Drumming can play a significant role in building a community of practice by fostering connection, collaboration, and shared learning experiences. Drumming often involves playing in sync with others, which builds a sense of unity and collective flow. This synchronized activity can create a feeling of belonging and cohesion, which is central to any community of practice. The process of learning to drum together fosters a sense of teamwork and shared purpose.

CCR stands for:

Community: a key ingredient to the environments we create for ourselves and the young people and families we work with. Come and add your presence to the community we are building here.

Connection: Connection is the glue that keeps the individuals of the community together and aligned. Opportunities for Connection can happen in a number of ways, central to this is the recognition of each individuals uniqueness, as they contribute to the whole (community).

Rhythm: Drumming and drum circles are founded on Rhythm. The repetition of sounds. This practice serves multiple functions included supporting the musical structure but also, reinforcing the learning that takes place in the moment, by strengthening the synaptic function in our brains, aiding with memory, etc. Not to mention, rhythm is fun!!!!

This presentation will explore the integration of relational practice into organizational culture, focusing on its definition, implementation strategies, and impact. Relational practice, vital for fostering effective communication and supportive relationships within teams, is defined and its relevance to organizational dynamics discussed. Leadership’s pivotal role in cultural transformation is emphasized, including top-down messaging, securing board buy-in, and establishing reinforcing systems like debriefing and team meetings.

The benefits and challenges of adopting a relational approach are examined, with strategies provided for overcoming obstacles. Lessons learned and best practices from Sarnia-Lambton Rebounds experience underscore the importance of progress and celebration throughout the process. Methods for measuring progress and assessing effectiveness are detailed, highlighting the ongoing evaluation necessary for successful implementation.

This presentation, Innovating for Inclusion: Techniques to Amplify Youth Voices in Decision-Making, is designed for all Child and Youth Workers committed to fostering inclusive, trauma-informed environments where youth feel empowered to share their stories. It will emphasize innovative approaches that amplify youth voices while prioritizing safety and support.

The presentation will cover the importance of amplifying youth voices to build agency, resilience, and collaboration, especially for those impacted by trauma. It addresses specific challenges faced by Child and Youth Workers, including navigating barriers and minimizing unconscious biases.

Key innovative techniques explored include:

Digital Storytelling: Utilizing multimedia to enable youth to share personal stories while setting their own boundaries and receiving emotional support.

Art-Based Interventions: Encouraging creative expression through non-directive methods like painting, theater, and poetry, promoting self-identity and healing.

Peer Support Models: Developing peer-led initiatives that foster leadership, belonging, and community, with trauma-sensitive communication at the forefront.

The presentation will also provide practical steps for integrating these techniques into practice, including engaging youth in planning, offering training and support, creating safe spaces, and celebrating youth contributions.

By adopting these methods, Child and Youth Workers will be able to create empowering environments where youth feel seen, heard, and respected. The presentation concludes with a call to action to integrate trauma-sensitive, inclusive practices into daily work, along with an interactive Q&A session.

Communities of practice are groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly (Weinger-Traynor, 2015). Over the past four years, the Student Support Staff portfolio at School Mental Health Ontario has facilitated a virtual community of practice for managers, supervisors and leaders of student support staff (CYCs) across Ontario school boards. This community of practice has served as a space for participants to:

• exchange knowledge and resources
•  engage in collaborative problem-solving
• share insights to enhance personal and professional development and build a space for connectedness with peers across school boards and geographic boundaries

In this session, Heather Lewis and Camila Gonzalez, Child and Youth Care Practitioners at School Mental Health Ontario, will discuss:

• what is School Mental Health Ontario
• the role of student support staff and the evolution of the student support staff portfolio
• the facilitation of a community of practice designed for student support staff managers, supervisors and leaders in the educational milieu
• a vehicle to help break down silos and encourage cross-board collaboration
• promoting a culture of shared knowledge and collective growth across the province

Ontario’s education system has historically failed Indigenous students, contributing to systemic barriers, intergenerational mistrust, and lower graduation rates. In response, the Ontario Ministry of Education introduced the Ontario First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Education Policy Framework (2007) to integrate Indigenous perspectives, histories, and ways of knowing into the curriculum. More recently, the 2023 revised social studies curriculum was introduced as a step towards decolonization. However, the extent to which these revisions align with Indigenous-led educational priorities remains uncertain.

This presentation critically examines the Ontario government’s claims of decolonization by analyzing the revised social studies curriculum through a Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). By assessing curriculum content, government progress reports, and Indigenous education policies, this study identifies the presence or absence of meaningful Indigenous representation. It evaluates whether these reforms prioritize Indigenous knowledge or reinforce tokenistic inclusion, ultimately questioning whether the Ministry of Education’s efforts truly shift power structures in education.

In exploring these themes, this presumption will highlight the broader implications of curriculum reform on Indigenous students’ educational experiences, self-identity, and community relationships. It will also engage participants in discussion on how educators, policymakers, and Child and Youth Care practitioners can contribute to decolonization efforts through advocacy, culturally responsive practices, and systemic change.

By amplifying Indigenous voices and addressing structural inequalities, this session aims to foster a critical dialogue on the role of education in reconciliation and the ongoing work needed to create equitable learning environments for Indigenous youth.

This presentation examines the vital role of lived experience in shaping anti-trafficking efforts and Child and Youth Care (CYC) practices. Survivor leadership is essential for developing trauma-informed, equitable responses that enhance service delivery, policy development, and community engagement. By centering the voices of those with lived experience, professionals can create stronger, more inclusive systems of support.

Through an engaging presentation and interactive activities, attendees will explore how lived experience informs best practices, strengthens collaboration, and fosters inclusive communities of practice. The session will address ethical considerations, challenges, and strategies for meaningfully integrating lived experience into anti-trafficking work while ensuring survivor leadership is valued and supported.

Aligned with the conference theme, Sharing Experiences Across Lenses, this session fosters cross-sector dialogue, bridging perspectives to enhance anti-trafficking responses. Participants will leave with practical strategies to amplify survivor voices, build collaborative networks, and create trauma-informed, survivor-centered approaches within their organizations and communities.

Frontline Child and Youth Care (CYC) professionals are at high risk of burnout, compassion fatigue, and secondary trauma, leading to significant staff turnover and decreased quality of care. This session will explore trauma-informed leadership strategies that empower organizations to build resilience, increase staff retention, and enhance overall workplace well-being. By integrating evidence-based approaches in leadership, emotional regulation, and systemic support, this session will provide practical tools for organizations to sustain a thriving workforce in the face of ongoing challenges.

What if your mind never stopped thinking? For myself, oftentimes I feel like mine doesn’t stop. Even while dreaming I often wake up having to make notes in my workbook. But what can be a hindrance at times I try to see as one of my greatest assets. Because I spend so much time thinking I have to think about something. For the longest time I was thinking about my past, many will rightfully expect that thinking too much of the past isn’t healthy, But I am finally in a position where I spend a great deal thinking of future goals. During this presentation I hope to bring you along the journey I have had, the good, the bad, the future. I’ve been dealing with hearing impairment, Autism diagnosis, Mental health, homelessness and foster care. But even these struggles haven’t stopped my search for knowledge and understanding of things and people around me. I have had a great journey in post secondary and been starting a career I look forward to, but what really brings enjoyment for me is the fun technology based projects that I have been working on. Some can be small, others are pretty large but all have very specific functions. Come along to see how I take my experiences and the things I learn and turn them into positive attributes that allow me to give back and help those that needed help like I did.

As part of the CYC competency of cultural and human diversity, we must deliberately practice radical humility. Even the term competency implies that, at some point, we can definitively say that our work leads to similarly positive outcomes with young people across the entire spectrum of cultural and human diversity. However, since each young person that we meet has made their own meaning of their life experiences, CYCs must work from a deep belief that they only know what has been shown and told to them by the young person themselves. While the CYC and interprofessional teams can contribute their expertise, the perspective of the young person is the one that the CYC must ultimately believe. This radical humility, where the CYC automatically assumes that the young person is correct, leads to dramatic implications for practice. Examples where radical humility is especially important will be described, including cases where the CYC is supporting autistic youth, second-generation immigrants, and young people with physical and mental health diagnoses. This presentation will demonstrate the necessity and effectiveness of a CYC saying I don’t know.

In the field of Child and Youth Care (CYC), there is a growing recognition of the importance of advocacy for children’s and youth rights. However, the integration of advocacy as a core component of the CYC role has not yet been fully established. Given the unique role of CYC professionals, the incorporation of advocacy and education on children’s and youth rights represents a fundamental and necessary element of their practice. This article explores how equipping practitioners with knowledge and skills related to rights-based approaches can play a pivotal role in advancing the professionalization of the CYC field. Through an analysis of a lunch and learn session focused on children’s and youth rights, this paper suggests that incorporating advocacy for these rights into the core competencies of CYC professionals can enhance their professional identity, increase their capacity to influence policy, and contribute to the broader recognition and regulation of the profession. The findings, drawn from pre- and post-surveys, highlight the potential impact of rights-based education on individual practice and systemic change, illustrating that the advocacy efforts of CYC professionals are essential to the ongoing movement toward professionalization.