Yes, you read it right. Upon receipt of a couple of cheques made out to the name of this August newsletter (this means inspiring awe and reverence), your editor was unable to exchange said cheques for cool cash. Why??? you ask. Well, because I am apparently not NatNet/NetNat, I am Sue Geddis. They were not impressed by the fact that I had already cashed two such cheques previously. One hour and a quarter later, I had opened an organizational account which now holds $60. Paul Bagordo and Dori Britski are co-signers, but do not have to be present to sign cheques. So, I guess we are an organization. Oh well, when you're big, you're big.
Bernie Neufeld, Director writes that two programs, Spectrum and Advance are available services. Spectrum "provides pre-independent living skills for teens 16 - 18". A six month program, it employs two coaches. Clients are wards of the Superintendent of Child Welfare or currently living on income assistance.
Advance is pre-employment for men on social assistance. Both programs use Sask. New Start Model. Hurrah! Welcome to NatNet/NetNat.
Located in Edmonton, I have very little information about the college. Could J. duChalard, who submitted the membership, let me know some of the programs employing Life Skills coaches? Good to have you on board.
Welcome Miss Annie Neumann of Edmonton and Debbie Kivimaa of Regina, also currently the president of SLSA.
We will be pleased to receive any news you'd like communicated.
Sask.'s Debby Kivimaa and Dori Britski are meeting through sleet and snow to discuss plans for hosting the meeting in Sask. The purpose is to expand discussion about the national alliance, to network and to see Sask. Hotel rooms are available as well as meeting rooms. Some billeting is available. They are also suggesting a tour of Waneskewin World Heritage Site, a Talking Circle and other banner events Thanks in advance, for your efforts and energy in putting this together!
The Life Skills Coaches Association of BC is located at Box 40059, Royal City Postal Outlet, New Westminster, BC V3M 6J7. I regret that I could not publish before their annual general meeting on Mar. 17. However, the advertising rates for newsletter inclusion will interest you. They charge $30 for a full page, $15 for 1/2 a page and $5 for a business card for each time you place the ad. Considering a lot of this news is picked up by NatNet/NetNat, this seems like a good deal.
Their newsletter subscription is $10 a year and they encourage coaches from other associations to join. It is a great newsletter.
Coaches Training is being offered by 'Vision Makers Training and Career Development', registered with the Private Post-Secondary Education Commission. This is a 14 week course including non-violent crisis intervention and a 4 week community based practicum. The cost of $2,500 includes the theory and coaching manual, GST, monitoring during practicum. Call or fax (604) 929-4587 to get in on this.
Thanks for communicating some of our NatNet/NetNat info. to your membership. We like to reach as many coaches as possible.
You may be interested to know that Sask. divides itself up according to the attached map. They have four regional coordinators providing details for local meetings, professional development and social activities.
They have two categories of members and I quote: A 'certified member' is a qualified Life Skills Coach, graduated from a recognized Life Skills Coach Certification course. This member has voting privileges during the annual meetings/executive elections. ($35)
An 'associate member' includes Life Skills Coaches who do not wish to have voting privileges and/or is a professional or agency interested in the SLSA objectives. ($35)
I appreciate reading, in the SLSA newsletter, the list of recent grads from coaches training. It occurred to me that we need to put more names and accomplishments in our newsletters generally.
SLSA hosts workshops on Biospirituality, Proposal Writing and True Colours with the proceeds going to SLSA. Members get a discount but workshops are open to the public. Each region looks after a project, planned over supper meetings once a month. They also network, share resources and have fun over meetings. The last meeting in N. Battleford centred around "Journaling". In my experience, meetings can become very business centred (or is this just Ontario) and I like the idea of incorporating something for practice.
I really got motivated by these ideas and decided to pick up the one about proposal writing. We have a lot of coaches looking for alternatives to college work and some trying to get started in consulting. This seemed like a good start. We have organized a 1/2 day on "Proposal Writing for Life Skills Coaches" on April 30th in London, ON. More info. from Wayne Northcott. Maybe a Discussion of Provincial Funding Trends, a workshop that Alberta offered, will be next. Thanks to both Alberta and Sask. for these ideas.
John duChalard is with the Life Management Skills Training Project, c/o Grant MacEwan Community College, Mill Woods Campus, 7319 - 29 Ave., Edmonton, AB, T6K 2P1. At the AGM of the ASLSC, membership voted "to accept the inaugural document describing our accreditation process based on Ontario's mentoring model. The accreditation committee is currently developing an Accreditation Portfolio". Apparently, the Maritimes is also establishing accreditation and Quebec and Sask. are about to follow suit.
In view of this, I would like to plan one issue of the newsletter to report accreditation news. I believe LSCABC is also in the process of development and accreditation procedure.
My comment is that in spite of the well organized association we have here in Ontario, we are not, in my view, as well recognized by our colleges as a substantial and viable part of programming. Life Skills can come and go within college programs and in fact, they don't especially like the name. How did you form the Life Management Skills Training Project, John? Would appreciate other views on this.
ASLSC has developed a new set of "Feelings" posters with 66 identifying feeling words and facial expressions. They cost $10 each, but they only printed 100!!???
ASLSC (AB) is sponsoring an open forum to discuss provincial funding trends, alternative employment in human services, provincial accreditation and introduction to ASLSC. It was held on Mar. 19, 1994, 10 am - 2 pm at 6115 - 6325 103rd St. in Edmonton. (Sorry, too late publishing) However, I hope it gives other provinces an idea for a public forum. This might be how we could spread the word on the meaning and purpose of Life Skills.
Making Waves is a newsletter published quarterly for CED practitioners. The Jan. '93 issue was devoted to the human side and included an article on the role of Life Skills Programming. Contact Editor, Making Waves, 337 - 163 W. Hastings St., Vancouver, BC , V6B 1H5
Don't forget, we will be planning our first national conference in a couple of years. At that time, coaches will be invited to return to the birthplace of Life Skills --- Sask. -- for the occasion. PLAN TO ATTEND. EVERYONE WILL BE THERE!!!
The only 50 hour session left is as follows:
Apr. 10 - 15, 1994 Sun. 1 - 9, Mon. - Thurs. 9 - 9
Fri. 9 - 6
Cost: $525
Another 50 hour session is for experienced coaches, same price but will run July 17 - 22, 1994 and Aug. 21 - 26, 1994.
Call the Y's new training centre at 276 Merton St., Toronto (416) 487-7151 or fax (416) 487-7154 for further info.
Nov. 9 - 12, 1994 at Washington Hilton and Towers in Washington, DC, USA.
Proposals are being called for and more info. can be obtained at 510 - 223 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, Illinois. 60606 USA, fax (312) 922-1769.
June 15 - 18, and there are special rates if you want to give a 1/2 day workshop, full day and so on. Get in touch with Donna Hall, ALSCO, 1111 Davis Dr., St. 12 - 318, Newmarket, ON, L3Y 7V1 or call (905) 836-0004.
Did you know that 2/3's of the marriage separations in Canada are initiated by the woman? Relationships of all kinds are put under stress by the uncertainty of today's society. Yet, for all the funding provided for individual counseling, very little government funding goes towards programs to help people have and keep successful relationships. This could only be the voice of a true believer in Life Skills. It isn't everything, but it sure helps.
Best regards to all of you. Keep in touch. I'll be publishing a short letter after the Sask. meeting, just to keep you up on things. Enjoy spring!!!
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