47 results for group: emerging-leaders-students-new-professionals


Forest and Nature School for All

Dynamics of power and privilege created by colonialism and white supremacy culture have seen the Forest and Nature School (FNS) movement thrive to serve mostly white, settler families across Turtle Island. Together, we will unpack questions of for whom and by whom when creating forest and nature school programs, while deepening awareness around how to dismantle white supremacy culture and decolonize outdoor programming. Through storytelling, play, and considering the ways power and trust play a role in outdoor learning, this workshop aims to collaboratively build knowledge towards creating safer and braver outdoor spaces for BIPOC children and ...

One year in: Our journey launching the Canadian Centre for Outdoor Play

Outdoor play and learning in the early years are essential for physical, mental and environmental health and development. However, efforts and best practices surrounding outdoor early childhood education (ECE) learning and play are rarely shared across sectors to effect sustained change. In 2023 we launched the Canadian Centre for Outdoor Play, a centre of excellence in outdoor practice, research, and policy to mainstream outdoor play and learning. One year into this project, we aim to use this workshop to share our progress and seek input from all those in attendance, including on the launch of our national outdoor ECE framework.

Red River Métis Environment and Climate Change Education

The Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF), the National Government of the Red River Métis, will engage delegates in a hybrid workshop to, first, gain a deeper understanding of the Red River Métis and their unique history in Canada. Then, showcase hands-on, cultural activities as part of the MMF’s Métis Environmental Leaders of Tomorrow (MELT), Métis Community-Based Climate Monitoring (MCBCM), and Stewards of the Homeland (SOHP) Programs in an outdoor setting; MELT has a focus on environment and climate change education for Youth in grade school (K-12), MCBCM has a focus on environment and climate change education and monitoring for Citizens, and SOHP ...

Braiding Indigenous and Forest School Epistemologies on the Land

Join us, Dorothy Thunder and Tiffany Smith, on the land as we share with you how we braid Indigenous and Forest School epistemologies into relationship building with ourselves, each other and the land at our land-based education program, Blossoming Flower. Workshop participants will gain hands-on experience as they participate in activities the same way our program participants would. The presenter team will reflect on building relationships between Indigenous Knowledge Holders and non-Indigenous educators. Workshop attendees will also have the opportunity to reflect on their practice and experience, and ask questions.

Listen, Heart, Imagine, Reciprocate, Repeat!

In working towards rebuilding a connection with Land, let’s pay attention to some of the colonial-isms perpetuated while learning outdoors, and recalibrate through sound advice from more-than-humans, place, and Indigenous perspectives. This, of course, is in no way comprehensive! However, the session proposes hands-on activities, stories, and learnings, relating to the lost connection with Land, and the ability to do on the spot reflexivity. Participants will leave with ready-to-use lessons/activities featuring senses, imagination, and reciprocity, as well as a better understanding of little things we must ponder while outdoors.

Designing activities that address Climate Change and Strategizing Sustainability

Join us in this conference session as we facilitate hands-on, outdoor teaching methods to approach various climate change topics for a broad range of ages. We will first explore “Discovery Stations,” designed to engage the audience informally in climate change conversations through a short, thought provoking, guided activity, using something the audience is already familiar with as a jumping off point. We will then follow up with a few expansion activities that we use in our school field trips that encourage critical thinking, utilizing various forms of activities (listening, tactile, observational, physical, games) catering to different kinds of ...

Developing a Conservation Ethic: Service Work Meets Fun Adventures

When youth have opportunities to have fun in the outdoors through diverse forms of recreation, positive memories of nature can be made. But we can also build upon that by giving youth opportunities to take action in their own communities. Conservation service work opportunities can give youth the tools to then have a deeper appreciation for the natural world and open their eyes to ways we can help to protect and engage with it. Let's chat about how these 2 sides of the coin can be best integrated together.

Co-Conspiring In Partnership To Bring More Than One Story to the Outdoors

“The outdoors are not neutral”. “Social justice and environmental justice are siloed - we need to disrupt that” Join a walking interactive story journey centred around how to work in a trusting partnership that links race and place in outdoor environmental education and climate justice. Follow a path of critical friendship and thought partners as they share the messiness and success of lifting joy and justice. Grounded in research and in practice, topics like reciprocity, GAP analysis, challenging conversations and impact will be shared through the lens of our shared experience doing this work in Ontario. Each participant will walk ...

Active Hope: Practices to move through climate anxiety

Supporting educator well-being supports the education system. But what happens if the teachers and educators are grappling with climate anxiety? How do we teach the leaders of tomorrow when our own fear of the future stands in the way? You are not alone. Let's join together to learn practical habits to reframe climate anxiety as a healthy human response to the state of the planet and move through the discomfort to a place of active hope. The workshop will lean into poetry, creative expression and authentic conversation - no experience necessary, all are welcome. The underlaying theory is informed by the influential "Four-fold Spiral" of ecophilo...

Healing in Nature – Introducing The National Healing Forest Initiative

Breaking free of the walls which confine us can lead us in to nature, a space where we can heal, learn, and reconnect with ourselves and each other. The National Healing Forest Initiative founded by Patricia Stirbys, a Cowessess First Nation Lawyer, and Peter Croal, a Geological Consultant, after the findings of the 2015 Truth & Reconciliation Report, is an opportunity upon which you may wish to act as well. This workshop explores what and where the Healing Forests are and how they can fulfil a call to action towards reconciliation, addressing the 60's Scoop, Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls, and Residential School Survivors and the ones ...