About Our Workshops
GHCHF offers portable workshops, where we tailor a program to your needs. Co-ops can invite neighbouring co-ops to share a portable workshop in order to share the cost. Workshops can be delivered in-person, virtually or in a hybrid format.
We charge a flat fee for portable workshops, regardless of the number of participants. Workshops are most effective with between 7 and 20 participants.
For more information or to set up a portable workshop, contact us at doug@ghchf.com or 905-561-2667.
Workshops Offered
Click on a workshop below for more information.
Advanced Board Training
Aimed at the experienced Board member.
Topics: working as a team; legal responsibilities; co-op finances; planning and goal setting; managing staff; working with committees and creating a co-operative community.
Full day session
Arrears Management
Does your co-op have an arrears problem? We will talk about how to recognize an arrears problem and how to prevent it. You will learn about by-laws, policies and procedures to manage the issues of late payments and arrears. This workshop will offer a proactive approach to arrears.
3 Hours
Avoiding Vacancy Loss
What does it take to keep your co-op full in to-day’s market? This workshop will help you develop a strategy for finding new members. Topics covered: developing a successful marketing plan, spending your advertising dollars effectively and designing a membership process that meets the needs of applicants.
3 Hours
The Board As an Employer
If your co-op staff and Board are to work together as a team you will each need to know their responsibilities. The role of the Board, hiring, staff training, performance evaluation and the role of the staff liaison are covered in this workshop.
3 Hours
Board Basics
This is a general view of what the Board does, its roles and responsibilities.
3 Hours
By-Laws
Evaluating and updating your by-laws Your facilitator will lead you through the steps in bringing your by-laws up-to-date and writing them in plain language. A hands on working workshop to get you off to the right start.
Rates by the hour. Minimum 3 hours.
Developing a Maintenance Action Plan
You have done the annual inspections. Now what? How can you make this information work for the co-op? We will talk about ways to use the information from unit inspections and from other sources.
3 Hours
Effective Meetings
Will review the basics of meeting process and how to prepare for a meeting. You will learn how to plan and run meetings to meet the needs of the co-op and its members. Topics will include: planning the agenda; rules of order; the role of the chair; involving members; preparing agenda items and communication and decision-making.
3 Hours
Ethics and Conflict of Interest, Tips for Directors
We will discuss what conflict of interest is and isn’t. This workshop will also look at a guide to ethical conflict that will help Boards’ manage the co-ops’ business and provide the right kind of leadership in the co-op community.
3 Hours
Evaluating Staff
Is a complete guide for Boards, personnel committees and management teams. It will help you develop a fair and inclusive staff evaluation process. Find out how this guide can help you build and strengthen your co-op management and create positive staff/employer relationships.
3 Hours
Good Management in Your Co-op
By-law changes; policy review; evaluating co-op management procedures; committee re-structuring; financial downsizing? We will discuss how your co-op stacks up against the co-op housing sector recommendations. An overview of the different models of co-op management is included in this workshop.
3 Hours
Leadership Skills
Developing strong leadership skills within the co-op sector is important to the growth and well-being of our members. This workshop will help you understand the different styles of leadership; explain the concept of leadership and its importance to effectively deliver your message; and will assist you in your ability to positively influence others.
3 Hours
Managing Your Co-op’s Finances
Who is responsible for your co-ops’ finances? Role of the Board in financial management. Responsibilities of the signing officer, working with financial records. This workshop deals with the actual day-to-day finances of your co-op.
3 Hours
Member Selection
Focuses on recruiting people who will become active informed co-op members. Marketing, information sessions, application forms, selection criteria are covered in this workshop.
3 Hours
New Members in Your Co-op
This workshop will help you understand and improve your co-op’s membership process. Topics will include: membership policies; interviews; approving new members; welcoming new members; organizing the work of the membership committee.
3 Hours
Organizing Committees
Committees are the backbone of a housing co-op. Effective committees help the co-op run well and allow for meaningful member involvement. You will learn how to create a good committee structure and to define the work of the committee. Topics will include how to orient members, writing job descriptions and the role of committees in the co-op.
3 Hours
Organizing the Maintenance Committee
Good organization and a clear job description are a must for a well functioning maintenance committee. We will review the duties and responsibilities of this committee, then we will write a job description. Find out how a maintenance committee can organize its members and tasks to get the work done.
3 Hours
Orientation and Information Sessions
Are a good way to attract new members to your co-op. This workshop will help you design a useful information session. This is the first step in your relationship with a member. Getting off to a good start can make the difference to new members and to the co-op. You will learn how to develop an orientation process for new members that will help them understand their role in the co-op.
3 Hours
Skills for Better Board Meetings
You will learn about: rules of order, speakers lists, keeping people on topic and on time, how to keep order, the role of the agenda and how minutes contribute to good meetings.
3 Hours
Unit Inspections
We will review different ways of organizing and completing unit inspections. It will give you practical ideas about how to get the work done. We will look at different inspection forms that make the inspection process easy and worthwhile.
3 Hours
Your Co-op and the Law
Will guide you through the legal and corporate requirements which affect housing co-operatives.
3 Hours
