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About Us

Our mission is to seek out, recognize and develop leadership potential commencing with second year high school students.

Our goals are to:

  • Encourage and prepare the next generation of Canada's civic, social and corporate leaders.
  • Provide young leaders with forums to learn “how” to think, not “what” to think, by offering independent and interactive opportunities for critical thinking.
  • Encourage personal growth by promoting positive thinking, goal setting and community involvement.

How We Do It

The anchor of our program is the three day long Central Ontario Leadership Seminar (COLS). Each May over 120 student ambassadors and more than 40 volunteer staff and alumni gather together for a weekend long seminar designed teach young leaders (specifically, grade 10 students) how to think, not what to think. Through team building, creative problem solving, interactive informational panels, motivational speakers, and social forums our dynamic program encourages the student ambassadors to think critically, go out on a limb and think 'outside of the box'. For more details on the seminar program please click here.

The second element to COLS that helps to further develop our young leaders is the Central Ontario Alumni Association (COAA). Once a student ambassador has attended a COLS seminar they are automatically a member of the COAA. There are five regional chapters (or clubs) within the COAA including: Brampton, Toronto, Halton/Hamilton, Mississauga/Oakville and Niagara. Apart from holding social and charity events in their regions, these regional clubs hold 1 day versions of the three day seminar called PLAY Days (Promoting Leadership Among Youth Days) which aim to continue to foster the message of leadership and positive mental attitude. The regional clubs are run entirely by our alumni members and are a great example of young leaders in action. To find out more about our alumni click here.

Through the 3 day Central Ontario Leadership Seminar and our 1 day regional PLAY Days, we hope to reach out to over 500 student leaders each year. Our Canadian programs help equip tomorrow's leaders with the skills necessary to effectively grapple with the major social and economical problems that face our country. Above all, our seminars allow students from various high schools in the area to come together and meet with other future leaders like themselves.

COLS is a non profit organization and is unique in the fact that no school or student is charged to attend. It is by maintaining this strict policy that students from all economic and social backgrounds are given an equal opportunity to attend. Generous gifts from our constituents, combined with the dedication of hundreds of volunteers, provide the backbone of support necessary to deliver COLS's programs. This is the base of Support which will sustain the organization for many years to come. To find out how you can help click here.

Our History

Central Ontario Leadership Seminars is a registered Canadian charitable organization dedicated to the recognition and development of leadership potential in grade ten high school students. Volunteers have provided an annual three-day seminar to students since 1982.

Each September, the Organizing Committee begins the daunting task of planning the seminar, raising the necessary funds and sending out nomination packages to over 250 public, separate and private schools eligible to apply to represent their school at the all expenses paid, three-day seminar.

For over twenty years, COLS and its sister site in Eastern Ontario (EOLS) had been affiliated with the internationally recognized Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership as one of 4 seminars in Ontario. In 2002, the combined Leadership Seminars developed a fully Canadian based program and went out independently with a goal to grow to have leadership seminars across the country and be Canada's top training program for the leaders of tomorrow.

Our mission is still "to seek out, recognize and develop leadership potential commencing with second year high school students, and to encourage and prepare the next generation of civic and corporate leadership for Canada's future."

The Planning Committee

The Central Ontario Leadership Seminar Planning Committee is made up entirely of volunteers who are donating their time to make the seminar possible. This committee is comprised of past ambassadors, parents, and professionals. Without the participation of volunteers the Central Ontario Leadership Seminar would not be possible.