“The pandemic has forced many people to question some of their life choices and may be looking for a career change,” explains Sophie McCann.
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John Abbott College and West Island Share-Action (WICS) are partnering to offer a nonprofit leadership certificate course.
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Sophie McCann, executive director of WICS, a non-profit organization that raises funds for 40 West Island community groups, said the idea of a course to develop future leaders in the community sector was born during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The pandemic has forced many people to question some of their life choices and may be looking for a career change,” she said. “This program will help them move from what they are currently doing to a new challenge.”
McCann said the 28-hour certificate course will help “professional development for current and future leaders” in nonprofit organizations.
“The nonprofit sector is also feeling the impact of the current labor shortage and wants to attract people from other sectors who are looking for an exciting new career.
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Program instructors, including McCann, will cover a range of topics from good governance practices, leadership, strategic planning, human resources, financial management, fundraising and donor management.

The goal of the program is to provide participants with the knowledge and tools necessary to successfully manage and operate a nonprofit organization.
The program begins on Tuesday, January 11. It will take place over 10 weeks, with one session per week. Some sessions will be done virtually on Zoom, while other sessions will be done in person at John Abbott College.
The course is offered by JAC’s continuing education department.
The trainers are McCann, Marlo Turner-Ritchie, founder of Social Impact Consulting, and Yves Picard, general manager of Carrefour jeunesse emploi Ouest-de-l’Île and CJE Marquette.
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The cost is $695 plus tax after December 15.
WICS will provide “scholarships” to current employees of West Island-based nonprofit organizations, but certain conditions apply.
Although the program is aimed at aspiring leaders, including current middle managers and frontline staff, McCann said it could also prove useful for newly appointed administrators and university and college graduates interested in a career in non-profit organizations, as well as anyone looking for a career change.
“For a large part of the younger generation, it is important for them to have fulfilling careers. They don’t necessarily want to go work for a big company, but they may want a more meaningful career. So those people are of interest to us,” McCann said.
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Like other sectors of the Montreal workforce, McCann said nonprofits have been hit by staff turnover as people retire or change their lifestyles during the pandemic.
“Some nonprofits have a leader in place and some of them are getting older and starting to think about retirement and they have to think about succession planning. They don’t always have someone in their organization who is ready for that. So that’s part of what triggered (this certificate).
To register or for more information, visit https://formationcontinue.johnabbott.qc.ca/non-profitleadership-ccertificate.
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