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Leadership Educators and Resources Network (LEARN) 2011 - 2012


Leadership Educators and Resources Network (LEARN) is a capacity-building initiative at University of Toronto designed to prepare students and professional staff to facilitate experiential learning opportunities that develop leadership on campus.

LEARN uses a train-the-trainer model to increase the number of student and professional staff leadership educators who are well-prepared to deliver sessions. And, because it’s a network, LEARN will help you link to other leadership educators to share resources, skills, ideas and support.


Is LEARN for You?


Are you a staff person who wants to enhance leadership programming for your unit, department, faculty or college? If so, then you’re invited to join this by:
  • Identifying one or two students for involvement in your leadership programming
  • Attending training-for-trainers along with your student(s)
  • Joining the listserv, giving you access to leadership development resources, networking opportunities and other professional development events
  • Implementing some aspects of the specialized training module(s) in your own area and be prepared for you or your students to help support this delivery centrally
Here's an overview of LEARN trainings:

Foundations for Educators:
Developing Ourselves as Effective Educators

Think about your worst experience as a participant in training.  What made this experience so difficult?  This full-day workshop will turn worst-case scenarios into best-case scenarios by preparing participants to understand their own learning preferences, the preferences of others and how to design training that meets the needs of each style.  Participants will apply adult learning principles and will experience and practice a variety of training methods. By the end of the session, participants will design a module to create a dynamic learning experience that will keep learners engaged from start to finish. 

 

Note: Foundations for Educators is a prerequisite for participating in Trainings For Trainers.


Next offering:  October 14 AND 21, from 1-5 pm.  Registration is now full.

 

LEARN Modules Overview:

Mentoring and Coaching Skills to Engage Students

Most people tend to focus on the products or outcomes rather than the process of working together; however, mentoring and coaching can support individuals and groups in meeting their goals in ways that help to identify and address stumbling blocks, manage difficult group dynamics, enhance accountability and improve overall satisfaction. 
 
In this session, participants will reflect on potential challenges that may be encountered by mentors when working with mentees, welcoming characteristics of mentors, and how to put facilitative mentoring techniques in action through interest-based communication skills and techniques to help mentees in achieving their goals. This workshop, created for optimum interaction and practice, will prepare participants to use the critical mentoring skills of active listening, raising concerns, listening for common ground and SMART goal-setting.

Next offering:  October 28 (workshop) AND November 4 (training-for-trainers), from 1-5 pm.  Registration for Coaching and Mentoring Skills is now full but you may register for the waitlist and someone will contact you if a spot opens up.  Register here now!

Note: You may attend the October 28 workshop alone to build your own mentoring and coaching skills, or you may attend both the October 28 workshop to build your own mentoring skills AND the November 4 training for trainers to learn how to teach others these skills.  The Foundations for Educators module is a prerequisite for those who would like to attend the Training for Trainers.

 

 

Interpersonal Mediation Skills

Note:  This Interpersonal Mediation Skills module is not a Training-for-Trainers.  You are not required to attend the Foundations for Educators to participate in this module.

 

In this three-day workshop, participants will develop skills and techniques to mediate interpersonal disputes quickly and effectively as a third party neutral. They will be introduced to a proven three-phase mediation model that helps people resolve their own conflicts by fostering mutual understanding and cooperation. The workshop covers:

  • How to define conflict and different conflict resolution processes

  • The concepts of interest-based (win-win) problem solving and how to apply them in mediation

  • Active listening skills and questioning techniques – restating, reflecting and clarifying

  • How to write S.M.A.R.T. agreements

  • How to prepare for the mediation session

  • Key communication skills to handle bias and deal with power imbalances
  • How to handle real-life situations through extensive role-play scenarios that focus on all three-phases of the mediation model

This special opporuntity is being provided by the Conflict Resolution and Training Program, St. Stephen's Community House.  The regular rate is $600 per person -- now offering a special rate of $50 for staff; $30 for students to cover material costs.


Next offering:  November 11, 18, AND 25 from 9am to 5pm; lunch and refreshments will be provided; certificates provided upon successful completion.  Registration is now full.





Partnerships

Students and staff from various areas have been part of the LEARN community, enhancing the knowledge and skills needed to promote leadership development:
  • Centre for Community Partnerships
  • First Year Learning Communities
  • 89 Chestnut Residence
  • Victoria College
  • University College
  • Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education
  • Hart House
  • International Student Centre
  • Career Centre
  • University of Toronto Scarborough
  • Faculty of Applied Sciences and Engineering
  • Student Family Housing

The Leadership Development Program is here to support you in developing leadership in your department.  If you're interested in this network and want to tap into the resources from the Leadership Educators and Resources Network please email us at leadership@utoronto.ca.