About Professional Development

VMPC members are encouraged to engage in ongoing professional development throughout their careers. There are many ways to demonstrate your educational commitment to your profession including: attending webinars and conferences, reading or writing articles, connecting with colleagues for information sharing, earning your CVA designation, and participating in formal education opportunities.

Continuing Education and Certificate Programs

National Volunteer Management Certificate Program

Volunteer Management Professionals of Canada is pleased to announce our partnership with Conestoga College in Kitchener, Ontario in the launch of a national Volunteer Management Certificate Program.  This certificate is offered through various delivery methods of in-person, online and hybrid begins in September and will end in June.

•  Conestoga College - Volunteer Management Certificate Program (hybrid or online) 

 The Volunteer Management Certificate Program builds personal, organizational and community capacity by equipping students with the skills needed to successfully recruit and retain volunteer resources. The program is designed for paid staff or volunteers who currently or plan to effectively engage volunteers in the not for profit sector. 

This national program is offered in partnership with the Volunteer Management Professionals of Canada.  The courses align with the accepted professional and program standards established by the Volunteer Management Professionals of Canada, Volunteer Canada and the National Occupational Standards.  

The program provides students with the up-to-date information, resources and tools needed to develop and implement best practices.  Using a unique portfolio approach, students create a customized and comprehensive set of tools and resources for their organization. 

There are three delivery models, in class, hybrid or fully online and can be completed in one year.  It is ideal for anyone who works with volunteers, from small faith-based organizations to community centres to large hospitals or municipalities.  The skills are highly transferable for supervisory or leadership roles. 

The program provides the foundation for graduates wishing to further their professional development and pursue an International designation in Volunteer Administration.

It is strongly recommended that applicants to the program have previous volunteer experience. Graduates are seen as leaders who can affect positive change in their communities through facilitating quality volunteer engagement.

Others programs in volunteer or non-profit management include (in alphabetical order):

• Fleming College (online) 
• Humber College (online)
• Mohawk College (online)
• Mount Royal University (online)
• Vancouver Community College, in collaboration with Volunteer Management Institute (in-person)

For more courses, view Charity Village’s listing of Post-Secondary Education in Non-Profit Management.

Other Opportunities to Learn:

• The CharityVillage® Learning Institute (CVLI) is the place to start when you're looking for educational programs or professional development opportunities as a non-profit professional in Canada. They offer links to dozens of courses available across the country. This is a quick list of post-secondary institutions across Canada and in the USA that offer programs in Non-Profit Management, Fundraising, Arts and Culture, as well as Social Work and Event Planning.
  
  
• EnergizeInc!: Susan J. Ellis’ website full of thought provoking articles, a list of online and hard copy books and resources, and training.
  
  
• e-Volunteerism: Want to stay up to date with the latest information? Subscribe to e-Volunteerism, a Journal to Inform and Challenge Leaders of volunteers.
  
  
• Since its founding in 1953, The Muttart Foundation has provided millions of dollars to support worthwhile projects in Canada and overseas. Since the early 1990's, the Foundation has focused its funding in Alberta, Saskatchewan, the Yukon, and the Northwest Territories. Most of its funding has supported social service programs, particularly those related to children and youth. In recent years, the Foundation has also been active in programs that increase the capacity of the charitable sector generally. The Foundation makes available bursaries to pay for the tuition or registration costs of short-term courses, conferences and other training opportunities.
  
  
• Queen’s Volunteer Resource Bank: Maryanne Wainman, CVA and Sarah Indewey, CVA are members of the Volunteer Relations Unit in the Department of Alumni Relations & Annual Giving at Queen’s University have compiled an extensive list of online resources. For all volunteer management professionals, the Queen’s Alumni Volunteer Resource Bank is first class!  It offers a complete list of free online resources that are essential additions to any volunteer manager's toolkit. 
   
• The Volunteer Management Institute is a non-profit organization dedicated to making real, meaningful differences for volunteers through training.
  
  
• Volunteer Match: An online volunteer engagement network providing various learning resources and free webinars for people working with volunteers.