Become 1 of 30 Community Leaders! Registration is now open! Register at https://forms.office.com/r/qxQCApTKxA. Registration closes September 25th, 2025, at 11:59 PM.
What is the Community Leadership Development Program?
Ready to make a real impact on campus and beyond? The Community Leadership Development Program (CLDP) is a unique volunteer opportunity designed to give you the chance to:
- Lead real projects in our community. You'll help develop and facilitate CSE programs, working alongside UTM staff and/or community partners.
- Receive leadership training to help you grow as a leader, with support from peers and staff.
- Connect with other student leaders in the Centre for Student Engagement (CSE).
- Gain valuable experience, CCR recognition and a recommendation letter upon request.
Program Structure
As a participant, you will be considered a 'Community Leader' (CL) and you will be given one of our CL roles (we do our best to provide you with your preference, which will be collected in the application):
- Access & Inclusion Community Leaders support Access and Inclusion Programs from October to April
- STEAM Community Leaders support STEAM Day programming from October to April
- STEAM Mentorship Academy Community Leaders support the STEAM Mentorship Academy (SMA) and must be available on Thursdays from 2:00-4:30pm from October to December
Each role is a 40hr volunteer commitment. What does this 40hrs involve?
- 25 hours of volunteering in the UTM and/or local community as described in the descriptions linked above for the three CL roles; this allows you to apply your leadership skills in a practical setting
- 10hrs of leadership training and/or meetings throughout the program, providing you with tools and information to succeed in your roles. A key component of this is attending four in-person trainings, each 1 hour long, between Oct. 6-Nov. 28th. Details are available in the application form. For these four 1hr trainings, you will be placed in a small group and will attend all 4 sessions with the same group.
- 5hrs completing administrative tasks of the program (ex. emails, reflections, surveys)
Our first required in-person session is Saturday, October 4th, 2025 from 10:00am-1:00pm
Here's what students have to say
"Volunteering with the CSE this year has been a transformative experience for my personal and professional growth. It gave me the opportunity to step into leadership roles where I learned how to support others, manage stress, and adapt to new situations." - Niana Singh, Community Leader 2024-2025
"It helped me connect with others and feel more involved! I really enjoyed working with others at UTM to contribute to larger missions beyond our campus." - Massimo Bozzo, Community Leader 2024-2025
"Volunteering with the CSE pushed me out of my comfort zone, allowing me to explore new challenges and develop confidence in my leadership skills. Through hands-on experiences...I discovered my leadership style...while learning to adapt, collaborate, and problem-solve effectively. Stepping into unfamiliar roles showed me that leadership isn’t about having all the answers but about guiding and supporting a team toward a shared goal. This experience gave me the confidence to take initiative, trust my abilities, and grow as a leader." - Natran Tewoldemedhin, Community Leader 2024-2025
"It has certainly helped me manage my time, and I loved volunteering with the CSE. The camaraderie between all members of the team really made me feel at home, and showed me that this is something that I would love to be a part of in the future." - Ng'ang'a Gitau, Community Leader 2024-2025
Winter 2026
We have two Community Leader roles that take place from January to April. Registration for these two roles will open on January 5th, 2026:
- Alternative Reading Week Community Leaders support Alternative Reading Week
- STEAM Mentorship Academy Community Leaders will once again be needed, this time supporting January-April SMA programming.
Inquiries
For all questions and feedback regarding the Community Leadership Development Program, please contact:
Laura Walkling
Supervisor, Leadership Education
- Email: laura.walkling@utoronto.ca