What can be more challenging than working on the frontline supporting people who are experiencing substance use issues, chronic homelessness, mental health issues, or generational trauma? Adding to the challenge—people may experience several of these concurrently.
That’s why the third annual George Spady Society Training Conference, again, focuses on the frontline.
It’s the frontline staff who interact directly with individuals experiencing these complex life circumstances. That direct contact can bring difficult moments. But working directly with people also offers repeated opportunities to build a unique connection and support individuals in their journey.
Join us on Wednesday, September 19, 2018, to learn from speakers who draw on their experience in clinical best practices, trauma-informed care, cultural competency and harm reduction. Held at the attractive Providence Renewal Centre, this full-day conference offers multiple sessions that highlight relevant new resources in our city, emerging research, as well as best practice models and tools for client care. Take this opportunity to learn more about healing trauma at the individual and the community level.
See the full conference schedule below and follow the links for more speaker and session details.
What did last year’s attendees say?
“It was a great day.”
“I absolutely loved this conference. All of the speakers were amazing.”
Ken Armstrong
Ken Armstrong is the Oskapewis/Indigenous Cultural and Educational Helper at Homeward Trust Edmonton. He has worked with people experiencing homelessness and the Indigenous communities in various capacities, including street outreach, since 2003. Ken was a Health Support Worker with the Indian Residential School Resolution Health Support Program for four years. Before coming to Homeward Trust, Ken was the Indigenous Cultural and Spiritual Facilitator with Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society’s Housing First team.
Ken is also an award-winning photojournalist whose photographic journey has taken him across Canada documenting our country’s homeless and Indigenous populations. Ken grew up in Winnipeg and is a member of the Sagkeeng First Nation in Manitoba.
Curtis Babcock
Curtis is very motivated to share his story and pass on helpful information from his experience. Directly, or indirectly, Curtis wishes to contribute to improving the lives of people living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.
Wendy Bouwman-Oake
Wendy Bouwman Oake has been a Program Director at the Boyle McCauley Health Centre in Edmonton since 2013, overseeing their housing programs, Pathways to Housing and Pregnancy Pathways. She started her career as a lawyer, practicing primarily Immigration Law and Criminal Defence, and then worked in leadership roles with Legal Aid Alberta to increase access to justice for low income Albertans, before deciding to continue her career in not-for-profit leadership. Since there is never a dull moment at work, Wendy tries to keep her home and family life as boring as possible, apart from traveling with her family whenever she can.
Detective Ryan Ferry
Detective Ryan Ferry is a 12 year member of the Edmonton Police Service. He has worked in patrol, Whyte Avenue Beats, Public Safety Compliance Team, Hospitality Policing Unit and has been newly promoted where he is working as a detective in Downtown Division Criminal Investigations Section. All of these roles have required a high level of community engagement which Det. Ferry has embraced by investing himself in the community to break down barriers and stereotypes. Det. Ferry has organized several projects that involved outreach to high risk youth and providing resources to the homeless.
Sergeant Michelle Horchuk
Sgt Michelle Horchuk is a 16 year member of the Edmonton Police Service and is currently assigned as the Supervisor of Hospitality Policing Unit. She has been a detective in the Institutions Investigations Unit and a supervisor of a patrol squad in Downtown Edmonton. Prior to her supervisory experience, Sgt Horchuk has worked in Downtown Division Beats, Hate Crimes Unit, Spousal Violence Unit and was a member of the Sexual Exploitation Working Group (SEWG). Sgt Horchuk also coordinated a program for high risk youth and remains committed to working with high risk populations.
Jacqui Linder
Dr. Jacqui Linder is a registered psychologist specializing in the treatment of complex posttraumatic stress disorder. She completed her doctoral dissertation on the psychospiritual impact of childhood sexual abuse. Dr. Linder is the CEO of the Spiral Phoenix Trauma Institute in Edmonton, Alberta and the Program Director of City University’s Master of Counselling program in Edmonton.
Dr. Linder is an internationally recognized expert on the psychological profiling of survivors of human trafficking (HT), lecturing for the Canadian Police College, Interpol, and the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC). She founded the Chrysalis Anti-Human Trafficking Network in 2010 and Canada’s National HT Roundtable the following year. In 2011, she co-founded Freedom Relay Canada, an annual education and fundraising initiative for survivors of human trafficking and exploitation. In 2013, Dr. Linder developed and launched the National Human Trafficking Investigators Forum to help connect law enforcement from coast to coast. In 2015, she cofounded the transpersonal researcher’s alliance.
Dr. Linder has extensive training in classic and complementary healing techniques including cognitive-behavioural therapy, exposure therapy, EMDR, expressive arts therapy, and ritual healing. She is an experienced facilitator and has trained over 12,000 professionals on the impact of psychological trauma in Canada, France, Egypt, Greece, Italy, Hungary, and the UK.
Kris Knutson
Kris Knutson is presently the Director of Programs at The Mustard Seed in Edmonton where he oversees all of their frontline programing, drop-in centres, support services and chaplaincy programing. He also oversees their contract with Correctional Services Canada to provide reintegration support to those transitioning from prison back to the community. Kris has worked with those struggling with the impacts of poverty, homelessness and incarceration in Edmonton since 1999.
Stephanie Mackintosh
Stephanie Danae Mackintosh is a housing outreach worker (HOW) for the George Spady Society. Stephanie’s role as a HOW is to support clients in accessing housing, or being re-housed, as well as items necessary for the clients’ homes. When a client is deemed eligible and accepted into the program, they are connected to a Housing Outreach Worker. After the Housing Outreach Worker has the tools in place that can best assure successful housing (furniture, utility hook up, groceries, and other start-up items), the HOW worker then transferred the participant to a Follow-Up Support Worker who will guide those individuals on the remainder of their journey to Housing Stability. Stephanie completed her Bachelor of Arts at Vancouver Island University with a major in psychology. During her degree Stephanie did research on the sex trade and the ways in which harm reduction approaches could be incorporated as a model for social justice within the realm of sex work.
Jennifer Sadowski
Jennifer Sadowski has a clinical background as an Occupational Therapist and has worked in a number of settings with Alberta Health Services over the last 14 years, including acute inpatient psychiatry, children and adult rehabilitation, long-term care, and community. She has recently accepted the position of the Clinical Supervisor for the Community Outreach, Assessment, and Support Team (COAST) and has been a member of COAST since its inception five years ago. Jennifer is passionate about working with those diagnosed with an intellectual and/or developmental disability and complex service needs and looking forward to the continued partnerships with community to empower people to live a life of meaning and purpose.
Erica Schoen
Erica Schoen is the Director of Edmonton’s three community Supervised Consumption Service locations. She is a registered nurse and mental health therapist with experience in a variety of roles in community mental health, public health, crisis response, and public education.
Tanya Wasielewski
Dr. Tanya Wasielewski, a psychologist with Alberta Health Services, Addictions and Mental Health, has been working in the mental health field for 15 years. Originally from South Africa, she is currently the Care Manager for the Community Outreach Assessment and Support Team (COAST). COAST is a multidisciplinary, cross-ministerial team that specializes in building capacity in the community to support adults, youth and children with complex service needs. Tanya has been with the team since its inception five years ago and has recently taken over management of the team. The COAST team works from a recovery-oriented perspective, focusing on individual needs, strengths and empowerment.
Andrew Wilson
Andrew Wilson, is a Social Worker affiliated with George Spady Society in the role of Addictions Counsellor. Andrew holds a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Calgary and expects to be enrolled in the PHD program by September of 2018.
The full day conference will take place at the Providence Renewal Centre in Edmonton.
3005 119 St NW,
Edmonton AB
T6J 5R5
please visit: www.providencerenewal.com for more information
Questions?
Conference Secretariat
BUKSA Strategic Conference Services
Suite 307, 10328 81 Ave NW | Edmonton, AB | T6E 1X2
780-436-0983 ext.234 | gspady@buksa.com