Pillar Nonprofit Network announced today its partnership with Western Continuing Studies and Fanshawe Continuing Education, both of which will co-sponsor Pillar’s Professional Development program.
London is home to over 1,200 charities and nonprofit organizations – all of which contribute to the social well-being of our city and region. According to the latest Statistics Canada figures, roughly 60% of Londoners give back a portion of their time, energy and skills to volunteering in the community, translating to an estimated annual value of $672 million worth of donated hours.
With support from Western and Fanshawe, Pillar’s PD program will offer enhanced training and education opportunities aimed at strengthening the impact of the nonprofit sector. Over 40 workshops and presentations will be delivered over the course of the year, benefitting an estimated 1600 participants through topics such as effective marketing and public relations, social innovation, risk management, leadership, and strategic planning.
According to Pillar Board Chair, David Billson, “This exciting partnership between London’s two leading academic institutions and Pillar Nonprofit Network is yet another step forward in Pillar’s efforts to foster positive social change through cross-sector collaboration.”
Over the last three years, Pillar has hosted an annual Community Collaboration Forum in which both Fanshawe and Western have been instrumental in the successful launch of a number of community initiatives engaging key players from government, business, academia and the nonprofit sector.
“Western is pleased to partner with Pillar and Fanshawe in support of this education program for London’s not-for-profit sector as another demonstration of our commitment to the local community and lifelong learning,” says Western President Amit Chakma. “Our mission at Western is to support the development of global citizens whose education and leadership will serve the public good, which makes this particular initiative a good fit for Western Continuing Studies.”
In additional to providing financial support, both institutions will collaborate with Pillar to ensure that we are meeting the full range of education, professional development and training needs of staff, volunteers and board members attending Pillar workshops.
“Through this partnership, students will have access to additional career development, career advancement and personal growth options,” says Fanshawe President Peter Devlin. “Working collaboratively with Western University and Pillar Nonprofit Network provides an opportunity for us to make the City of London even greater. This is a tremendous opportunity for everyone.”
Expressing his appreciation, Billson notes, “On behalf of our members, and on behalf our region’s nonprofit organizations, we would like to express our sincere thanks to both Western University and Fanshawe College for their generous assistance and willingness to collaborate for the betterment of our community.”
Among the programs to be offered is a series of workshops called Leadership Beyond the Box that will give individuals who wish to be recognized as leaders in their organizations the tools required to improve themselves and their organizations.
Upcoming Professional Development activities include:
• Active Risk Management: The Board & Executive Director’s Role | February 5, 2015
• Measuring What Matters | March 31, 2015
• 2015 Canadian Conference on Social Enterprise | April 22-24, 2015
For more information on these and other programs of Pillar Nonprofit Network, visit www.pillarnonprofit.ca or call the Pillar office at 519-433-7876.
