Facilitator: Sue Ritchie Raymond, Principal Consultant, SLRR Consulting

Duration: 6 hours

This session will provide participants with a greater understanding of the theory and legislative frameworks that inform service system management and integration approaches.  Participants will develop a greater understanding of the range of current practices based on theory and legislative frameworks that inform decisions and encourage participants to consider options and embrace innovation to address the challenges and opportunities that exist in their CMSM or DSSAB.

Learning Objectives

• Theory and legislative background for human services program in Ontario
• Discussion about roles and responsibilities because of legislative frameworks by program and municipal structure
• Sharing information and encouraging discussion about the principles of human services integration and what that can look like across Ontario
• Examples of service system management approaches and practices, understanding key components of any system
• Sharing information and encouraging discussion about system integration with and outside of human services - best and leading practices in communities in Ontario and beyond
• Guest speakers - opportunity to hear from human service leaders in all program areas representing a mix of urban, rural and remote municipalities across Ontario. This will bring current day examples to the group and give them the opportunity to share the challenges they've faced, how they managed those challenges and where do they feel they've been successful and why

Facilitator: Catherine Chambers

Duration: 6 hours

This session is designed to provide participants with a deep understanding of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility. It will offer historical and present-day perspectives that have been curated from data collection, scholarly research, and the lived experiences of members of under-represented, vulnerable, and racialized populations. Through engagement with primary source evidence, compelling case studies, and learning activities, participants will develop the knowledge and competencies to harness opportunities and address challenges associated with equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility.

Learning Objectives

• Increase awareness of fundamental concepts associated with Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility
• Understand the importance of practicing Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility within Human Services organizations
• Identify strategies to develop capacity to contribute toward building and sustaining inclusivity in their workplace

Facilitator: Catherine Chambers

Duration: 6 hours

During this interactive session, participants will develop a nuanced understanding of a range of cognitive and structural biases. They will learn how to detect and mitigate the impact of bias on decision-making, relationships, and organizational performance. The workshop will also provide opportunities for participants to engage with a collection of curated resources that have been selected for human services practitioners. 

Learning Objectives

• Increase capacity to detect cognitive and structural biases (e.g. unconscious bias, racial bias, institutional bias)
• Develop strategies to reverse the impact of bias
• Create an action plan to commit to strategies for personal and organizational development

Facilitators: Marianne Seaton, President, Collaborative Strategies Inc. and John Howley, President, Labour Market Partners Inc.

Duration: 18 hours

Person Centric Strategies for Staff is designed to equip learners with the concepts, principles, practices, competencies, and tools to work effectively with service users, co-workers, community service providers, tenants, families, and any other individual or group engaging with human services staff.  

The Person Centric Strategies series of workshops, Understanding Behaviour, 3D MicroCoaching Model and Tools for Applying Micro-Coaching Competencies, provides learners with current research and thinking about human behaviour, including the rapidly and emerging vital concept of intersectionality.  The 3D Coaching Model is a foundation for delivering person-centric service, and developing a common language to capture person-centric thinking and application.

Learning Objectives

• Provide a review of current research and thinking about human behaviour that includes the concept of intersectionality as well as the psychological and behavioural outcomes associated with socio-economic conditions of poverty, social exclusion, trauma and scarcity.  
• Establish the service user as the central focus of every interaction though the staff application of knowledge, skills, and supporting behaviours (competencies) that promote service users' awareness and understanding.
• Analyze this research to determine and apply strategic staff competencies and workplace tools to produce the best possible outcomes.
• Supply workplace coaching tools that bring person-centric theories and practices to life in the workplace.
• Develop a common language to capture person-centric thinking and applications.
• Normalize person-centric strategies across the sectors providing services to this group.
• Support service integration at the local level by establishing evidence-based competency standards in service delivery across programs.
• Enrich service users' outcomes using a Three-Dimensional MicroCoaching Model as a foundation for a person-centric service, including for those in support roles, that can be applied in short-contact ('thin-slice') situations.
• Identify and expand upon the competencies necessary for effective MicroCoaching Use these competencies to level power through increasing the engagement of service users in the coaching process. 
• Strengthen intra- and inter-organizational relationships for more effective service delivery and results.

Facilitator: Sharad Kerur, Q.Med, C.C.Med, CCMC, ACC, CDP, WFI, CEO, Resolution Pathways

Duration: 6 hours

During the foundational workshop, Making Difficult Conversations Easier, we will explore the construct, traps and pitfalls of difficult conversations, why they may go wrong and how to approach, plan and execute them in a more successful manner, using practical tips, tools and real-world examples.

By the conclusion, fear and apprehension of that difficult conversation will transform into confidence and encouragement.

During the foundational workshop Making Difficult Conversations Easier participants were introduced to a simple yet effective 4-step Empathy Loop that can make anyone an expert listener.  Armed with this specific skill one can more effectively build better human connections and collaborative relationships.

While learning about the skill is one thing, Having the opportunity to practice it and gain expert feedback is something more.  During the second part of the workshop, participants will have the opportunity to practice the 4-Step Empathy Loop and gain expert feedback on process and delivery of the technique.

Learning Objectives

• Overcome barriers and turn conversations from difficult to collaborative
• Explore the structure of conversations and how they can either snare you or release you from "conflict traps"
• Become aware of conflict styles, personalities and emotions, and how each hinders or help conversations
• Learn effective and practical communication tools, including:
• Avoiding communication "blockers"
• First words to use
• Agreeing vs. acknowledging
• Framing and asking good questions
• When to be empathetic, and when to be assertive
• Learn a simple yet powerful four-step technique to aid in having better and more collaborative conversations
• Repeatedly practice the 4-step listening loop of understanding in a safe, confidential and controlled environment
• Get guided feedback directly from the workshop’s instructor for improvement
• Test variations to determine what works and what doesn’t based on the participant’s own personal style
• Experiment with how looping might be useful across a variety of real-world situations

Facilitator: Megan Phillips, Registered Psychotherapist, Phillips Psychotherapy

Duration: 16 hours

This session is dedicated to understanding the impacts of traumatic events and how to best support highly traumatized clients by promoting a climate of awareness, safety, trust, collaboration and control. Learning to be trauma informed also emphasizes the importance of recognizing the signs and symptoms of trauma exposure in the professionals who interact and support highly traumatized individuals and how to promote our own resiliency and self-care.

Learning Objectives

• Definitions of trauma, PTSD, C-PTSD, vicarious trauma and trauma informed care
• General Adaptation Syndrome
• Fight-Flight-Freeze-Appease
• The impact of trauma on early childhood development and across the lifespan
• Normal brain development and the impact of trauma on brain development
• Signs and symptoms of trauma in people of all ages
• Principles of Trauma Informed Care
• Techniques for creating safety for people exposed to trauma
• Techniques for calming and grounding those impacted by trauma
• Supporting self-management
• Building resiliency building skills in your client
• Compassion fatigue
• Themes found in trauma exposure for professionals
• Self-care practices for professionals

Facilitator: Valerie Spironello, MSW, RSW, choosewellness.ca

Duration: 6 hours

Everyone who is in the helping field will at some point in their career experience some level of compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, burnout, moral distress, frustration or stress, which can lead to people becoming negative, cynical, avoiding clients, calling in sick often, contributing to declining morale or leaving the profession. 

Are there solutions for people to help themselves? Who would have thought that those in the helping field would be affected by the countless stories heard across the desk?

This session not only defines and assesses your compassion fatigue, but helps you build the tools to effectively address and manage it.

Learning Objectives

• Have awareness of the impact of doing the work of human services
• Define and know the differences between compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, burn-out and moral distress 
• Understand the signs and symptoms of compassion fatigue
• Identify your own level of compassion fatigue
• Explore a variety of strategies to help you continue to do this work in a healthy way
• Leave with a resilience and a healthy well-being plan

Facilitator: Bonnie Corey, Certified Mental Health First Aid faciliator

Duration: 7 hours

Workshop participants will learn how to recognize signs that a person may be experiencing a decline in their mental well-being or a mental health crisis and encourage that person to:

• Talk about declines in their mental well-being
• Discuss professional and other supports that could help with recovery to improved mental well-being
• Reach out to these support
• Assist in a mental health or substance use crisis
• Use MHFA actions to maintain one‘s own mental well-being

Facilitator: Dr. JP Gedeon, Transformative Directions

Duration: 6 hours

Everyone can be a leader. Leadership is a skill that can be developed over time. When you think about it, you have likely taken on leadership roles in your life and your work that you didn’t realize at the time. So, what makes a good leader? How can you tap into your leadership style, sharpen those skills, and put them to work for you in your career and your life, today?

This session will introduce cutting edge approaches to leadership. Approaches that affect the behaviour of leaders, the performance of teams, and workplace culture.

Participants will have a better understanding what motivates people, what moves performance,  what maintains constructive excellence and the evolution of how we think about leadership. 

Facilitator: Megan Phillips, Registered Psychotherapist, Phillips Psychotherapy

Duration: 12 hours

Learn to understand and reduce anxiety to support yourself, your staff, and/or your clients as we continue to live in uncertain times. This interactive workshop will give you the understanding and skills you need to help yourself, staff and clients move forward with more focus and manage their anxious minds.

The second part of this workshop will teach you about the causes and types of depression, the signs and symptoms of depression, and the most up-to-date techniques currently used to intercept depression‘s progression. The workshop will also highlight the approaches used to support individuals in coping with and overcoming their depression symptoms and prevent future depressive episodes. 

Learning Objectives

• Understanding the pathways of anxiety in the brain
• The root of anxiety: understanding the amygdala
• How the cortex creates anxiety
• Taking control of your anxiety
• Reaping the benefits of relaxation
• Understanding anxiety triggers
• The importance of exercise, nutrition and sleep for anxiety reduction
• Restructuring thought patterns that cause anxiety
• Identifying and learning the signs, symptoms, causes and types of depression
• Learning the cognitive and lifestyle changes necessary to combat depression
• Breaking the procrastination-depression connection
• Recognizing depressive thinking and overcoming depressive thoughts
• Albert Ellis‘s ABCDE Method for overcoming depression
• Overcoming hopelessness thinking
• Coping with depressive symptoms
• Attending to anxieties
• Confronting negative emotions
• Behavioural methods to feel good again
• Putting an end to depression planning

Facilitator: Kirby Steinhoff, OMSSA Facilitator

Duration: 6 hours

Learners will focus on the importance of documentation to provide person-centered supports in human services. Focusing on use of documentation and how it can facilitate person-centered activities and supports. 

Learners will review the relationship between quality of life and person-centered approaches in human services. Examining the importance of language choices and their impacts upon person-centered supports and trauma-informed care. 

Learners will examine implicit bias and the impact on documentation practices, working to reduce bias in documentation, describing factors that influence judgement and decision-making. 

Learners will use both interactive exercises and case studies to recognize role of documentation in promoting person-centered supports and resources. Apply documentation strategies and best practices focused on person-centered approaches and outcomes. 

Learning Objectives

• Greater knowledge of case planning activities and focus on life stabilization and supporting person-centered services navigation. 
• Examining implicit (hidden) biases and impacts on decision-making looking to person-centered and trauma-informed approaches.
• Understand how documentation plays an integral role in human services. 
• Review how consistent approaches to services and documentation improve client-centered outcomes. 
• Share best practices for documentation standards. 

Facilitators: Marianne Seaton, President, Collaborative Strategies Inc. and John Howley, President, Labour Market Partners Inc.

Duration: 6 hours

Ongoing application of the theories, competencies, principles and practices found in all curricula within the program, is necessary for normalization of each participant’s learning in their everyday work.

During these sessions, learners will receive tools and resources to build their learning portfolio, illustrating how their competencies will be applied in their day-to-day work.

Over the summer, July and August, there will be Learner Check In sessions (dates and times to be negotiated with the cohort), to talk with facilitators about theories and concepts, competency development and application, learning portfolio development and preparing for fall courses.

Catherine Chambers is a researcher, organizational development consultant, and Ontario Certified Teacher (OCT). She began her career in the social assistance sector where she worked as a caseworker, trainer, and program analyst. Her work has taken her across Canada and the United States. Catherine has had the opportunity to work with individuals from a range of professional backgrounds and areas of expertise on projects at: CBC-Radio Canada, Ontario Ministry of Health, Ontario Council for Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI), Simcoe-Muskoka Children’s Aid Society, and various corporations including Microsoft USA. 

Catherine has been an instructor in the Teacher of Adults program at Centennial College, and in the Bachelor of Adult Education Program at Brock University. She holds 2 graduate degrees in education (Master of Adult Education and Master of Teaching) from the University of Toronto where she is currently completing her PhD.  Her research focuses on the impact of diversity and inclusion on innovation and entrepreneurship.

Bonnie Corey was an Ontario Public Service employee for over 35 years. Her work has span across the young offender, day care and children's services and developmental service sectors. In roles as a child and youth worker, probation officer, licensing manager, program supervisor and as a corporate project lead Bonnie has been respectful and compassionate with individuals receiving care and services, as well as supportive to staff and managers to identify and acknowledge mental health illnesses and a respectful approach. Understanding mental health is a strong start to providing first responder support to individuals we live and work with and Bonnie is dedicated to sharing this knowledge and information with as many people who are interested. We all have experience with mental health and this course provides information and a safe environment to share and learn from each other. 

Dr. JP Gedeon is one of North America's foremost experts on Transformative Leadership in the public sector. He is an award-winning keynote speaker, respected executive, sought-after strategist and transformation consultant, and internationally published author. He has worked for top corporations in Canada and the United States, in the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors.

John Howley and Marianne Seaton are the pre-eminent designers and deliverers of professional development curricula in Ontario Works and related social services programs and agencies throughout the province, and beyond. Marianne has been consulting in the social services sector as the principal of Collaborative Strategies Inc. since 2008 and John through his company, Labour Market Partners Inc., since 1997. Their work encompasses many Consolidated Municipal Service Managers and District Social Services Administration Boards, from the largest urban municipalities to the most rural and remote.

Following their careers as social assistance and employment program front-line workers and managers, each achieved subsequent success and recognition as a leader in program development and change. Marianne is the former Acting Executive Director and Director of Professional Development for the Ontario Municipal Social Services Association (OMSSA). John is the former Director of Employment and Training for the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto, Social Services Division (now the City of Toronto).

Their work in helping multi-barriered Ontario Works clients achieve success in the world of work includes the design and delivery of SAIL for Clients, a competency-based program that they have delivered in various areas of the province, often in association with community colleges, including Sault College, Confederation College and St. Clair College. John and Marianne also collaborate on designing and delivering employment programs for social assistance clients in a range of other programs, including Movement to Employment (employability profiling); Movement to Improvement (life skills development), and Movement to Learning (literacy and skills training preparation).

Sharad Kerur has a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) and Master of Industrial Relations from Queen's University, with a focus on negotiation theory and alternative dispute resolution methods.   

For over 30 years, Sharad held senior level positions in the union and association sectors. His most recent position was Executive Director of the Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association (ONPHA), Canada's largest non-profit housing association. As a result, he has a strong grasp on the business of non-profit organizations and associations, and real-world experience in negotiation and mediation.

Sharad is Harvard-trained, having obtained a Certificate in Mediating Disputes and a Certificate in Negotiating Difficult Conversations from the Harvard Negotiation Institute (Harvard Law School) and also holds a Certificate in Dispute Resolution and an Advanced Certificate in Dispute Resolution, both from the York University in Toronto.

Amongst his credentials, Sharad is:

• a Qualified Mediator through the ADR Institute of Canada, 
• an accredited Chartered Community Mediator through the Ontario Community Mediation Coalition, 
• a Certified Conflict Management Coach, coach-mentor and trainer with CINERGY®
• an Associate Certified Coach through the International Coaching Federation, 
• a certified Personal and Business Coach through the Coach Academy (Canada)
• a certified Conflict Dynamics Profile practitioner through Eckerd College in Florida, and
• a certified Senior Workplace Fairness Analyst accredited by the Workplace Fairness International.  

Sharad also leads his own consultancy firm known as Resolution Pathways, which assists people and organizations to transform conflicts into collaboration.  With his knowledge, expertise, and experience, he currently provides services in:

• 1-to-1 conflict management coaching
• "understanding-based" mediation services
• training on managing difficult conversations and navigating conflict relationships
• assistance in the development of high-performing teams
• workplace conflict assessments and fairness restoration strategies

Megan Phillips is a Registered Psychotherapist with over 18 years of experience working in multiple roles within community and social services. As a former Case Worker and Manager with Ontario Works, as well as a Concurrent Disorders Specialist in a community mental health program, Megan utilizes her additional award-winning experience in instructing post-secondary education to bring captivating, illustrative, relevant, and humorous educational seminars to a variety of non-profit agencies and organizations.

As an experienced presenter, Megan has dedicated herself to the educational advancement and enhancement of her fellow colleagues and community professionals in areas such as Motivational Interviewing, Burnout, Resiliency Building, PTSD, Secondary Traumatic Stress, Compassion Fatigue and Working with Clients with Multiple Barriers.

Sue is passionate about building opportunities for growth, innovation and excellence and brings over 30 years of experience in human services creating partnership-based solutions to improve the wellbeing of individuals, families, and communities.

Sue’s comprehensive system level experience in the public (municipal and provincial) and not-for-profit sectors uniquely enables her to envision strategic solutions and align diverse stakeholders. 

Her collaborative approach and strategic perspective have supported organizations to take bold steps in the creation of innovative approaches to address the complex issues of poverty, housing and homelessness through service and system design. 

She began her career as a child and youth case worker and over her career took on increasingly complex and progressive roles in social assistance, employment, community programs, homelessness and housing. 

Sue has a Masters Certificate in Public Sector Leadership from the Schulich School of Business, York University; a Certificate in Advanced Health Sector Leadership from Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto; an Addiction Studies Diploma, McMaster University and a Bachelor of Arts Degree, McMaster University.

Valerie Spironello, MSW, RSW, choosewellness.ca, has been a social worker for over 35 years working in a variety of settings including health care (palliative care, chronic illness), child welfare, and domestic violence. Valerie is an Assistant Professor (PT) with the Department of Family Medicine teaching in the Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster University.  She has provided workshops and presentations to service providers on a variety of topics such as compassion fatigue, work/life balance, mindfulness and end-of-life care.  Valerie is also a meditation teacher trained in the use of mindfulness in the clinical setting. In her private practice Choosewellness.ca, she provides counseling, groups, workshops and retreats to assist others in living well in Body, Mind and Spirit. After experiencing compassion fatigue herself, Valerie committed to using her ‘re-found' sense of humour to help others look at, and live their best life. She is very excited to be collaborating with OMSSA to offer this knowledge as support to its members!

Kirby Steinhoff has been in the employment and social services field for over 10 years, starting as a frontline crisis counsellor in a domestic violence shelter transitioning to Ontario Works case management with Norfolk County and is currently employed with Halton Region as an Integrated Case Manager. Kirby has worked as a trainer and policy developer within Halton Region and is considered a subject matter expert and has trained both front-line and supervisory staff on various SAMS modules and directives, while with Halton Region.

Kirby has completed an Undergraduate degree from Western University in Women’s Studies and Feminist Research, a diploma in Human Resources from Fanshawe College and Master of Arts in Labour Studies from McMaster University with research focused on social policy, inclusion and contemporary work.