2024 Volunteer Conference Workshops
Friday, November 15 at Delta Hotel, 8 am - 4:30 pm
Morning Workshops:
Financial Management and Planning for Non-Profit Boards Normand Gendron, MBA, CPA, Mount Saint Vincent University.
Participants will learn the essentials of nonprofit financial management, including:
- Understanding and interpreting nonprofit & charity financial statements & financial regulations;
- Preparing an annual budget, a year-end forecast, and monthly financial statements;
- Budgeting for capital projects and long-term financial planning;
- Important considerations when applying for funding;
- Important financial internal controls for board due diligence and to protect the organization.
Through a case study, participants will apply these concepts in practice.
Understanding the Nuances of Burnout Rajean Willis, Nova Scotia Association of Black Social Workers.
This workshop will explore the ways that burnout can manifest for volunteers and how to prevent it as much as possible. We will discuss some of the signs to be aware of and ways to address them as they may appear.
Co-Generational Volunteering: Challenges & Opportunities Genevieve Allen Hearn, Valley Regional Enterprise Network.
This workshop will involve an exploration of co-generational volunteering, covering such topics as motivation, communication, respecting boundaries, and honoring legacies.
Gender Diversity 101 Baylee Brown, Halifax Regional Municipality; Cathy Collett, Halifax Regional Municipality.
An introduction to supporting gender diverse individuals that provides a basic understanding of the concept of gender diversity and responds to many frequently asked questions. This session offers ideas for inclusionary practices and addresses some existing myths and misconceptions regarding gender diversity with time dedicated towards addressing questions from participants.
Tools to Positively Connect with and Engage Youth in your Community Becky Kerr, HRM Mobile Youth Support Team; Amy Burke, The Sackville Multi-Service Youth Centre.
This workshop is designed for community volunteers who are looking to enhance their skills for engaging and working with youth. Utilizing restorative approaches, this workshop will give an overview on building positive relationships and navigating challenges that arise when working with youth.
Public Speaking Made FUN! Rachelle M. Turple-Christmas, Halifax Regional Municipality.
In this workshop, participants will be provided a Brave Space to gain new skills and equip themselves with simple techniques to improve their public speaking ability. We will explore the ‘golden rules’ for effective public speaking. We will discuss leveraging the passion for your topic, harnessing nervous anxiety and body language, and addressing our listeners with intention. Together we will enjoy fun activities to train our butterflies to fly straight and, most importantly, empower ourselves, each other and our audience! Participants will leave this course with a calmer attitude toward speaking publicly and a renewed sense of self-confidence.
Afternoon Workshops:
Fundraising for Small Not-for-Profits Anne-Marie McElrone, The North Grove
Every organization is unique, so every fundraising plan needs to be tailored to your strengths, opportunities and aspirations. We'll share practical lessons from a fundraiser who started small and built on the organization's strengths, and then explore how the SOAR process can help you plan and focus fundraising for your own organization.
Fundamentals of Marketing & Promotion for Not-for-Profits Penny Sears, Clean Foundation; Kelly Duggan, Clean Foundation.
This workshop will present the fundamentals like creating a marketing strategy, brand building, advertising and leveraging digital and social media channels to build awareness of your organization in community.
Newcomer and Immigrant Experiences in the Volunteer Sector (Panel) Cong Chen, Halifax Regional Municipality; Sonia Ikheloa, The Guardians; Stacey Gomez, Centre for Migrant Worker Rights Nova Scotia.
Many newcomers to Canada are interested in volunteering in their communities to improve their language skills, gain work experience, and build connections with their neighbours. Many not-for-profit organizations struggle with volunteer recruitment and retention. They also may not have the tools or knowledge to promote volunteer roles to newcomers and immigrants. This panel will allow volunteers to better understand newcomer experiences in their communities and the volunteer sector, describe the benefits of including newcomers in your organization’s work, and give organizations ideas and tools to be more welcoming and purposeful in their promotion to newcomers.
Planning Community Events Mike Gillett, Halifax Regional Municipality.
Community events are often an essential part of promoting, fundraising, and celebrating the work of organizations, as well as a great way to bring the broader community together. In this workshop, participants will learn about the opportunities that come from hosting community events, such as partnerships, fundraising, and great exposure, which can help with volunteer recruitment. Further, participants will learn about creative ways to get support for events, such as enticing volunteers, building creative partnerships, and ideas for sponsorships.
Volunteer Recruitment & Retention: Best Practices & Action Planning Catherine Morley, The North Grove; Meaghan Dalton, Halifax Regional Municipality.
In this workshop, you will learn about volunteer recruitment best practices and innovations, hear from a volunteer coordinator successfully building a strong volunteer base, and start thinking about what concrete steps your organization can take to more effectively recruit, retain, and recognize volunteers.
Working with Different Personalities Darren Hirtle, Halifax Regional Municipality
For a group to work together effectively, it is important to understand how the different personality types within the group interact, complement and in some cases, create conflict. Using the "Birds of a Feather" tool, this workshop will explore the benefits and challenges of working with different personalities to create a successful team.