Volunteer Conference

The annual Volunteer Conference is an opportunity for volunteers to connect, celebrate and learn relevant skills to build stronger volunteer capacity throughout the municipality. Delegates representing a variety of organizations and causes will participate in two training workshops, networking activities, a keynote speech and a seated meal. This year’s workshops will cover topics such as:

• Basic non-profit financial management
• Burnout
• Co-generational volunteering
• Gender diversity
• Engaging youth
• Public speaking
• Fundraising
• Marketing and promotions  
• Newcomer and immigrant experiences in the volunteer sector
• Community events
• Volunteer recruitment and retention
• Working with different personalities 

2025 Volunteer Conference

The Volunteer Conference 2025 will be held on Friday November 21. If you would like to be informed about registration opening next year, please join our mailing list. 

Friday, November 21  | 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
The Delta Hotels by Marriot Dartmouth | 240 Brownlow Avenue (virtual hotel walk-through)
Register: Registration will open in September

Keynote Speaker, Crystal Garrett

Crystal Garrett is an experienced and enthusiastic speaker and television broadcaster who credits volunteering for creating the framework she’s proudly built her life on.

As a young girl growing up on a strawberry farm in southwestern Ontario, she always dreamed of a career in television but it seemed out of reach. That all changed after she began to volunteer at a local cable station while pursuing her degree in Communication Studies at the University of Windsor.  One day, at an indoor track meet, a frantic producer shoved a microphone in Crystal’s hand and asked her to do some post-race interviews with the athletes. After that, she was hooked and continued to volunteer for any “job” the station had available – even while pursuing her master’s degree in journalism from Western University.  Eventually, Crystal had enough on-air experience to edit her own demo reel at the cable station…and that VHS tape helped her land her very first job in broadcasting.

Now, twenty-five years later, Crystal says she loves her career so much, it’s almost unfair to call it work at all. You can watch her every morning as a co-host on CTV Morning Live on CTV Atlantic. Over the years, Crystal has anchored and reported for CBC Montreal, Global Quebec and Global Halifax, with many of her reports being broadcast internationally on CNN.  She’s also a professional speaker, who’s been invited to speak to audiences as far afield as China and Japan.

Crystal continues to find volunteering incredibly rewarding. This fall, she’ll coach a high school cross country team and mentor young entrepreneurs to help prepare for a pitch competition with Black Women in Excellence.

Outside of career and volunteerism, Crystal likes to travel the world with her husband and three children. She is a former Canadian national team member for 10 km, who now runs for sheer enjoyment. Crystal is a breast cancer survivor, who believes in the importance of maximizing time, thinking of others and choosing to live life to the fullest, with joyful optimism.

What our past participants have said about the annual conference:

• “...I really look forward to it every year.  I find it really inspiring and energizing.”
• “Great experience. I learn something new every time I attend.”
• “Exceeded my expectations”
• “Great variety of topics.  Excellent networking opportunities...”  
• “It was very informative and a lot of fun!” 
• “Always an amazing opportunity to network and learn” 
• “Amazing!...I feel energized and excited to put to use all the suggestions and strategies I learned.”