Provincial Training Workshop 2023

The Provincial Facilitators’ Training Workshop is back!

After a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 lockdown, PSS has decided to bring back the Provincial Facilitators’ Training Workshop in-person on March 3-5, 2023 at Stillwood Camp & Conference Centre, near Cultus Lake.

To be able to provide an ongoing quality of service to our Parenting Support Circles Program members, Parent Support Services (PSS) is committed to providing support and professional training to our volunteers who are the implementing arm of our program. The objective of the training is for skill enhancement and development, consultation, networking, support and fun. Participants get to attend this training for free and are given 2 nights’ accommodation & 6 meals.

Stillwood Camp was our facility of choice for its location, amenities and tranquility. The camp is lovely for communing in nature at breaks and some spaces for socials and games in the evening. We hope to create an ambiance of self-care, learning, sharing and socializing. We appreciate the feedback we’ve received from previous years and make it priority to continue enhancing and improving the Provincial Training so that our volunteers can continue to gain value from the experience through our high level of support and professional training. This year, the training will consist of several workshops addressing key topics, that are relevant and necessary for facilitators.

List of Workshops and Speakers

1. What to do in the Circle when there is time left and the sharing is finished! Addressing your questions about facilitation

Facilitating support circles takes more than being present with an open heart and non-judgment. Many unexpected encounters can occur during the circles from differences between participants to silence to
losing the purpose. Together we will look at some of the skills and preparation that will assist facilitators to build relationships that foster growth and learning.

SPEAKER: Shirley Piedt is a partner, mother of 3, grandmother of 4, sister, aunt, daughter, friend, volunteer, and retired social worker. Both professionally and since retiring, she has facilitated many groups including groups on Zoom. She has been a PSS-GRG circle facilitator for the last 8 years and lives on the unceded and ancestral territory of the Syilx (Okanagan) Peoples in Kelowna.

2. An Introduction of the Parenting After Separation Course

This course is for B.C. parents and other family members who are dealing with separation or divorce and facing decisions about guardianship, parenting arrangements, contact, child support and spousal support.

SPEAKER: Eroca Russell was appointed as a Family Justice Counsellor in December of 2018 and have been gratefully serving the people of BC at the Chilliwack Family Justice Centre, in the traditional and unceded territory of the Stó:lō Nations. Prior to this appointment she briefly worked as a Justice Interviewer at the Vancouver Justice Access Centre. Prior to working in public service, she was a facilitator for the Victim Offender Mediation Program (VOMP) while working with Community Justice Initiative (CJI), a non-profit organization in Langley. Eroca was also a volunteer facilitator of Parent Support Services GRG Circle in Abbotsford. She currently lives in beautiful Agassiz with just her youngest daughter (23) still at home. She shares custody of her with whomever she is dating at the time.

3. Trauma-Informed Practice – details to follow

SPEAKER: Brenda Dragt has worked in various trauma related clinical roles within government system for over 20 years. She currently works for Complex Trauma Resources with the Complex Care and Intervention (CCI) Team in providing input on training development. She travels extensively throughout BC providing training, supervision and mentoring on CCI cases. Brenda and her husband have 4 children. She is actively providing training for the leaders of girl’s programs and crisis line programs as well as training educational personnel in communication, self-harm, suicide & grief & loss.

4. Self-Compassion: Give yourself the love you want when you need it the most

Self-compassion is a practice of being kind and compassionate to ourselves when we feel we are failing, suffering, or burning out. It is about acknowledging our emotions without judgment and taking care of
ourselves as we would take care of a loved one. In this workshop, you will discover:
• The difference between empathy and compassion,
• What self-compassion is, the 3 elements that constitute it, and the benefits it brings,
• Simple techniques to practice on a daily basis.

SPEAKER: Laure Sabini is originally from France, now lives in Vancouver since 2006. Inspired by her own healing journey, Laure teaches mindfulness to children and their adults, and self-compassion to everyone who needs more kindness to themselves.

Thank you to the following volunteers!

The Provincial Facilitators’ Training Workshop will also be an opportunity for us to recognize our incredibly dedicated and amazing volunteers who continue to aide us in our mission to support the well-being of all families and children by empowering those in a parenting role through community connections, research, education, and advocacy.

Curious to see some highlights from previous trainings? Check out these YouTube videos of the Provincial Training in 2020!

If you need further information about the upcoming training or ones to come in the future, please do not hesitate to email or call Violeta at volunteer@parentsupportbc.ca; 604-669-1616 ext 104 or Bella at bella_cenezero@parentsupportbc.ca;  604-669-1616 ext 105.