The PAVRO Professional Development Team is Proud to Present:
Partnering with Purpose: Corporate Volunteer Engagement – Lessons from the Success of a Holistic Partnership Approach with Erin McLean, CVA
Thursday, November 20, 2025 at 12 PM ET
Learning Objectives
- Evaluation - How to identify your organization’s needs and the value of what your organization has to offer potential corporate partners
- Recruitment - Identifying new partners and how to work collaboratively within your organization to build relationships based on shared values and benefits
- Opportunities - Building a partnership “menu”
- Volunteer Engagement Best Practices - integrating organizational standards with the corporate volunteer experience
- Relationship management and evaluation - how to strengthen and steward the partnership
Session Description/Abstract
Corporate Volunteer Engagement can sometimes feel like a daunting task, and establishing successful relationships in this area can be a moving target.
In this session, we will explore lessons learned from the successful development of a Holistic Partnership Approach to corporate volunteering. We will break down the successes and challenges related to this process, as well as discuss how sector trends can impact success. Through discussion and take-away tools, this session will provide a framework for exploring the development and consideration of holistic partnership relationships as an approach to corporate volunteer engagement. Together, we will explore the evaluation and recruitment processes, how to build a partnership menu, and also how to integrate organizational standards into corporate volunteer engagement while incorporating long-term relationship stewardship.
Presenter Bio:
Erin McLean, CVA, holds a Master's degree in Political Science with a focus in Conflict Resolution from the University of Waterloo, as well as a certificate in Fundraising and Volunteer Management from George Brown College. Earlier this year Erin earned her CVA (Certified Volunteer Administrator) designation from the Council for Certification in Volunteer Administration, joining 1,100 peers worldwide.
Since starting her career as a volunteer engagement professional, she has experience in both provincial and national organizations, with a successful track record in targeted community recruitment, inter-organizational collaboration, resource development and program implementation. Located in Ontario, Canada, Erin’s current role is as Director of Alumni and Volunteer Engagement at Trails Youth Initiatives.
McLean is the recipient of the 2016 PAVRO Young Leader Award, and the inaugural winner of the 2020 DRAVA Leader of Volunteers Award, as well as first place honours as 2020’s Emerging Leader Award Recipient from VMPC (Volunteer Management Professionals of Canada). Most recently, Erin was awarded the 2024 Linda Buchanan Award for outstanding contribution to the field of Volunteer Engagement, presented by PAVRO. Driven by the potential of volunteer impact, McLean is passionate about influencing that potential in her work and as an active member of the volunteer engagement community. Eager to connect and collaborate with peers, Erin currently volunteers as the Chair of Regional Engagement for VMPC, and also sits on the Engage Editorial team as Co-Editor of the Ethics section. In 2022, Erin also spent time with Conestoga College as an Instructor for the Volunteer Management Certificate Program and has been published in Engage (formerly e-Volunteerism). Erin is also an experienced workshop presenter and conference panellist.
When not working or volunteering, Erin loves to spend time with her husband, daughter, and puppy! She enjoys cooking, and travel and is a huge Toronto Maple Leafs fan!
