In 2011, the United Way of Guelph Wellington Dufferin, the City of Guelph, and the Guelph Community Foundation teamed up to provide partial tuition scholarships for Conestoga College’s Certificate in Senior Leadership and Management in the Not-for-Profit Sector. Due to the success of the program, it was repeated in 2012.
This program provides learners with increased knowledge, skills, and attitudes to manage and lead organizations within the not-for-profit sector. Topics include governance, community services and facility management, community systems, program design and evaluation, leadership, and strategic and operational planning with an emphasis on financial and human resource management.
“I am enjoying this course immensely,” comments Rachel Hopf, Office Administrator and
Fundraising Coordinator for the Alzheimer Society of Guelph-Wellington, and a current student in the program. “I believe that by taking this course, I will help my organization improve some of the tasks we struggle with as a ‘community benefit organization’. It reminds us of what we need to focus on, in order for the rest of the organization to succeed.”
“ I believe in the value of the work done by community benefit agencies in our communities and I am proud to be a part of it,” comments Naomi Melnick, another current student and Assistant Executive Director at the Community Resource Centre of North & Centre Wellington. “I have had many practical experiences in my career and now look forward to adding an educational component that can only strengthen my capacity as a leader in my organization and community. As a small agency, we will certainly benefit greatly from the information, knowledge, resources and networks that will be gained from my participation in this program.”
“The learnings are having an immediate impact on our agency as they are applied,” shared Ron MacKinnon, Executive Director of the Community Resource Centre of North & Centre Wellington, when asked about the benefits to his non-profit organization. It “makes our agency stronger and more resilient – leading to a positive impact on the community we serve.”