history

The Volunteer Centre of Guelph/Wellington was established in 2001, the International Year of the Volunteer. Many people and organizations contributed to the creation of the Volunteer Centre, launched after numerous studies and pilot projects were undertaken in Guelph and Wellington County. The United Way Community Services invested in the concept of a volunteer centre and we opened our doors in October 2001 at 183 Woolwich Street in Guelph. An initial staff team of 2.5 full-time staff equivalents, we focused our energies on membership services, volunteer recruitment and referral and serving the rural community of Wellington County.

We hosted a United Way of Canada Volunteer Leadership Development Institute in 2002 and began providing customized training for board of directors and volunteer leaders. 

In 2004, we took on the management of our local community information centre and launched Community Information Guelph. We moved to 46 Cork Street East in July 2004 and increased our staff resources to manage this program.

In 2006, through the financial support of the Ontario Trillium Foundation, we hired a Manager of Training & Consulting Services to invest in our Volunteer Leadership Development Program and help us meet the increasing governance and leadership needs of our local non-profit and charitable organizations.

We celebrated our 5th year anniversary in June 2006 at our annual general meeting.

We celebrated our 10th year anniversary in June of 2011 at our annual general meeting and with a special campaign called "Power of 10".  This campaign focused on the community change that could happen if you "do, give, share".  Whether you volunteer for 10 hours, donate 10 dollars or share your experience with 10 friends, you have made our community a better place to live, work and play.