Please note that workshops are ‘first come, first served’. Please register early to save your spot!

1. Wellness Within – Vision Board Workshop

Ocean Kneeland, Professor, Early Childhood Education and Care

In this hands-on workshop, participants will create their own vision board using a wide variety of art materials. This will be an opportunity for educators and caregivers to reflect, create, and share their vision for wellness in a joyful and supportive space.

Ocean works as a Professor of Early Childhood Education and Care at Vancouver Island University. She is passionate about nature-based learning, Indigenous and multicultural ways of knowing and being, transformational leadership, and collaborative practices.


2. Supporting Transgender and Gender Diverse Children in the Early Years

TK Hannah, Early Childhood Educator and Forest School Educator

Early Childhood Educators play an important role in supporting gender creative and transgender children, their peers, and their families in the child’s journey as they explore gender and express their authentic selves. In this workshop, we will discuss concepts around gender expression and gender identity, learning how to educate children about complex topics in an accessible way. Learners will gain knowledge of the particular barriers transgender and gender-creative children face as we explore how we can create a safe, equitable, and gender-expansive learning environment that focuses on joy and inclusion, rather than adversity and rejection. Additionally, we will discuss how managers and co-workers can support gender-diverse educators in the field in a respectful, responsive way.

TK is a manager of a forest school with years of experience in Forest Schools in Ontario and BC. TK is an openly nonbinary transgender educator who uses they/he pronouns. In addition to Forest School, they work as a freelance workshop facilitator. TK is passionate about holistic education, the importance of play (no matter the age!), and the journey of unlearning.


3. How do we know our programs are the best they can be?

Joan Gignac, Executive Director, Aboriginal Head Start Program

How do you know your programs for children and families are the best they can be? What tools do you use, and what processes do you include in your planning to evaluate and reflect? The presenters will reflect and share the LOVIT Way to evaluate our early year’s programs, and share stories and practices to Learn, Observe, Value, Inspire and Transform.

Aboriginal Head Start program leaders and community partners co-presenting and celebrating the ‘LOVIT Way’ to deliver the best early years programs we can.


4. Child Care Licensing 101- In Partnership

Linda Mellis, CCFL Child Care Licensing Officer and Rebecca Ozbadem, CCFL Child Care Licensing Officer

Ever wonder what the Community Care Facilities Licensing Program does and who it serves? If so, this workshop is for you. Topics covered will include information specific to parents exploring childcare options, information for Early Childhood Educators working in licensed facilities, and information on how to go about opening your own childcare facility. This fun interactive workshop will provide an overview of Child Care Licensing and a chance to learn a bit more about regulatory practice.

Linda is an Early Childhood Educator and has been working as a Child Care Licensing Officer with Island Health in Victoria for the past five years. Prior to joining the Licensing team, she was fortunate to work in a variety of early learning settings including Family Child Care, Co-operative Preschool, Before and After School Care, Infant Daycare, and Daycare for children aged three years to five years old.

Rebecca has been in the Early Childhood Education field for more 28 years. As an Early Childhood Educator and manager of several child care facilities, she developed an appreciation for the application of regulations, requirements, and health and safety for children. In her role as a child care licensing officer, she partners with the Early Childhood Education community and believes that working in collaboration, while sharing knowledge and experiences, connects us all.


5. Boundaries for the Caregiver

Dr. Allison Rees, Educator, Counselor, Writer

When we care for others, we do so by having an explicit sense of our own boundaries. Boundaries are those invisible lines that create a space for us to negotiate with those around us, our time, our responsibilities, and the care of our needs. Communication plays a key role in maintaining our boundaries. This workshop will focus on developing a deep understanding of our emotions, our needs, and our ability to express ourselves with complete and compassionate clarity. The content applies to all of our relationships.

Dr. Allison Rees has presented to over 35,000 parents and professionals in Victoria alone over the last 30 years. She has written two parenting books and continues to teach and train professionals in her field of parent education worldwide.

6. Keep Going and Keep Growing

Lindsay Sealey, MA Ed., founder of Bold New Girls and Brave New Boys

Using the principles of Carol Dweck’s growth mindset and based on years of personal growth work, this workshop will teach you the process of growing through stress and struggles. This interactive session will explore: choosing process over perfection, the importance of mistakes and missteps, reflecting and accepting to move forward, motivational tools and tricks, creating support circles, seeing your “future self”, and how to set and keep your goals.

Lindsay is our Making Tomorrow Conference keynote presenter. She is a dedicated educator, a passionate keynote speaker, an empowering consultant, and the author of Growing Strong Girls and Rooted, Resilient, and Ready, and Made for More. She holds a B.A. from Simon Fraser University and an M.A. in Educational Leadership from San Diego State University. She is currently pursuing her Ph. D in mind-body medicine.

Lindsay is the founder of Bold New Girls ™ and Brave New Boys ™ – teaching and coaching designed to empower growing minds of all ages and with diverse experiences, to be healthy, happy, resilient, and confident.

7. Mental Health Matters

Lindsay Sealey, MA Ed., founder of Bold New Girls and Brave New Boys

At a time when mental health concerns are rising and in a world of uncertainty and instability, we need self-awareness, self-kindness, and self-compassion. Join Lindsay and explore the steps to support ourselves and be supported. This workshop looks at the mental health spectrum, causes of stress and anxiety, the obstacles that get in the way of strong mental health, and the coping and healing tools needed to feel steady and strong.

Lindsay is our Making Tomorrow Conference keynote presenter. She is a dedicated educator, a passionate keynote speaker, an empowering consultant, and the author of Growing Strong Girls and Rooted, Resilient, and Ready, and Made for More. She holds a B.A. from Simon Fraser University and an M.A. in Educational Leadership from San Diego State University. She is currently pursuing her Ph. D in mind-body medicine.

Lindsay is the founder of Bold New Girls ™ and Brave New Boys ™ – teaching and coaching designed to empower growing minds of all ages and with diverse experiences, to be healthy, happy, resilient, and confident.