August 24, 2009 - Afternoon 1:15 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.

Welcome speaker : MPP Paul Miller

Paul Miller was born and raised in Stoney Creek. He is a dedicated labour rights activist in Hamilton and has worked for 32 years at Hamilton Steel as an industrial mechanic, welder and fitter. Paul served as a Stoney Creek city councillor for 6 years. During his first term, he was active with the Hamilton and Wentworth County Public School Board and the Community Liaison Committee for the Taro Landfill and Hamilton Region Conservation Authority. During his second term, he was Chairman of Parks and Recreation and was active with city committees dealing with firefighting, licensing, engineering and planning.As a labour leader with the United Steelworkers of America, Paul worked tirelessly in nine campaigns on behalf of workers in Hamilton and across the country, pushing to change Canadian labour laws to protect pensions and the rights of workers. Paul helped his wife to promote her anti-racism book for children, which won the Anti-bias Curriculum Development Award from the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario.Paul and his wife have three daughters and they live in Stoney Creek. In 2008 Paul was very active in promoting kinship funding with Ontario Works and battling for this funds to be reinstated.

August 24, 2009, Afternoon - 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Ice breaker - Get to know each other game.

August 25, 2009 - Morning Session

Anti bullying by Joanne Klauke-LaBelle

This anti-bullying workshop focuses on tips and techniques to help intervene, as well as information to help reduce bullying at home, at school, and in the community.  As well Joanne will talk about how she founded Harmony for Youth and how we can take it to our communities.

Joanne Klauke-LaBelle founded the International Charity, Harmony for Youth 15 years ago. Harmony began after the tragic suicide of a young boy, and Joanne's steps to help prevent teen suicide. Her dedication to youth has led her to build a charity that was recognized in the Profiles of Excellence by the Fraser Institute for being one of the top 27 charities in Canada. She has been given the Medal of Citizenship by the Province of Ontario, awarded Woman of Distinction, and Volunteer of the Year by Flare Magazine, and featured on the Live with Regis and Kelly show. Joanne's workshops will focus on paying it forward in our community, and teaching youth their intrinsic value through volunteering.

August 25, 2009, Afternoon

Art Therapy by Edward Hagedorn MA DTATI  

Ed integrates expressive arts and dyadic developmental therapy in his clinical practice, based in Cobourg,Ontario. A brief history of art therapy and its application. The use of Art therapy is seen as one tool in a multi-disciplinary approach to the care of children. It can provide caregivers with a "barometer" for the child's functioning within the foster home. Case scenarios and examples of art work will be reviewed.Through the use of art, sculpture and play therapy, clients work to overcome trauma, sexual, emotional and physical abuse. Contact Ed at: RR # 2 45 Parliament Street Colborne, Ontario 905-372-2805 F 905-372-2848 artreach@eagle.ca

August 26, 2009 -   Both Morning & Afternoon Sessions

Trauma Workshop - The Child's journey from family of origin (kinship care) by Margarita Rabinovich, Lic. (Psych.)

This dynamic and interactive workshop is designed as an overview of trauma, abuse and neglect and its impact. It also explores the role that the care giver holds from an attachment perspective. The material covered in the workshop includes the following: defining trauma and attachment, exploring main sources of the children's behaviors and symptoms, parenting in the context of trauma, secondary trauma, and self care, practical exercises.

Margarita  Rabinovich, Lic. (Psych.) h as more than 15 years of experience as a psychotherapist. Margarita is currently a clinical therapist and coordinator of the Complex Trauma Services at Child and Adolescent Services in Hamilton, ON. Margarita has developed a Training for Foster parents in Child-Adolescent Trauma that is being offered to C/CAS-Hamilton since 2006. Margarita has lived and practiced her profession in different countries which not only has given her the fluency to speak in several languages, but has also enhanced her ability to address a wide range of relationship issues within the context of the individual's wider socio-cultural systems. Other meaningful areas providing balance in Margarita's life and enriching her professional work in alternative ways are her loving family, visual arts, hiking, swimming and dancing .

August 27, 2009  - Morning Session

Alcohol Spectrum Disorder workshop - Stephanie Ambert is a Child & Family Clinician

Stephanie has been working at Child Development Institute for 8 years, a children's mental health agency in Toronto. She provides parent counseling, home visits and parent-child interactional work as well as providing psycho educational parent groups. Stephanie has also been an active member of Toronto-based Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Leadership team for the past few years. This team has been lead and trained by Donna Debolt, a leading FASD specialist from Alberta who was commissioned by Children's Aid Society of Toronto. Stephanie is passionate and committed to providing training and consultation on FASD and wants people to be aware of the devastating impact that prenatal alcohol exposure can have on children, and families. She provides introductory and advanced training on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and is presently working on a screening training as well. She is also a member of FASDO, faslink and FAS world International and she regularly attends the parent support group held one Saturday a month in Toronto at St. Michael's Hospital.

August 27, 2009 Afternoon Session

TARA BISHOP Director, Angel Tree Team www.prisonfellowship.ca

Angel Tree Camping has been a proud partner of CanGrands Conference & Campout this year.  As a ministry of Prison Fellowship Canada, the Angel Tree collection of programmes seek to encourage children and families of offenders in breaking the cycle of crime. We recognize that kin providers are an under-represented and under-serviced population and desire to assist in ways that align with Prison Fellowship Canada's larger mission; "To challenge, equip and empower the body of Christ in its ministry to prisoners, ex-prisoners, their families and victims, and to promote the advancement of restorative justice."  This session will  outline how Prison Fellowship Canada, including Angel Tree, may be of assistance to you.

Tara has been working in ministry for the past nine years, most recently as Associate Pastor at an inner-city church plant in Toronto called 614 St. Jamestown. She has retained a volunteer position at the church while working with Prison Fellowship Canada. Having seen first-hand the needs of kids and youth in St. Jamestown, Tara is excited to be offering programs to at-risk youth and children in cities across Canada . Tara received an Honours Bachelors of Music in voice, and has used her gifts in teaching students and leading worship in various congregations.

August 28, 2009- Morning Session

Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy Workshop by  Grace Joubarne, MH, CCHT, HT, TP

Grace will explain why hypnosis and hypnotherapy are the most natural, non-invasive and cost-effective means of resolving many of life's emotional challenges and how they work both for young and old. Grace will explain, in an easy to understand manner, how thought energy impacts the results we get in life and how thought energy is used in hypnosis to help a person self-heal. By way of a relaxing group hypnosis session for those who would like to experience hypnosis for themselves, she will conduct a guided imagery. There will be lots of opportunity to ask questions before the workshop ends. Simply bring comfortable clothing, a very comfortable chair or mat and pillow and perhaps blanket and be prepared to truly enjoy yourself. NOTE:  Grace Joubarne, MH, CCHT, HT, TP is a Certified Hypnotherapist certified by the International Medical and Dental Hypnotherapy Association and the International Association of Counselors and Therapists as well as the National Guild of Hypnotists. Grace is a graduate of the Pacific Institute of Advanced Hypnotherapy (PIAH), holds a certificate in Advanced Emotional Freedom Techniques and practices Holistic and Transpersonal healing modalities.  She sits on the Advisory Board of PIAH.  Grace specializes in the application of hypnotherapeutic techniques to assist clients in achieving emotional freedom around issues from abuse, neglect and abandonment to smoking, weight management and study/exam anxiety and many others.

August 28, 2009 - Afternoon Session

Guidance on the Go ! by Cherie Dale, ECE, RT.

Cherie's interactive workshop will help the participants to INCREASE positive interactions and DECREASE negative interactions with young children.  The focus will be on changing our own behaviors as adults to influence the children we care for in a positive manner.  There will be tip sheets and picture communication schedules shared for all participants.  Please come prepared to share some personal experiences in small group discussions.

Cherie Dale, ECE, RT is a Resource Consultant  in the City of Toronto.Cherie serves a cluster of 10 centers in the North York area and supports families and children with extra support needs. The families and children served have a wide variety of special needs. Cherie is also part-time faculty at Centennial College where she teaches in the ECE and Resource Consultant Programs. Cherie is married to a great guy and has a son who is on his way to being a fabulous 2 year old ;)

August 29, 2009- Morning Session

Taking CANGRANDS home by Betty Cornelius