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Learn with Angela Taylor (Ma, PhD student, CEO, Clinician), Mitch Bourbonniere (MSW, Community Outreach Worker), and Roland Vandal (CCRC, Life/Recovery Coach) to explore how the challenges they experienced in social services brought them to create community change. Through collaboration, compassion, and love, each has a unique story of how they heal their pain in caring for the community. Evidence-based community care will be discussed. This conference is for those who are emerging into social services, those who are seasoned, and those who receive care.
A portion of proceeds is being donated to Inspire Community Outreach. Additional donations made to Inspire Community Outreach will support families that include children to age 29 to receive essential mental health care. You will receive a tax receipt. For donation or support please contact: 204-996-1547 or visit: https://inspirecommunityoutreach.ca/
$75 online access to your emails
www.supportingcommunitytogether.com
Angela Taylor is a Mental Health and Accessibility Expert in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She is the founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Inspire Community Outreach, a Canadian charity supporting families that include children with neurological differences and mental health support needs. With over 23 years experience in social services and supporting complex populations, she has offered consultation to various government, private and non-profit organizations. She is the co-author of All Kinds of Minds, Get Your Art On! Art for Wellness Guide, and author of Forever on Fire, A Love Letter to Never Fitting In.
Angela holds a Bachelor of Arts degree, a Post Baccalaureate in Education, focusing on inclusion and counseling, and a Masters Degree in Disability Studies. She is currently completing her PhD in Education, focusing on effective therapeutic interventions for complex neurology and behavior. She is multiply neurodivergent, raises children with complex differences, and has been supporting families that include children living with disabilities for 2 decades.
Angela spent much of her childhood in formal and informal foster care, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She uses her lived experience in connecting with individuals, youth and families who experience hardship and attachment disruption. Her ability to understand the neurodivergent comes from her lived experience, and her passion to learn and grow with her community while seeing strengths in others, and adapting the environment to invite the community to thrive. She supports multiple social service teams throughout Canada, including specializing in expression of distress through violence of youth to family.
Mitch Bourbonniere, M.S.W., M.S.M., M.B., O.M., C.M.H.W. (C/A)https://www.mitchbourbonniere.com/
An educator and community activist, Mitch Bourbonniere has long been inspired to help others find their voices. A founding member of the original Bear Clan Patrol, he also volunteers with Ogijiita Pimatswin Kinamatwin (OPK), the Mama Bear Clan, Drag the Red, Teddy Bears Picnic, CommUnity204, Neemu-Egwah Inc., and many other community-based endeavours.
Mitch has a Master’s degree in Social work and teaches at the University of Winnipeg and Urban Circle Training , while being employed by Mount Carmel Clinic, the Downtown Community Partnership (DCSP), and Fox Lake first nation
Mitch Bourbonniere has devoted much of his career and personal time to mentoring, counselling and supporting at-risk youth to help them develop self-esteem, confidence, empathy and social skills. By emphasizing the value of good citizenship, volunteerism and positive activism, he helps young people make positive changes in their lives.
He helped establish a men’s healing group out of the North Point Douglas Women’s Centre. He also works extensively with Winnipeg‘s most vulnerable people affected by homelessness, post-traumatic stress, addiction, mental health issues, domestic violence, gang involvement and sexual exploitation through the OPK and Action Therapy programs and the Manitoba Youth Justice system. He visits institutions and supports people as they transition from prison and gang life.
Mitch Bourbonniere developed a program called Lateral Empathy that involves groups of young volunteers collecting and delivering donations of food, clothing, furniture and household goods to those in need. This group also volunteers at Indigenous ceremonies across southern Manitoba, during Sundance season. He is a pipe carrier and a 25-year Sundancer. He has kept the fire for the Grandmothers Council, Sisters in Spirit, and many national and ceremonial events.
Mitch provides support and Elder Services to Urban Circle Training, Manitoba Metis Federation, CEDA Pathways, North Point Douglas Women’s Centre, Rossbrook House, Seven Oaks School Division, the Shameless Circle, Elizabeth Fry Society, the Men’s Healing Together group and many other organizations.
Roland Vandal, CCRCRoland Vandal is a former boxer and business owner. His battle with addiction, and his ongoing struggle with PTSD has lead him to become a crusader for mental health awareness, as well as a dedicated advocate to end bullying and abuse.
The coach of the Team Manitoba squad travels the country giving talks to young people about his recovery from addiction, and makes the case that boxing can rescue teens who might follow his path. He says he dropped out of his sport at 13 years of age and descended into a life of drug addiction. Vandal recalls reaching a personal low in May 15, 2002, the day he went into a violent seizure after drinking a bottle of methadone and woke up barely breathing on a dirty bathroom floor in a cheap hotel.
“That was the wake-up call. I haven’t touched a drop of drugs or alcohol since,” he said during a training session at the Games in Halifax. After treatment at a Winnipeg detoxification centre, he returned to the sport at 31 and has since become a coach, motivational speaker, foster parent and guide to “kids at risk.”
Roland speaks openly about going from surviving to thriving, living with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), Anxiety and Depression.
After a childhood filled with abuse, addiction, homelessness, violence, and self harm and suicide attempts distracted from a life full of pain. Now 19 years sober, free from drugs and alcohol, Roland lives a life he only dreamed of, supporting the community and his family.
Former owner and operator of a specialized youth Foster Treatment Home, Board of Directors at the Red Road Lodge 47 room Recovery Homeless Mission, and currently moving into the position of president and chair under the tutelage of community service leader Richard Walls. Speaker at over 700 venues internationally to a collective audience of well over 35 thousand teens and adults, he lives a life devoted to loving the community.
Customized Neurodiversity in the Workplace Training
Neurodivergence can be an asset to any workplace, so then why do so many teams struggle to support neurodivergent staff to thrive? Brain-wiring differences are becoming part of daily conversion, yet there is much left to know. Understanding what we are seeing, what it feels like for the individual can help create a framework for accessibility through accomodation.
OBJECTIVES
Supporting families that include children with disabilities and complex needs is not easy. Creating a meaningful connection to caregivers and their children, through a family-centered lens, engaging with understanding, compassion and a therapeutic rapport is essential for family well-being.
Join Angela Taylor, former child in care, labeled with complex needs, caregiver of children with exceptional needs, and founder of Inspire Community Outreach. Angela uses humor and storytelling to engage her audience.
This support is created for service providers, including therapists, social workers, and other professionals, to learn strategies for enhancing family engagement practices and increasing confidence within yourself and your team.
Connecting to and creating meaningful relationships with youth with disabilities and complex needs can be difficult. Learn with Angela Taylor, former child in care labeled with complex needs, caregiver of children with exceptional needs, and founder of Inspire Community Outreach. Angela uses humor and storytelling to engage her audience.
This support is created for caregivers or service providers, including therapists, social workers, and other professionals, to learn strategies for connecting to children with disabilities, improving well-being of your family or workplace.
A discussion about mental illness and disability in community. This workshop will support front line staff to understand and communicate more effectively with individuals in our community who may be experiencing mental health distress or live as neurologically diverse. Learn with Angela Taylor, a former child in care labeled with complex needs, a caregiver to exceptional children, and
