New Community Social Services Training Fund Workshops & Webinars
A couple of months ago, we announced the launch of a series of learning and development workshops focused on coaching, leadership, and human resources management to complement the two main funding streams of the Community Social Services Training Fund. As those cohorts wrap up this week, I am happy to announce the next series of training opportunities that will be offered in partnership with Volunteer BC.
Two free webinars and three workshop programs will explore various aspects of volunteer management and how organizations can adapt their volunteer-adjacent programs in a pandemic/post-pandemic world.
From volunteer recruitment and retention, to risk management, to creating culturally inclusive volunteer programs, these learning opportunities will help organizations design and run programs that respond to community needs in times of crisis, recruit and retain volunteers while keeping health and safety a priority, and plan ways for new and returning volunteers to re-engage with programs and communities safely.
These offerings are open to all community social service organizations across the province and will address training needs and skill gaps identified in the Social Services Labour Market Research Project and the extensive Community Social Services Training Fund survey that took place in 2020.
1. Volunteer Management: Workshops & Webinar
Participants can explore this topic through a free two-hour webinar and/or apply to participate in a two-part workshop series that will take place in 3-hour virtual synchronous seminars over a two-week period. Dates, times and application information are on The Federation website.
The free webinar will be a condensed version of the workshops, giving a brief overview of how organizations can plan their volunteer programs to meet new and emerging community needs. The workshops will focus on two key aspects of volunteer management: (1) planning a volunteer program and (2) volunteer recruitment and retention—exploring how service delivery has changed, and what that means for volunteer engagement. You can learn more, register for the webinar, and apply to participate in the workshops here.
2. Risk Management: Workshops & Webinar
Like the above topic, participants can explore this issue through a free two-hour webinar and/or apply to participate in a two-part workshop series that will take place in 3-hour virtual synchronous seminars over a two-week period. Dates, times and application information are on The Federation website.
The free webinar will be a condensed version of the workshops, offering an introduction and overview to the content—looking at the different ways organizations are thinking about their volunteer programs and planning for volunteers to return safely. The workshops will take a high-level look at risk as it relates to community social services organizations. Participants will learn how to identify and assess risk by using simple tools and real-life case studies. You can learn more, register for the webinar, and apply to participate in the workshops here.
3. Culturally Welcoming, Inclusive Volunteer Programs
This two-part workshop series will take place in 4-hour virtual synchronous seminars over a two-week period. (There is no accompanying webinar.) It has been designed to assist volunteer managers in building culturally inclusive volunteer management practices into their programs to help them better attract and retain newcomers, refugees, and Indigenous groups as volunteers while also presenting a more welcoming and inclusive face to their community. You can learn more, register for the webinar, and apply to participate in the workshops here.
Other Updates and Thanks
And if you haven’t already done so, please visit the Community Social Services Training Fund page to learn more about the two different grant streams that organizations may apply for—the Support for Certification/Education Individual Grant and the Organizational Training Grant.
As of April 2021, organizations can apply for both grants in the same fiscal year—you no longer need to choose between the two funding streams. Plus, the funding amount for the Support for Certification/Education Individual Grant has been increased to $15,000 to support training for up to 10 individuals.
Funding for these workshops and seminars and the Community Social Services Training Fund grant streams has been provided by The Province of British Columbia as part of an initiative to respond to the training and development needs of those who work with some of BC’s most vulnerable people. You can learn more about these investments here.
Additional learning and development opportunities will be announced and offered between now and March 2022, so stay tuned for future updates and bookmark this page on The Federation website.
I would once again like to thank our sector partners at the Social Service Sector Roundtable for their help in making these opportunities possible. If you have any questions or concerns about the Community Social Services Training Fund or other Social Services Sector Round Table initiatives, please feel free to contact me.
Rick FitzZaland
Executive Director
