Volunteer Management Resources

Council for Certification in Volunteer Administration

The Council exists to advance excellence in volunteer administration by delivering professional certification and advocating ethical practice. The Council has developed a professional body of knowledge in volunteer management, and administers a certification exam for the CVA designation.

Volunteer Ottawa’s courses in Volunteer Management teach many of the topics covered in the CVA certification exam. In addition, attendance at VO courses can be used to meet the requirements for renewing the CVA credential. One Professional Development Unit (PDU) is awarded for each 50-60-minute session or contact hour in topics related to volunteer resources management.

 Best Practices in Volunteer Management

This guide was developed to help strengthen volunteer management practices within small and rural not-for-profit organizations.

Bridging the Gap: Enriching the Volunteer Experience to Build a Better Future for Our Communities

A pan-Canadian study by Volunteer Canada and Manulife Financial. The research focuses on four volunteer groups: youth, families, baby boomers and workplace volunteers.

• • Bridging the Gap: Summary Report
  • Bridging the Gap: Full Report

 2013 Volunteer Recognition Study

This report outlines best practices in volunteer recognition and the key drivers that lead to volunteer retention.

 Achieve Ontario

Achieve Ontario (formerly PREB Ontario) is a volunteer recognition program that recognizes volunteers’ contributions by highlighting the impact of their work in a formal document. Volunteer Ottawa is a certified instructional centre for Achieve Ontario. Anyone can obtain Achieve Ontario certification by attending our Volunteer Recognition workshop, which is free for VO members.

Community Reach’s Targeted Recruitment Presentation

This presentation, shared at the “Brown Bag Learning Exchange on Volunteer Recruitment” can help volunteers develop key messages to recruit potential volunteers and overcome challenges.

 Building Blocks for Family Volunteering: Tools and Resources for Organizations

This resource shows organizations how to start a family volunteering program. It includes helpful tools. It also draws on research.

 Building Blocks for Youth Volunteer Engagement

This tool shows you how. The tool also allows youth to find their skills and interests and apply them to volunteering.

 Building Blocks for Boomer Volunteer Engagement

This tool lists the opportunities and barriers to boomer engagement. It gives organization tips for recruiting and retaining baby boomer volunteers.

 Building Blocks for Engaging Newcomer Volunteers

This guide consolidates current information about engaging newcomers and links organizations to practical tools and resources.

 Group Volunteering Handbook: Tools and Resources for Organizations and Volunteer Centres

This tool shows organizations how to create group volunteering opportunities. It provides best practices for group volunteering and lists helpful resources.

 Canadian Code for Employer-Supported Volunteering

Designed to provide guidance to workplaces to develop and enhance their employer-supported volunteering programs. It aims to support the work of those who manage these programs within a workplace.

 Canadian Code for Volunteer Involvement (CCVI)

Originally released in 2001, the CCVI was created to support organizations that engage volunteers. The 2017 edition contains updated standards, reflects the current social context, and incorporates a more streamlined format. 

 The 2012 Edition of The Screening Handbook

This handbook lays out the steps of screening and provides information and resources to support ongoing screening practices. Designed to suit organizations of all sizes and mandates. It is meant to provide guidelines for screening volunteers.

 The Value of Volunteering in Canada

This study was released by Volunteer Canada in April 2018 and conducted by the Conference Board of Canada.

Volunteer Training

A volunteer who is competent in their role – that is, well-trained – will execute your organizational mandate better and have more reason to continue volunteering. This two-part guide can assist you in this important process.

• Part A: A Guide for Training Volunteers
• Part B: A Toolkit for Training Volunteers

 Ottawa Leaders of Volunteers

Ottawa Leaders of Volunteers (OLV) is an Ottawa-based association open to anyone in the field of volunteer management.

Sample Volunteer Handbooks

Every volunteer needs a handbook, and every organization is different. Here are a few handbooks to give you an idea of what your handbook could look like.

• Ottawa Bluesfest
• Cambridge Shelter Corporation 2012
• John Howard Society of Waterloo-Wellington

Come to Volunteer Ottawa’s continuing professional development seminars to learn how to write just the handbook your organization needs.

• Creating a Volunteer Handbook 101 covers the theory of what should go into a quality handbook
• Writing a Volunteer Handbook 201 gives you the opportunity to actually write your handbook.

Everyone is welcome to register for a Volunteer Ottawa seminar. Employees and volunteers of member organizations qualify for significant discounts over our already low tuition fees.