Happy New Year everyone! We’ve assembled some wonderful learning opportunities for you this winter so please take the time to scroll through descriptions below and register for those that you are interested in learning more about. And as always, if there is anything not offered that you would like to see more training on, please let HR know and we’ll do our best to support you. Thank you and have a wonderful semester!
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Course
UFV-HR is offering a comprehensive 8-week MBSR course for interested faculty and staff between January 21-March 18, 2021. It involves the following commitments:
- Attending a 1.5 hr orientation on Thursday, January 21
- Attending weekly practice-based classes every Thursday thereafter from 6:00 – 8:30 PM
- As a virtual Zoom class, you will require appropriate video and audio access
- Mindfulness practices for about 45 minutes a day
- A 4-hour silent retreat (virtual) on Saturday, March 6 from 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is the evidence-based flagship secular-scientific mindfulness program first developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachusetts Medical School that has been shown to help with stress, anxiety, depression, chronic pain and overall well-being.
Costs are covered by UFV-HR and the course is led by Dr. Seonaigh MacPherson, a Professor in Professional Studies and a certified MBSR and MBCT facilitator. You are welcome to contact Dr. MacPherson at Seonaigh.MacPherson@ufv.ca if you have any additional questions.
Orientation: January 21st, 6 – 7:30 pm
Virtual Classes: January 21 – March 18, 2021. 8 consecutive Thursdays from 6 – 8:30 pm
Mini-retreat: Saturday, March 6th between 8:30 am – 12:30 pm
Where: Virtual: Online Zoom videoconference (Synchronous and Interactive class)
Register: Email Tara Rozenek at tara.rozenek@ufv.ca (max 15)
COVID-19 – Working from home session
As a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, many employees are now working from home. Although working from home can bring many benefits, it can also present many challenges as employees adjust to home and work lives coexisting within the same location. These challenges can be heightened as employees try to cope with isolation, disruption and the uncertainties surrounding COVID-19. This session will equip employees with practical strategies to help them create healthy boundaries between work and home life, manage distractions during working hours, take care of themselves physically and emotionally, and maintain effective communication with their colleagues and clients.
During this one-hour wellness session employees will:
- Understand and acknowledge the “new realities”
- Create a plan for working from home efficiently
- Develop coping skills
- Manage a healthy work-life balance
Date: January 19th, 2021 at 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Location: Zoom
Facilitator: Ronaye Coulson, Homewood Health
Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/covid-19-working-from-home-tickets-132836079289
Minute Taking
This workshop provides introductory minute-taking skills in a digital environment. Participants will learn the steps in the minute-taking process including agenda, pre-meeting minutes, and minute template skills. The workshop will also focus on iCompass, an agenda and meeting management software.
Date: February 5th, 2021 at 10:00 am – 11:30 am
Location: Zoom
Facilitator: Lisa McMartin
Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/minute-taking-tickets-132836679083
Respect in the Workplace
The University of the Fraser Valley is committed to creating and maintaining a respectful workplace where each employee can thrive in a healthy and inclusive environment. Each of us is responsible to help create a workplace free from harassment where we treat one another with mutual respect and cooperation. UFV’s Discrimination, Bullying and Harassment Prevention Policy (18) aids in addressing those specific behaviours that threaten a healthy work environment and provides an avenue of resolution for complaints. Policy 18 outlines UFV’s commitment to creating a Respectful Workplace and encourages all employees to attend this Respect in the Workplace webinar.
The purpose of the Respect in the Workplace webinar is to:
- Engage participants in scenario type discussions to raise awareness of the behaviours that may constitute of discrimination, bullying and harassment
- Ensure that employees understand the policy and procedures that govern Policy 18.
- Ensure that employees understand their own responsibilities towards creating a respectful workplace.
Date: February 17th, 2021 at 10:00 a – 11:00 am
Location: Zoom
Facilitator: Kim White
Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/respect-in-the-workplace-tickets-132837094325
Unconscious Bias
Overview: Everyday, the decisions we make and the workplaces we create are impacted by implicit bias. We are often unaware of when our personal, cultural and institutional biases are at play or of the way that they shape our culture and relationships. Through experiential learning and discussions of the research, we will examine how our implicit bias affects who we hire, reward, promote and retain. We’ll consider some of the ways that implicit bias shows up in our workplaces and learn some steps to raise awareness of our own biases and to create more inclusive workplaces.
Date: March 3rd, 2021 at 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Location: Zoom
Facilitator: Kim White
Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/unconscious-bias-tickets-132837577771
There’s More to it Than Money
Can I afford to retire?
Am I ready to retire, or will I be?
These are two basic questions when thinking about retirement, whether it is going to be next year or a few short years from now. Based on very positive feedback from other workshop participants around the province, we are pleased to bring this presentation to you and look at the issues these questions raise. This workshop is designed to complement the Pension workshops presented by the Pension Corporation.
Retirement living brings with it life altering circumstances and a wide variety of choices, some financial, some legal, and all to do with lifestyle. Achieving a workable balance when our work is over – building a retirement that fulfills our dreams – doesn’t just happen. It requires some thought and planning. In this interactive, content-rich workshop, we will look at the many factors that go into creating a rewarding future in retirement.
Date: February 24th, 2021 at 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Location: Zoom
Facilitator: Dennis Anderson
Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/theres-more-to-it-than-money-can-i-afford-to-retire-am-i-ready-to-retire-tickets-132837776365
Improving Productivity Through Well-being
Learning outcomes include:
- Learn about the connection between psychological health, well-being,
- productivity, and innovation
- Have tips and tools to improve productivity to work smarter not harder
- Have strategies to improve mental, physical, and psychological health
- Have tips to improve personal productivity and resilience
- Have a personal plan to be healthy and productive at work and beyond
Date & Location: January 26, 2021 at 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm Online
Facilitator: Wellness Works Canada
Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwsdeqppzIoH9ceiwfT3h0A_xgljtxA8C7o
Understanding and Preventing Burnout
The COVID-19 pandemic brings unique challenges: social isolation, stress, anxiety and changes to work and home routines. For many individuals, work demands have increased on top of dealing with the personal impact of the pandemic. These added levels of stress and uncertainty can begin to take a toll on one’s mental health and in some cases, lead to burnout. This 1-hour webinar will help participants increase their understanding of burnout, recognize personal and workplace risk factors and provide self-care and resiliency strategies to mitigate the impact on employees and workplaces.
This 1-hour webinar aims to:
- Increase participants’ knowledge of the impact of stress and burnout on one’s mental health
- Raise participants’ awareness as to the signs & symptoms of burnout so that they may recognize if they are experiencing these challenges
- Provide participants with self-care tips to increase resilience, manage stress and mitigate the risk of burnout
Agenda
- COVID-19, stress and mental health
- Defining and recognizing burnout
- Symptoms of burnout
- Emotional
- Physical
- Behavioral
- Burnout risk factors
- Prevention strategies
Date & Location: February 3rd, 2021 at 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Online
Facilitator: Ronaye Coulson, Homewood Health
Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/understanding-and-preventing-burnout-tickets-132838386189
PASS: Then and Now
“PASS (Priority Access to Student Supports) has received an overhaul in the last year. Now open for both staff and faculty to submit referrals, PASS is now more than a machform and a spreadsheet. In Fall 2020, The Student Support Centre, has taken a new approach to receiving and supporting student referrals. During this session we will discuss PASS, writing effective referrals, and assessing priority. There will be time at the end to ask questions about the system and how we support our students”.
This will be offered a few different dates with different presenters from the Student Life team:
Date & Location:
January 21, 2021 10:00 am – 11:00 am online
February 4 and 18, 2021 10:00 am – 11:00 am online
March 4 and 18, 2021 10:00 am – 11:00 a online
Facilitator: Student Life Team
Register:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pass-then-and-now-tickets-132838951881 (Jan 21)
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pass-then-and-now-tickets-132839575747 (Feb. 4)
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pass-then-and-now-tickets-132839672035 (Feb. 18)
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pass-then-and-now-tickets-132839784371 (Mar 4)
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pass-then-and-now-tickets-132839920779 (Mar 18)
Outlook Basics & MS Teams
This course will re-familiarize you with Outlook basics and discuss the benefits of the new MS Teams integration. Find out how these two softwares fit together and optimise your use of them. Contact the instructor at Courtney.Boisvert@ufv.ca if you have specific topics you’d like covered.
Date: March 3rd, 2021 at 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm Online
Facilitator: Courtney Boisvert
Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/outlook-basics-ms-teams-tickets-132840099313
Awareness of Mental Health at Work
This workshop is designed to help build comfort in talking about mental health and mental illness and learn how to respond in a supportive way to co-workers who may be experiencing a mental illness. This workshop is suitable for employees and general audiences.
Date & Location: February 16th, 2021 at 9:00 am – 10:30 am Online
Facilitator: Canadian Mental Health Association
Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/awareness-of-mental-health-at-work-tickets-132840452369
Effective Problem Solving and Decision-Making Techniques
This workshop will help you learn effective problem recognition and solving skills using techniques based on individual success measurements. Decision-making refers to the act of choosing between alternatives, whereas problem solving creates those alternatives.
Participants will accurately assess the benefits, risks, and challenges for any problem-solving process. They will learn and practice a variety of creative problem identification and solving techniques.
Participants will advance their knowledge of the processes of making a decision. They will also learn to develop a timely decision-making model for themselves and decision-making styles used by effective decision-makers.
Learning Objectives include:
- define decision-making and recognize it as a strategic and systematic process
- design your decision-making process, so you clearly articulate your preferences to others
- shorten the time it takes to analyze the problem and make the decision
- identify what may be the barriers to problem solving and decision-making in your workplace relationships
Date & Location: March 9th, 2021 at 9:00 am – 11:00 am Online
Facilitator: Soft Skills Group
Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/effective-problem-solving-and-decision-making-techniques-tickets-132840624885
Adobe Pro
Now that Adobe Acrobat Pro has been made available to UFV Employees, you may have some questions on what you can do with it. Join us for a workshop that will cover creating forms and editing pdfs. We will also go over certificate-based signatures, filling and signing forms and collecting signatures from others. Please contact the instructor at Courtney.Boisvert@ufv.ca by March 12th if you have any specific topics you’d like to learn more about.
Date: March 17th, 2021 at 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm Online
Facilitator: Courtney Boisvert
Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/adobe-pro-tickets-132841126385
Project Management
Project management is a fundamental skill in today’s workplace. This workshop will provide you an overview of the discipline, explore how its applied in the business world, and look at ways you can apply it to your work; including essential software to keep your project on track.
Date & Location: April 6th, 2021 at 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm Online
Facilitator: Thomas Jones
Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/project-management-tickets-132841429291
Advanced Word
Learn advanced Microsoft Word skills through Blackboard Collaborate. Topics may include form, index, table of contents, and tab stop creation. Review and revising documents and document protection. Contact the instructor at Courtney.Boisvert@ufv.ca by April 2nd if you have specific topics you’d like covered.
Date & Location: April 7th, 2021 at 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm Online
Facilitator: Courtney Boisvert
Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/advanced-word-tickets-132842079235
Advanced Excel
Learn advanced skills in Microsoft Excel through Blackboard Collaborate. Topics may include financial functions, table creating and manipulation, PivotTables and PivotCharts, custom formatting, and consolidating data. Contact the instructor at Courtney.Boisvert@ufv.ca by April 16th. if you have specific topics you’d like covered.
Date & Location: April 21st, 2021 at 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm Online
Facilitator: Courtney Boisvert
Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/advanced-excel-tickets-132842338009
Building Bridges to Connection
As we step into a new year of unknowns and continuous change, how might we strengthen relationships across teams at UFV for greater resilience?
Explore skills, habits, and strategies that will start 2021 with a positive C.H.A.R.G.E.
Week One: Play with a beginner’s mindset and experience the power of curiosity to fuel communication
Week Two: Play with recognizing, accepting and celebrating the diversity of our strengths for collaboration
Week Three: Play with meaningful conversations towards a sense of belonging, trust and psychological safety
The quality of our relationships impacts our health, happiness and stress. If you’ve ever enjoyed the energizing feeling of well-being after playing around the campfire with reflective conversations this is the professional remote version of that “glow”.
Limited spots available for a small group, hands-on, experience of three (3) ninety minute sessions
Date: January 14, 21 and 28, 2021 at 10:00 am – 11:30 am on Zoom
Facilitator: Kirsten Anderson, Playologist, International Keynote Speaker, Facilitator, Trainer, Coach
Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/building-bridges-to-connection-tickets-132835481501
Kirsten Anderson’s career has always followed the fun! Corporate beginnings in movie theatre and event
management led to 25 years in leadership opening the award winning “Best Toy Store in Canada”. For almost a decade she became known as the white-lab-coat-wearing Toyologist, on Global News, the go-to source of expert advice on play. After selling the business that she founded and grew over fifteen years, she took a leap into new ventures. Playing to her strengths of creative problem solving and
unlocking potential in teams she founded Integrate Play Solutions – a boutique training organization dedicated to solving tough challenges, creating culture transformation, and increasing innovation playfully. Engagement and creativity are foundations in all of her Lego® Serious Play® facilitations, training, coaching, and professional speaking around the world. Integrate Play Solutions is breaking down the barriers to communication, connection, and productivity through play at work one fun block at a time.
Fundamentals of Content Marketing
One of the primary goals of marketing is to connect in a meaningful way with your audiences. Content marketing helps you to create a deep connection based on the needs and interests of your audience, so that you become a trusted resource that people turn to repeatedly. Get an overview of content marketing and learn how you can develop, run and measure your own content marketing program.
Date & Location: February 23, 2021 at 10:00 am – 12:00 pm Online
Facilitator: Breanna Willock
Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fundamentals-of-content-marketing-tickets-132859561525
Fundamentals of Writing for the Web
Research shows that the ways in which we consume information have been changing significantly as more information and content moves online. Learn the fundamentals of how to inform, instruct and inspire your website visitors
Date &am; Location: March 25, 2021 at 10:00 am – 12:00 pm Online
Facilitator: TBD
Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fundamentals-of-writing-for-the-web-tickets-132859643771
Marketing Best Practices Series: Persona Development
Take your marketing skills to the next level. Personas are an important tool that helps marketers visualize and anticipate the needs of their audience. Learn how to identify the key traits of your audiences, pull them together into a set of personas, then use those personas to create marketing and communications that work
Date & Location: April 27, 2021 at 10:00 am – 12:00 pm Online
Facilitator: TBD
Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/marketing-best-practices-series-persona-development-tickets-132859970749