08/08/2026
We are excited to announce our upcoming Professional Development Workshops from Branch Out Learning!
Where: 221 Jubilee St in Duncan
When: Saturday, September 12th
Cost: $15 per each hour-long session
The Difficult Conversation: A Workshop for Workplace Courage
🕙 from 11 am to 12 pm
Difficult conversations are inevitable in any workplace. In this workshop, we explore what makes certain conversations feel so hard, and how to approach them with clarity, confidence, and care. Whether you are navigating a conflict with a colleague, addressing a parent’s concern, or delivering feedback to team members, you will walk away with practical tools and a framework you can use right away. We address different scenarios, staying grounded under pressure, and buildingf communication skills that strengthen teams rather than fracture them. When we get these conversations right, trust grows, problems get solved sooner, and everyone feels safer speaking up. This is the workshop that changes how you show up — not just at work, but in every relationship that matters.
🔗 Register here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/the-difficult-conversation-a-workshop-for-workplace-courage-tickets-1997089894635
Staff Collaboration & Teamwork
🕦 from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm
Great childcare doesn't happen in isolation — it's built on the everyday interactions between colleagues who trust each other, communicate clearly, and show up as team players. This workshop explores what meaningful collaboration looks like on the floor and in staff rooms, covering communication styles, role clarity, shared accountability, and how to navigate the tensions that inevitably arise when people work closely together under pressure. Participants will reflect on their own collaboration habits and explore practical strategies for building stronger working relationships, supporting each other through difficult days, and contributing to a team culture where everyone feels seen and valued. Designed for both floor staff and managers.
🔗 Register here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/staff-collaboration-teamwork-tickets-1997089557627
04/28/2026
Tickets are available for our ECE Professional Development Workshops in Chemainus this weekend! 🎟
Where: 3172-A Garner St in Chemainus
When: Saturday, May 2nd
Cost: $15 per each hour-long session
De-escalation — Bringing Calm to a Heated Moment:
🕙 from 10 am to 11 am
In a busy child care environment, tension can rise quickly — between children, between colleagues, or between staff and families. In this workshop, we explore the art and science of de-escalation: what is actually occurring in the brain during a heated moment, and how to intervene in a way that brings calm rather than adding fuel to the fire. You will learn how to read the early warning signs, regulate your own response under pressure, and use language and body language that defuses rather than escalates. We will address real scenarios drawn from the child care setting, directly related to what you face on the floor. Whether you are supporting a child in crisis, navigating a tense parent interaction, or stepping into a conflict between team members, this workshop gives you a practical toolkit you can reach for in the moment — and the confidence to use it.
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/1986580803661?aff=oddtdtcreator
Sick: How Sick is Too Sick?
🕦 from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm
One of the most common daily dilemmas in childcare is determining whether a child is well enough to be at the centre — and knowing what to do when the answer is no. This workshop helps floor staff navigate illness policies with confidence and consistency, covering common childhood illnesses, exclusion guidelines, symptom thresholds, and how to communicate sensitively with families. We explore the balance between compassion for working parents and the responsibility to protect the health of all children and staff in the program. Participants will leave with practical language for difficult conversations and a clearer understanding of how to apply health policies fairly and professionally.
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/1986582306155?aff=oddtdtcreator
04/09/2026
We are excited to announce our upcoming Professional Development Workshops from Branch Out Learning!
Where: 3172-A Garner St in Chemainus
When: Saturday, May 2nd
Cost: $15 per each hour-long session
De-escalation — Bringing Calm to a Heated Moment:
🕙 from 10 am to 11 am
In a busy child care environment, tension can rise quickly — between children, between colleagues, or between staff and families. In this workshop, we explore the art and science of de-escalation: what is actually occurring in the brain during a heated moment, and how to intervene in a way that brings calm rather than adding fuel to the fire. You will learn how to read the early warning signs, regulate your own response under pressure, and use language and body language that defuses rather than escalates. We will address real scenarios drawn from the child care setting, directly related to what you face on the floor. Whether you are supporting a child in crisis, navigating a tense parent interaction, or stepping into a conflict between team members, this workshop gives you a practical toolkit you can reach for in the moment — and the confidence to use it.
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/1986580803661?aff=oddtdtcreator
Sick: How Sick is Too Sick?
🕦 from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm
One of the most common daily dilemmas in childcare is determining whether a child is well enough to be at the centre — and knowing what to do when the answer is no. This workshop helps floor staff navigate illness policies with confidence and consistency, covering common childhood illnesses, exclusion guidelines, symptom thresholds, and how to communicate sensitively with families. We explore the balance between compassion for working parents and the responsibility to protect the health of all children and staff in the program. Participants will leave with practical language for difficult conversations and a clearer understanding of how to apply health policies fairly and professionally.
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/1986582306155?aff=oddtdtcreator
