Our Learning Agenda

Get information about the event learning agenda, workshops and interactive activities.

We are excited to bring the workshop and participants to the City of St Albert, Alberta. St. Albert was one of Deepening Communities founding memberships and has been working hard over the last three years to connect people to create action and build a sense of belonging. St Albert is located on the Sturgeon River northwest of the City of Edmonton.  The city was originally settled as a Métis community, and is now the second-largest city in the Edmonton Metropolitan Region. 

Each morning we will hear from world-renowned keynote speakers and panels. These panels will dive deeper into the work that residents are doing to build community. We will be working with St. Albert and Wetaskiwin as our hosts for the event and our partner to help Tamarack put together a learning agenda that will bring a deep understanding of co-generative learning to the space. This will include small and large group conversations and creative design features that include a learning wall, active Twitter feeds, a celebration and much more.  

Lunch and three breaks daily are included in your conference fee and there will be plenty of time for walks or just sitting in a garden during breaks. Oh, and we did not forget the fun!  Special activities are being planned with coffee breaks, music and inspiring interactive spaces and interpretive exercises. 

Each afternoon after our inspiring keynotes and panels, you will spend the afternoon in two (a total of 4 workshops) of our 18 workshops.  

Agenda at a glance

Day 1
Tuesday, June 6

8:30 am - Opening with Vice President of Region 4 Gary Gagnon from Métis Nation of Alberta and Welcome from our Emcee

9:00 am Keynotes:

10:00 am Break

10:30 am Keynotes:

  • When Community takes the lead with Ksenia Stepkina

  • Creating safety for newcomers to participate in community with Karis Nsofor

  • Building relationships for change with Elder Alvin

Small Group Work

Noon-Lunch

1:00pm Round #1 Workshops

3:00pm Round #2 Workshops

5pm Evening fun- Celebrating Culture in our neighbourhoods 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 2
Wednesday, June 7

8:30 am - Reconvene the Learning Community with Elder J0-Ann Saddleback from Samson Cree Nation and our Emcees

Keynote:

  • Building community via the neighbourhood with Emily Talen

  • Centering Community: Meeting in the middle with Muslim women and people of African descent, case studies from Victoria with Lisa Helps

10:00 am Break

Leadership Panel - How institutional leaders work together to put community at the centre of their work and support community ambition.

  • Chief of Staff, City of Edmonton-Salima Ebrahim

  • Lloydminster Councillor - Lorelee Marin

  • St Albert Superintendent -Krimsen Sumners 

  • Director - Healthy Settings at Alberta Health Services - Lisa Allen Scott

  • Manager, Public Engagement at Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo-Nadia Power

Small Group Work

Noon-Lunch

1:00pm Round #1 Workshops

3:00pm Round #2 Workshops

5pm Evening fun- Pop up Party with Community Connectors

 

 

 

Day 3
Thursday, June 8

8:30am -  Reconvene & Inuit blessing by Jeanien Bell, Inuit Community Development and Education Foundation

9:00 Keynotes

  • Meeting in the Middle: Dance lessons for Partners with Jim Diers
  • Belonging will bring us closer to the middle with Kim Samuel

10:15 Break

10:45 Keynote: 

  • Meeting in the Middle with Chief Wayne Semaganis from Little Pine Cree Nation, Treaty 6

Now What and Inspiration going forward with Heather Keam

 Inspirational stories of working together:
  • Meeting in the middle to building a healing garden
  • Connect Wetaskiwin bringing community together 
  • Building Belonging in St Albert

11:45 Wrap up & Closing;  

  • Inspiration from Timiro Mohamed
  • Inspiration from Ryan Arcand
  • Emcees final words 

12:30 Closing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Workshops

We have organized the workshops into three themes, and these workshops will be small 1.5 hr interactive workshops that will help to build your knowledge and skills to deepen your community.   

Emerging Topics:

  • Building inclusive communities
  • Community's role in supporting young people
  • An asset-based approach to solving problems
  • Building caring communities
  • Connecting communities to build a sense of belonging  

Building Blocks of Community: 

  • Engaging Neighbours 
  • Asset Mapping  
  • Shifting Mindsets 
  • Roles and Function of Community