*Watch for more 2026 updates!* In these sessions, you can engage in a variety of workshops to support and build capacity in the people side of your non-profit organization.
- “Building Place, Holding Space, Seeing Systems: A Conflict Framework for Boards” (Julie Hrdlicka – Conflict Revolution)
- “Keeping Cool and Connected: Conflict Skills for Board Members” (Julie Hrdlicka – Conflict Revolution)
- “Shared Leadership in Complexity” (Geraldine Ysselstein – Riverstone)
- “Facilitating Strategic Planning for Non-Profits: Practical Skills for Success” (Jerry Firth – Community Development Unit)
- “The Shield & The Structure: Navigating OHS and HR for Non-Profit Boards” (Bob Condon, Ellie Gao – Peninsula Canada)
- “Elevate your Board/Team: The blueprint to driving organizational success” (Michelle Scott – Strategic Talent Solutions Inc.)
- “Healthy Minds, Strong Missions” (Fawna Bews – Canadian Mental Health Association Alberta Division and Centre for Suicide Prevention)
“Building Place, Holding Space, Seeing Systems: A Conflict Framework for Boards”
Time: TBD
Presenter(s): Julie Hrdlicka – Conflict Revolution
Description: Join us for this session as we explore a holistic framework for conflict designed to help boards navigate challenges, strengthen collaboration, and foster resilience within their organizations and communities. This framework, which I call the Three Conditions for a Conflict Revolution, is made up of Building Place, Holding Space, and Seeing Systems. Together, they shift conflict away from something to control, solve, or win—and toward something human, approached with clarity, care, and accountability.
Building Place strengthens our capacity to stay present, regulated, and grounded so we can engage conflict without losing ourselves. Holding Space focuses on staying in relationship through difference, listening deeply, naming impact, and setting boundaries while maintaining care. Seeing Systems widens the lens to recognize how power, culture, history, and identity shape conflict, reminding us it never happens in a vacuum.
This lecture-style session invites participants to explore the learning through both larger and smaller group discussions, practicing the framework in real time. For boards and organizations, it builds trust, improves decision-making, and creates spaces where members can engage difference productively. Conflict Revolution provides tools to approach conflict with intention, foster relational understanding, and create meaningful, lasting change.
Conflict Revolution is a Calgary based mediation and facilitation business. Our purpose is to bring clarity, understanding, and strength to how we view ourselves and others in conflict, so we are better equipped to address present and future challenges and opportunities at the individual, community, and global levels.
To learn more about Conflict Revolution, click on any of the links below.
“Keeping Cool and Connected: Conflict Skills for Board Members”
Time: TBD
Presenter(s): Julie Hrdlicka – Conflict Revolution
Description: Board members often find fulfillment in their roles—until conflict arises. Disagreements with fellow board members, staff, community members, or clients can quickly disrupt board dynamics and create tension.
During conflict, what do we need to understand about ourselves? How can we communicate effectively and transform conflict into an opportunity for growth rather than a reason to walk away?
In this session, we will explore strategies to enhance self-awareness, build clarity and confidence, and navigate conflict with intention. These skills will empower you to make informed decisions and engage more effectively, even in challenging situations.
Conflict Revolution is a Calgary based mediation and facilitation business. Our purpose is to bring clarity, understanding, and strength to how we view ourselves and others in conflict, so we are better equipped to address present and future challenges and opportunities at the individual, community, and global levels.
To learn more about Conflict Revolution, click on any of the links below.
“Shared Leadership in Complexity”
Time: TBD
Presenter(s): Geraldine Ysselstein – Riverstone
Description: We are living in a time of profound disruption—a time that calls for meaningful transformation. In the midst of this complexity, how can board members foster shared leadership? Join this interactive workshop as we explore how self-awareness, open dialogue, and collective care agreements can help us respond thoughtfully rather than react impulsively to change.
Through sharing real-life scenarios from attendees and guided practice, we will learn how to create spaces where every voice is valued and contributes to shared leadership. By strengthening our capacity to hold multiple truths, diverse perspectives, and lived experiences; we can move forward together with greater creativity and connectivity. By the end of the workshop, you will be able to:
- Understand yourself as a courageous collaborator
- Develop agreements that support your work with board members
- Apply different viewpoints and perspectives to real-life scenarios
Riverstone is a creating, facilitating, and consulting company that integrates creative and care practices that open up space for curious conversations about our humanity.
To learn more about Riverstone, click on any of the links below.
“Facilitation Fundamentals: Practical Skills for Leading Effective Conversations”
Time: TBD
Presenter(s): Jerry Firth – Community Development Unit
Description: This interactive, hands-on workshop introduces core facilitation skills that help groups move from discussion to clarity and action. Participants will learn about the role of the facilitator, how facilitation differs from presenting or chairing meetings, and the key competencies that support effective group processes. The session includes short presentations, guided discussion, and small-group exercises where participants will practice several basic facilitation methods. Participants will explore tools that support idea generation, structured discussion, and decision-making, while learning how to design conversations with clear outcomes and strong guiding questions. This is an experiential learning session where participants will actively practice facilitation techniques they can apply in meetings, planning sessions, and collaborative discussions.
By the end of this session you will be able to:
- Describe the role of a facilitator and understand how facilitation differs from presenting, training, and chairing meetings.
- Recognize key principles of effective facilitation, including balancing process and content, defining clear outcomes, and creating the right environment for productive discussion.
- Select and apply basic facilitation techniques that support group participation, idea generation, structured discussion, and decision-making.
- Use practical facilitation tools and methods to help guide meetings and collaborative conversations toward clearer thinking and shared outcomes.
The Community Development Unit provides (no fee for service, no charge to client) customized capacity building services for non-profit, charitable organizations, social profit organizations, unincorporated collaboratives and committees to help you achieve your solutions.
To learn more about the Community Development Unit, click on any of the links below.
“The Shield & The Structure: Navigating OHS and HR for Non-Profit Boards”
Time: TBD
Presenter(s): Bob Condon, Ellie Gao – Peninsula Canada
Description: Non-profit boards often operate under the misconception that “volunteer status” exempts them from the rigors of employment law. In reality, the Alberta OHS Act applies to boards of volunteers just as strictly as it does to private corporations. This session, led by experts from Peninsula Canada, Bob Condon and Ellie Gao, provides a comprehensive “Reality Check” for directors and executive leadership.
We will bridge the gap between Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) and Human Resources (HR), moving beyond simple “slips and trips” to address the high-stakes risks unique to the non-profit sector, such as off-site event safety, home visits, and the “invisible” hazards of workplace violence, harassment, and psychological safety.
This is a traditional lecture-style presentation enriched with experiential case studies and an interactive Q&A. We prioritize a “Paper Trail” philosophy, demonstrating how written HR structures and Occupational Health & Safety Management Systems (OHSMS) serve as a board’s primary defense against misclassification and personal liability. Participants will leave with a clear roadmap for building due diligence through custom documentation and 24/7 advisory support.
Peninsula Canada is a leading HR and health and safety consultancy that provides small-to-medium-sized businesses and non-profits with 24/7 expert advice, legal protection, and specialized documentation. We empower employers to navigate complex provincial regulations with confidence, ensuring they remain compliant while focusing on their core mission.
To learn more about Peninsula Canada, click on the link below.
“Elevate your Board/Team: The blueprint to driving organizational success“
Time: TBD
Presenter(s): Michelle Scott – Strategic Talent Solutions Inc.
Description: Hi! I’m Michelle Scott, I specialize in Team and Board Effectiveness, Leadership Development and Health & Well-Being Coaching. My workshops and interactive speaking sessions are designed to inspire leaders & drive success at every organizational level.
Join me for an inspiring session that transforms the way your board and team operate. Imagine an organization or association where every team member is aligned with the vision, values, and strategy. Where disconnect and dysfunction are replaced with a positive and productive culture, driving high performance and ensuring seamless execution at all levels of the organization. In this interactive session we’ll uncover the essential elements for cultivating alignment and a positive culture—one that executes your vision, promotes accountability, and consistently delivers results. You will walk away with tools to support your team’s effectiveness. Don’t miss this opportunity to identify what’s holding back your board or team and elevating your organization or association.
Strategic Talent Solutions Inc. provides Executive Coaching and Leadership Development, Team Effectiveness and Coaching as well as Consulting to support organization culture transformation, strategic planning and workshop design and facilitation.
To learn more about Strategic Talent Solutions Inc., click on the link below.
“Healthy Minds, Strong Missions”
Time: TBD
Presenter(s): Fawna Bews – Canadian Mental Health Association Alberta Division and Centre for Suicide Prevention
Description: Nonprofit board members carry significant responsibility for their organizations’ mission, people, and long‑term stability. This session focuses on an often-overlooked question: Who supports the well‑being of those who lead?
Healthy Minds, Strong Missions is a 90‑minute interactive workshop that offers tips and tools for board members to strengthen their own mental resilience while creating the conditions for healthier, more sustainable organizations. Participants will explore the unique pressures facing non-profit leaders, how mental health influences governance and mission success, and the practical actions boards can take to foster a culture of psychological safety.
Through guided discussion and real‑world examples, this session offers a safe space to normalize conversations about mental health and support stronger, more responsive leadership.
Key Takeaways
- The link between board leadership, mental well‑being, and organizational performance
- How to recognize signs of stress and burnout in leadership roles
- The board’s responsibility in shaping a psychologically safe workplace
- Practical tools to support personal resilience and organizational wellness
Whether your board is just beginning to engage with mental health or looking to deepen its wellness strategy, this workshop provides actionable insights to help leaders—and missions—thrive.
Canadian Mental Health Association, Alberta Division and Centre for Suicide Prevention (CMHA AB + CSP) work to further community mental health and suicide prevention across the province.
Together with CMHA Regions and our partners, we’re building an Alberta where people’s wellbeing is supported in their community – by a friend, a peer, a support group, their local CMHA office, or the medical system.
To learn more about CMHA, click on any of the links below.
To learn more about CSP, click on any of the links below.