Volunteer Member of The Board of Directors

**Status**:Volunteer Opportunity

**Commitment**: 6-8 hours per month, 2-year term, option to renew

**Location**:Toronto, Ontario

**Openings**: Multiple

**Deadline to apply**:December 5th 2025

The Child Development Institute (CDI) is a Canadian charity that has brought hope and built brighter futures for at-risk children and their families since 1909. CDI provides direct services to communities in Toronto and has scaled the delivery of its signature evidence-based programs across Canada and internationally through a growing network of affiliates. Built on a legacy of more than 115 years of helping children and families, CDI is an accredited mental health agency and child care provider that offers evidence-based programs across three primary service streams:

- Child and Youth Mental Health Services
- Family Violence Services
- Early Years and Child Care Services

We are proud to be accredited through the Canadian Centre for Accreditation, a third-party organization that accredits Canadian social service and health care providers based on accepted practices that promote ongoing quality improvement and responsive, effective community services.

**The opportunity**:
We are seeking passionate, community-minded individuals to join CDI’s volunteer Board of Directors for a two-year term. The Board provides governance oversight and strategic direction for the organization, helping to ensure that CDI continues to deliver inclusive, evidence-based services that make a meaningful difference. Directors serve on a volunteer basis and do not receive compensation or personal benefit for their service.

As a member of CDI’s Board of Directors, you will play an active role in advancing our mission to help children, youth, and families build brighter futures. Your journey will begin with two orientation sessions, including an engaging 90-minute virtual training on Board Governance led by an external expert. From there, you will serve as an informed and committed ambassador for CDI—staying connected to our programs, policies, and the communities we serve. You will champion CDI’s mission and values within your network, contribute your insights to guide strategic decisions, and ensure our work continues to reflect the diverse needs of families and stakeholders.

You will begin by lending your expertise as a community member to one of our Board committees. You are committed and have expertise in one of these four areas:

- Finance (Non-Profit Accounting)
- Fund Development
- Human Resources
- Marketing and Communications

**What’s in it for you?**

As a Board member and advocate for CDI’s mission, you will have the opportunity to make a real and lasting impact on the lives of children, youth, and families. You will:

- Shape the future of children’s mental health and early learning by contributing your insights, expertise, and lived experience to guide CDI’s strategy and growth.
- Engage with a passionate and diverse community of leaders and professionals committed to advancing inclusive, evidence-based care that responds to the evolving needs of families.
- Gain exposure to innovative, science-informed programs and research, including CDI’s nationally recognized work in measurement-based care, trauma-informed practice, and early childhood development.
- Contribute to governance that drives systemic change, ensuring that every child and family has access to equitable, high-quality support.
- Grow as a leader by collaborating in a values-driven environment that celebrates curiosity, empathy, and impact.

**As a Board member, you will**:

- Attend all regular meetings of the Board if possible, in person or by telephone or other electronic means, with a minimum of 75% of meetings annually.
- Make an annual gift personally or from an affiliated company or foundation.
- Represent CDI at external events, where appropriate and required to do so.
- Support CDI events to whatever extent possible.
- Stay informed of agenda items, read all material in advance and contribute knowledgeably, through thoughtful questions and comments, to the discussion and decisions of the Board.
- Participate in orientation meetings and training as a new Board member to become familiar with the corporation’s mission, goals, programs and services and the responsibilities of the Board and individual directors.
- Participate as a member of one or more Board committees.
- Take on Board leadership responsibilities as requested and when appropriate.
- Participate in the annual Board self-review and feedback process that reflects the values and policies of the organisation.
- Participate in the annual review of the CEO, led by the Board HR Committee.
- Assist in the identification and recruitment of prospective Board and committee members.
- Comply with all Board policies, including CDI’s Code of Conduct and Privacy Policy.
- Respect confidentiality of issues of a sensitive nature.
- Declare any conflict of interest, or potential conflict of interest, including