Registration

Light Refreshments

available until 7:30

Opening Remarks

Suzanne Zwarych

Milé Komlen

Director, Human Rights & Equity Services, McMaster University

Milé Komlen is a Canadian lawyer specializing in human rights law, corporate social responsibility and diversity management. He has over 20 years of experience promoting human rights and implementing diversity strategies in a variety of business, community and institutional settings.

Milé is currently the Director of Human Rights & Equity Services at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. As a member of the University’s Senior Management Team, Milé advises the university on diversity and inclusive initiatives, and oversees discrimination and harassment complaints. For nearly six years prior, Milé was the Senior Diversity Consultant with the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC). In this role, he provided strategic guidance on employment equity and diversity initiatives throughout the bank’s global operations.

He currently serves as the Chair of the Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion and is the past-Chair of the Equity Advisory Group for the Law Society of Upper Canada.

Dr. Mary Hall

Director, Safe Schools Manitoba

safeschoolsmanitoba.ca

Dr. Mary Hall is the Director of Safe Schools Manitoba. Mary has worked in the field of education for over 30 years. Her teaching experience has ranged from elementary school to the post-secondary system in both British Columbia and Manitoba. She received her PhD in Educational Administration from Simon Fraser University in 1999. Mary’s doctoral research examined the use of discretion by school administrators in response to violence in schools. She has presented at numerous conferences throughout Manitoba, as well as national and international events. Mary’s passion and dedication to inspiring others to make a difference in the lives of children and youth shine through her presentations.

Michael Redhead Champagne

ARROWS Youth Engagement

Michael Redhead Champagne, 25, from Shamattawa Cree Nation, Manitoba and was raised in the North End of Winnipeg. He graduated from St. John's High School, attended 1226 Fort Garry Horse Army Cadet Corps and has attended courses with both the University of Winnipeg & Manitoba. MC has been the recipient of a Future Leaders of Manitoba Award, Royal Canadian Legion Medal of Excellence and a Manitoba Youth Achievement Award; the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal, all for community service.

In 2008 he created the ARROWS Youth Engagement strategy which empowers inner city youth to facilitate relationship based training to the staff & adults of youth programs. In 2010 he founded AYO! (Aboriginal Youth Opportunities) a youth-led anti-gang committed to breaking stereotypes and creating opportunity. 2011 saw the Meet Me @ The Bell Tower anti-violence rallies that occur weekly in the heart of the North End on Selkirk Avenue. He has spoken across the province about health & safety in his role with SAFE Workers of Tomorrow. In 2011 he began to act as co-host of a weekly talk radio show, Inner City Voices on CKUW 95.9 FM. He has recently been featured on Global National as an Everyday Hero and CBC?s 8th Fire mini documentary with the Bell Tower Movement. He was also selected to participate in the first ever Canada-Caribbean Emerging Leaders Dialogue as the youngest and only Indigenous participant. His passion and enthusiasm are contagious. His message is "Programs don't change people. Relationships change people."

He has become a powerful voice for his community. He moves and captivates his audience with his straight up style combined with energy and passion igniting the hopes of his listeners. A powerful presence that is both sincere and honest will have you hanging on his every word. The 7 teachings are at the core of everything he does and speaks to.

Networking Reception

Leo Barbe

Think Don’t Shoot

At 21, Leo Barbe was shot twice point-blank by the hand of another youth and left for dead in an alley way. Luckily a mail man on his morning route tripped over Leo’s body and performed CPR to save his life. Leo then endured a grueling one and a half years of heart wrenching mental and physical recovery before hearing the life changing voice of Martin Luther King Jr. He then traveled from the depth of darkness to the heights of self-actualization while creating something that has changed the lives of tenth of thousands of youth and counting.

Now at 26, Leo is an award winning youth activist, a published author, professional speaker, spoken word artist and a local figure on youth empowerment. He is also the founder of a youth empowerment organization called Think Don't Shoot. His memoir “Slaying the Dragon” will open your eyes to the ripple effects of violence and extend your ideas of hope and survival. Throughout the roller coaster ride of his journey you will find out what it takes to face your fear and slay your dragon.

With Leo fueling the TDS movement he is on a crusade to end youth violence from its core and provide strength and encouragement in a way that will shape the foundation of our youth.

Graffiti Wednesdays

Shelley Hosaluk & Heather Pitman, Saskatoon Public Schools

Nutana students are exploring social responsibility and working together to improve our community! On Graffiti Wednesdays, students in Shelley’s English class at Nutana Collegiate work together to learn about graffiti as an art form versus vandalism. This session explores the vocabulary and the law surrounding graffiti culture, examines how graffiti can be used to enhance literacy skills, and demonstrates collaboration in action. Come and experience how we can work together to build awareness and to educate one another on this contemporary topic.

School Climate

Suzanne Zwarych, CAMH Centre for Prevention Science

Cyberbullying: Working Toward Solutions

Linda Clarke

The Leader In Me

Lisa Obrigewitsch, Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools

The Leader in Me is a safe school initiative. The power point being presented was created as a way to introduce the Leader in Me program to a School Community Council. The presentation begins with the contributing factors to the creation of the program, it then describes the benefits as well as ways to implement the program, and it ends with a call to parents to be part of the implementation of the Leader in Me.

Thomas Hall

The Pan Am Clinic Foundation

Thomas Hall is an accomplished speaker, philanthropist, scholar and athlete. This 23 year old fills each of these roles with passion and determination. His commitment to community involvement led Thomas to become a leader at the University of Manitoba. As a member of the Bison Football team, Thomas has led his team on and off the field serving as a team captain, co-director of the “Bisons Against Bullying” Program and chair of the University of Manitoba Athletes’ Council.

A recipient of a number of university, community, provincial and national awards, his noteworthy honours include the 2009 and 2010 prestigious Russ Jackson Award presented to the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) football player who exemplifies excellence in academics, athletics and citizenship. He was also selected as a CIS Desjardins Top 8 Academic All-Canadian for the 2009-10 season.

Thomas’ dedication to making a difference in the lives of others is evidenced by his numerous endeavours in the community. Along with his three siblings, he was co-founder and honourary chair of “Challenge for Life”, CancerCare Manitoba’s signature fundraising event. Since its inception in 2007, the event has raised approximately $5 million for research, patient care and treatment. For the past three years, Thomas has volunteered his time at Siloam Mission, a local shelter which provides meals and assistance for Winnipeg’s homeless and disadvantaged. He was also the co-founder and director of “Project Echo” (a not-for-profit organization) created to improve the quality of life for others. The project’s initiatives include raising money for Winnipeg libraries, gathering and delivering hampers at Christmas, as well as raising money to assist with the building of a home and providing future care for 10 orphaned children in Namibia, Africa. Reflecting on the objectives of “Project Echo”, Thomas states: “It’s an interesting and powerful concept because what we’re trying to do is create an echo, where people see good things being done and it inspires them to get involved as well.”

Thomas has been a keynote speaker at numerous events, including the Canadian Red Cross Youth Leadership Conference in 2011 and the Canadian Centre for Diversity Conference in 2012. His perspective on youth engagement and student leadership is an inspiration to all those who hear hem speak.

Safe Schools and the Law

Jerome Chomos

This session will deal with issues of laws related to safe schools and will include an examination of cases that have established principles and precedents of law important to educators. As well, there will be a discussion of practical recommendations arising from legal cases involving educators. This session will be of particular interest to school and central office administrators.

Integrating Bullying Prevention into a School-Wide Framework: Reducing the Effectiveness of Bullying Behaviour

Jean Bacon, Positive Beahviour Supports, Saskatchewan

Concerns regarding bullying continue to increase, especially with reports of the devastating effects experienced by those victimized. This session will describe a strategy schools can use to reduce the effectiveness of bullying behaviour within the implementation of a school-wide positive behaviour supports approach vs. stand-alone approaches that indicate limited effectiveness. The use of materials available from the web at no cost to schools will be highlighted.??

Jean has worked as regular and special education teacher, consultant/coordinator and superintendent in rural and urban school divisions from kindergarten to university as well as at the provincial government level. She has a post-graduate diploma in special education and a master’s in Educational Administration from the University of Saskatchewan and is a trainer for Positive Behaviour Supports. She has worked in a number of school divisions/districts in both Saskatchewan and Alberta, supporting schools in the use of a multi-tiered approach to supporting student behaviour.

Inclusion Through a Mental Health Lens – A Deeper Look

Mary Hall, Safe Schools Manitoba

SADS - Sudden Arrhythmia Death Syndrome in Schools

Marj Mohr & Janelle Frizzell, Strasbourg EMS

SADS is an umbrella term for a range of heart disorders that can sometimes be responsible for death in people 35 years and younger. We want to bring awareness to as many people as possible as SADS is more common than people think. ARVC – one of the disorders – affects 1 in 500 people, so a school of 1000 students could possibly have 2 children with SADS. Warning signs are brushed off as nothing and the consequences can mean the life of a young person.?

Workplace Bullying & Mental Health: A Closer Look

Milé Komlen, Human Rights & Equity Services, McMaster University

Addressing Racism & Prejudice in the Classroom

David Katzman, Choose Your Voice

Youth Engagement in Bullying Prevention

Wendy MacDonald, RespectED, Canadian Red Cross

Red Cross RespectED helps communities and schools to be safer places for children and youth. Much of RespectED’s work is done in partnership with schools and the staff involved in violence prevention. A school partner shared a story about a student. This student was getting bullied, at school in class, in the hallway, and during lunch. Walking home from school this same was being followed, taunted and shoved. Finally when the student made it home, to the place that should be the safest, the bullying continued on social media. When the student shared the impact of the bullying behaviour to our partner, he said: “it’s like they have an all access pass to my life, and I’ve got to find a way to make it stop”.

RespectED helps youth ages 11 and over to stop bullying by equipping them with the tools to keep themselves safe and to make positive change in their schools. This presentation will share examples and success stories of how schools engaged their students in youth-led bullying prevention programs after having participated in Red Cross Beyond the Hurt: bullying and harassment prevention education training. Also discussed is a shift to the youth-led model for the RespectED Healthy Youth Relationships program.

Beyond the Booklet: Adapating the 4th R After School Program Through Self-Location and Relationship Building

David Werner, Stan Tu'lnukuafe, Chelsey Hodgkinson-Wilson, Aboriginal Education Research Centre, University of Saskatchewan

Over the past two years the Aboriginal Education Research Centre in partnership with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) has been adapting the 4th R After School Program to meet the needs of ‘at?risk’ youth. Stan, Chelsey and David will share their experiences working with youth and modifying programming to meet the unique needs of youth in our community. The presenters will discuss the challenges and success of adding authenticity to premade programs and the importance of self?location in working with youth.