In these sessions, you can engage in a variety of workshops to support and build capacity in the people side of your non-profit organization.
Check back soon for updates, we are adding new sessions regularly!
- 9:00 am – “Navigating Employment Standards and Other Employment Law Concepts in a Non-profit Environment” (Carmelle Hunka – Walsh LLP)
- 10:45 am – “How Effective is Your Board? Building a High-Functioning Governance Team” (Meghan Donohoe & Alicia Wight – Pebble)
- 10:45 am – “Keeping Cool and Connected: Conflict Skills for Board Members” (Julie Hrdlicka – Conflict Revolution)
- 10:45 am – “Empowering Action: Transforming Volunteer Engagement into Impact” (Sheena Swierenga – Volunteer Connector)
- 10:45am – “Engaging Youth Volunteers: Inspiring the Next Generation of Changemakers” (Youth Central)
- 1:45 pm – “Check the Pulse: How Boards Can Strengthen Organizational Health” (Meghan Donohoe & Alicia Wight – Pebble)
- 1:45 pm – “Sharing Leadership in Complexity” (Geraldine Ysselstein – Riverstone Consulting)
- 1:45 pm – “Facilitating Strategic Planning for Non-Profits: Practical Skills for Success” (Jerry Firth – Community Development Unit)
- 3:30 pm – “Healthy Minds, Strong Missions: A Mental Health Workshop for Not-for-Profit Boards” (Fawna Bews, CMHA AB + CSP)
- 3:30 pm – “Welcoming & Inclusion: Breaking Down Barriers” (Paul Meunier – Federation of Calgary Communities)
“Navigating Employment Standards and Other Employment Law Concepts in a Non-profit Environment”
Time: 9:00am – 10:30am
Presenter(s): Carmelle Hunka (Walsh LLP)
Description: Non-profit organizations tend to focus their time and resources on advancing their purpose with lean and dedicated teams. This leaves little time to focus on employment policies. Yet, meeting employment law obligations is key to attracting and retaining a solid workforce. In this presentation, we will provide an overview of key employment standards obligations and offer insight into practical approaches to meeting them. We will also discuss some of the key issues in the employment law landscape in the past year, to assist your leadership in addressing employment matters that may arise. Our goal is to provide you with practical solutions to meet your employment law needs. Topics will include:
- Probationary periods
- Accommodation of employees on leave
- Managing overtime and in lieu arrangements
- Termination of employment in a respectful and legal manner
- Privacy considerations
- Managing workplace environment complaints
To learn more about Walsh LLP, click on the link below.
“How Effective is Your Board? Building a High-Functioning Governance Team”
Time: 10:45am – 12:15pm
Presenter(s): Meghan Donohoe & Alicia Wight (Pebble)
Description: Boards are teams too – but they are rarely supported like one. Many nonprofit boards juggle both governance and hands-on work, yet formal team development often gets left off the agenda. The result? Power imbalances, fuzzy roles, disengagement, and meetings that leave you wondering, “Could we be working better together?” In this session, we’ll explore what makes a board truly effective – not just in oversight, but in how it works together as a team. You’ll learn how high-performing teams inside organizations share clarity, trust, and accountability – and how those same principles can transform the way your board operates. Using Pebble’s Shape of Great Teams model, you’ll assess your board’s strengths and gaps and walk away with practical tools to foster better collaboration, clearer communication, and shared responsibility for your mission.
To learn more about Pebble, click on any of the links below.
“Keeping Cool and Connected: Conflict Skills for Board Members”
Time: 10:45am – 12:15pm
Presenter(s): Julie Hrdlicka – Conflict Revolution
Description: Board members often find fulfillment in their roles—until conflict arises. Disagreements with fellow board members, staff, community members, or clients can quickly disrupt board dynamics and create tension.
During conflict, what do we need to understand about ourselves? How can we communicate effectively and transform conflict into an opportunity for growth rather than a reason to walk away?
In this session, we will explore strategies to enhance self-awareness, build clarity and confidence, and navigate conflict with intention. These skills will empower you to make informed decisions and engage more effectively, even in challenging situations.
To learn more about Conflict Revolution, click on any of the links below.
“Empowering Action: Transforming Volunteer Engagement into Impact”
Time: 10:45am – 12:15pm
Presenter(s): Sheena Swierenga – Volunteer Connector
Description: Join us for an inspiring and dynamic session on Volunteer Engagement, where we’ll explore how to create an environment that not only attracts volunteers but also fuels their passion and commitment. In this session, we’ll share innovative strategies, best practices, and success stories that demonstrate how engaging volunteers leads to a more vibrant, mission-driven community. Whether you’re just starting or looking to elevate your volunteer program, this session will empower you with the tools and mindset to ignite enthusiasm, build stronger relationships, and create lasting impact. Get ready to turn your volunteers into your greatest champions!
To learn more about Volunteer Connector, click on the link below.
“Engaging Youth Volunteers: Inspiring the Next Generation of Changemakers”
Time: 10:45am – 12:15pm
Presenter(s): Peony Wong – Youth Central
Description: Young people bring energy, fresh ideas, and a deep desire to make a difference— but engaging them meaningfully requires intention and creativity. This workshop explores why youth volunteerism is vital for building vibrant, inclusive communities and offers actionable strategies for effectively involving young volunteers. Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of what motivates young people and how to create volunteer experiences that are impactful for both the individual and the organization.
To learn more about Youth Central, click on any of the links below.
“Check the Pulse: How Boards Can Strengthen Organizational Health”
Time: 1:45pm – 3:15pm
Presenter(s): Meghan Donohoe & Alicia Wight (Pebble)
Boards are skilled at tracking financials and governance – but what about the health of leadership and people? In this session, we’ll zoom out to look beyond spreadsheets and bylaws to explore the human side of sustainability. How aligned are your board, staff, and leadership team? How well is your organization supporting its people – and how do you know?
We’ll explore how burnout, underdeveloped capacity, and unclear expectations can quietly erode your organization’s ability to flourish. You’ll use a practical Organizational Health Assessment to reflect on your nonprofit’s strengths and growth areas, and leave with the right questions to foster meaningful conversations with your leaders – without stepping into micromanagement. The goal: to help your board lead with greater confidence, clarity, and care.
Learning Outcomes:
- Learn how to support your Executive Director while staying within governance boundaries—through better questions and stronger strategic partnerships.
- Understand how organizational health – including leadership and culture – fuels long-term sustainability.
- Use a practical Organizational Health Assessment to identify early signs of organizational and leadership risk.
To learn more about Pebble, click on any of the links below.
“Sharing Leadership in Complexity”
Time: 1:45pm – 3:15pm
Presenter(s): Geraldine Ysselstein – Riverstone Consulting
Description: We live in a time of great upheaval and also where great change is needed. How can we cultivate shared leadership amongst board members in this complexity? Please join me for this workshop where we will explore how knowing ourselves, sharing our perspectives, and developing collective care agreements can support us to respond rather than react to change. Using real-life scenarios, we will practice what it means to cultivate a space where every voice is heard and contributing to shared leadership. By practicing the ability to hold multiple truths, points of view, and lived experiences; we will more creatively change and move together. By the end of the workshop, you will be able to:
- Understand yourself as a courageous collaborator
- Develop agreements that support your work with board members
- Apply different viewpoints and perspectives to real-life scenarios
To learn more about Riverstone Consulting, click on any of the links below.
“Facilitating Strategic Planning for Non-Profits: Practical Skills for Success”
Time: 3:30pm – 5:00pm
Presenter(s): Jerry Firth – Community Development Unit
Description: This hands-on workshop is designed to equip participants with essential facilitation skills for leading strategic planning sessions within non-profit organizations. Participants will explore key facilitation techniques, from guiding group discussions to structuring strategic planning processes, while gaining practical tools to steer the conversation effectively. Due to time constraints, the workshop will offer a mix of brief insights on foundational skills and more in-depth exploration of critical facilitation strategies. Whether you’re new to facilitation or looking to enhance your existing skills, this session will provide you with the confidence and tools to guide your organization through meaningful strategic planning.
To learn more about the Community Development Unit, click on any of the links below.
“Healthy Minds, Strong Missions: A Mental Health Workshop for Not-for-Profit Boards “
Time: 3:30pm – 5:00pm
Presenter(s): Fawna Bews – Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Alberta Division and Centre for Suicide Prevention (CSP)
Description: Not-for-profit board members play a vital role in guiding organizations that care for others—but who cares for the caregivers? This 90-minute interactive workshop is designed to support the mental well-being of nonprofit boards while equipping them to lead with greater compassion, awareness, and resilience.
In Healthy Minds, Strong Missions, we’ll explore the unique stressors and opportunities facing not-for-profit leaders and how mental health directly impacts organizational sustainability and mission success. Participants will gain insight into workplace psychological health and safety, understand the board’s role in shaping a culture of wellness, and walk away with practical strategies to support both themselves and their teams.
Through conversation, reflection, and real-world examples, this session creates a safe space to normalize mental health conversations and encourage stronger, more supportive leadership.
Key Takeaways:
- Understand the connection between board leadership and organizational mental health
- Recognize signs of burnout and stress in leadership roles
- Explore the board’s role in fostering psychologically safe workplaces
- Learn practical tools to support mental well-being—personally and across the organization
Whether you’re new to mental health conversations or ready to take your board’s wellness strategy to the next level, this session offers valuable insights to help your mission thrive.
To learn more about CMHA, click on any of the links below.
To learn more about CSP, click on any of the links below.
“Welcoming & Inclusion: Breaking Down Barriers”
Time: 3:30pm – 5:00pm
Presenter(s): Paul Meunier, Federation of Calgary Communities
Description: How can we build a sense of community? Many of us engage with our communities without considering how we design those engagements to be inclusive. Everyone is unique and brings their own context and lived experience to the table. We all have an ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion and other factors that make us who we are and contribute to how we view the world. Without including a diverse set of perspectives, regardless of the conversation, you may be missing out on a wealth of new and innovative ideas. Join us to learn about the engagement process and how to be mindful of inclusion when engaging community.
To learn more about The Federation of Calgary Communities, click on any of the links below.