and networks…."
Cherly
Neil Squire Society
"I am so grateful for the resources and training programs Volunteer Ottawa provides… Thanks to the …Professional Development workshops they offer … I have gained so much knowledge and empowering tools to help me fulfill my mandate…Without these training programs offered by VO, I would not be as successful in my role as I am today".
Joanne
Eastern Ottawa Resource Centre
"The professional development programs (VO) offer to us…have been invaluable for our staff…"
Laura
H.O.P.E.

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