A social enterprise is more than just a business that donates to the same deserving organization each year – it’s an investment into the infrastructure of a community, a partnership that ensures both parties are less vulnerable to external pressures and more focused on shared values, stability, and prosperity. Shelter Movers proudly began a social enterprise partnership last year with Firemen Movers, a Toronto-based professional moving company. This partnership operates on a model that invests in resilience and mission-driven excellence.
At Shelter Movers, we know that a person’s belongings are valuable details in the stories of their lives, and Firemen Movers agrees that every one of those details matters. In addition to supporting Shelter Movers’ moving services to survivors within the Greater Toronto Area, Firemen Movers partners with Shelter Movers’ Greater Toronto staff to provide volunteers with mover training, tailored to the unique needs of Shelter Movers’ clients. What began as a pilot project in 2024 is being expanded in the spring of 2025 to become a quarterly training program.
Moving is Complex
Moving is more than boxes, bubble wrap, and lifting with your knees. There’s a whole host of tips, tricks, and useful insights that save professional movers time, hiccups, and potential injuries in the course of their work. While the average person may have helped their family or friends move a few times here and there, not many people are likely to claim expertise in the technical aspects of the moving process. Most Shelter Movers volunteers aren’t professional movers, so learning proper techniques and having the right equipment is crucial to ensure everyone and everything is safe during a move. That’s where Firemen Movers’ training makes all the difference.
Each training session provided by Firemen Movers takes place at their facility in Toronto. “Their training building looks like a firehouse,” says Cherlyne, the Manager of Volunteer Services at Shelter Movers Greater Toronto. “It’s this large space that has everything you need to practice moving: boxes, dollies, furniture, blankets, and, of course, vans and trucks.” The training sessions involve two hours of focused training from Firemen Movers’ professional team, acting out and practicing various moving techniques that volunteers can use when moving survivors.
“Overall, the training is very thorough,” commented Cherlyne. “They teach lots of good techniques, and it’s a great base training for new volunteers and movers.” From how to pick up heavy and awkward items to when lifting straps are necessary, Firemen Movers’ training does not skimp on the basics.
They also address how to work as a team to lift and navigate large items like couches, mattresses, and dressers, using a series of obstacles within their facility to recreate the challenges of moving items around tight corners and up or down stairs. To avoid scuffs and scrapes, the Firemen Movers team includes practice on how to properly wrap mirrors, TVs, and other breakables while using furniture blankets to buffer and support fragile items. And since every well-packed box must ultimately go in a moving truck to safely reach its destination, the training team covers how to pack a moving truck efficiently, navigate a dolly up a ramp, stack boxes from heaviest to lightest, and use ratchet straps to secure items in place.
Why Move Training Matters
Beyond ensuring our volunteers can be as efficient and successful as possible on every move, Firemen Movers’ training helps prepare move teams to adapt to change.
Training prevents injuries. Moving someone may seem simple, but it’s extremely physical work and can lead to injuries and accidents. Learning to move correctly goes further than lifting with your knees. Professional movers know which hand positions work best on specific pieces of furniture, how to properly wrap sharp or breakable objects to prevent cuts, how to pack boxes so heavy items won’t break through the bottom, how to use straps to secure items in the truck, and so much more. When Shelter Movers’ volunteers learn these skills, they protect themselves, the other volunteers, and survivors from injury no matter what type of challenges present themselves on a move.
Training saves time. While Shelter Movers’ move coordinators do their best to estimate how long moves might take, many unpredictable factors can pop up. Anything from a longer walk to the truck, tighter corners, icy driveways, or an out-of-order elevator can extend the length of the move. Professional move training teaches Shelter Movers volunteers how to maneuver tight corners and stairs more efficiently, work as a team, delegate tasks, and navigate minor inconveniences smoothly. Successfully executing an efficient move makes for a great volunteer experience and provides confidence and reassurance to our survivors.
Training ensures the best possible experience for the survivor. Leaving an abusive situation is a courageous and emotional time for a survivor. Shelter Movers’ primary focus with all interactions is to ensure there is no added stress, frustration, or fear on a survivor’s move day. While Shelter Movers training provides volunteers with advice on interacting with survivors, move training provides guidance on handling their possessions with the utmost care. For many survivors, the items they are able to take with them represent the first precious pieces of their new life. Protecting those items helps ensure a fresh start for survivors during a challenging season of their lives.
Learning to Move Like a Pro
Finances are a major barrier for every survivor Shelter Movers works with, and rebuilding one’s entire life to ensure safety has a huge host of expenses. The move training opportunities Firemen Movers provides for Shelter Movers volunteers are indispensable to ensuring our services are not only cost-free, they’re safe, efficient, and damage-free. As Shelter Movers considers the challenges of increasing demand for our services, it is important to prioritize the expansion and reliability of our services. The social enterprise partnership between Shelter Movers and Firemen Movers helps to ensure the strength of that foundation – and the potential of its reach.
Shelter Movers’ strategic partnership with Firemen Movers stands as a testament to our commitment to innovation and sustainability. By integrating the principles of social enterprise into our operations, we are not only strengthening our ability to serve communities but also charting a course for long-term investments into building a safer future for all Canadians. If you or anyone you know is moving in the Greater Toronto area, we welcome you to explore Firemen Movers’ expert moving services. Not only do they offer comprehensive moving and storage services, but every successful move they do supports Shelter Movers’ mission to move survivors of violence to new, safe lives.