In-Person & Virtual SHSM Workshops

An in-class session will include defining leadership, discussing the character traits of a good leader, and activities that facilitate group work. Participants will deconstruct a leadership experience they have been part of, either as a participant or a leader, and analyze their strengths and weaknesses. Cooperative group challenges will require a variety of leadership skills and expose authoritative, laissez fair, and democratic leadership styles. A facilitated debrief will examine the leadership skills demonstrated.

This workshop will explore how we communicate effectively (active listening, paraphrasing, clarifying, empathizing), the causes of communication breakdown, and different types of verbal and non-verbal communication. The theory of effective communication will be coupled with a number of cooperative group challenges that require strong communication skills. A facilitated debrief will evaluate effective communication skills and areas for improvement exposed through group activities.

A group discussion will examine what excellent, good and poor customer service looks and feels like as a customer. Participants will learn about customer service standards, characteristics of a great service provider, seven steps to selling, and barriers to service excellence. Cooperative group challenges and role playing scenarios will challenge students to demonstrate strong communication and conflict resolution skills in order to provide service excellence. A debrief and reflection will focus on how conflicts were resolved and the role of effective communication.

Through a facilitated discussion and activities students will explore the causes, triggers, and appearance of conflict and how to manage it. Students will learn about conflict resolution strategies such as the V.O.M.P. Method (Vent, Own, Moccasin walk, Plan) and work through situational role plays. Outdoor experiential activities could include group initiatives and a hike to the outdoor team building maze.

Students will discuss and investigate group dynamics through an examination of various theories of group development. This will include the five stages of Tuckman’s Theory of Group Development: forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. Participants will explore a range of factors that influence the cohesiveness and resiliency of a group. Through experiential role playing, team building activities, and a facilitated debrief students will consider the different roles that people take on in group situations.

Help your students learn about and better understand their personality traits and the personalities of others. This workshop involves a variety of interactive group activities that help students to learn more about themselves.

This workshop examines the skills and strategies to help students define a problem, brainstorm and evaluate alternatives, and select the optimal solution.

Through an interactive hike students will learn how to minimize their impact on the natural environment while engaging in a variety of outdoor pursuits. Topics will include pre-trip preparation, camping policies, waste disposal, and impacts on wildlife. The hike will end with a campfire and an opportunity to cook a snack over the fire.

Facilitated discussions and experiential activities will lead students to explore the fundamentals of planning and coordinating events (e.g. phases of event planning, the 4 D’s, SWOT Analysis). Leading an event from the planning stages through to fruition and a post-event debrief requires effective leadership and communication skills which will be examined through outdoor activities. The workshop will conclude with a mock event planning scenario.

Students will discuss the basics of the travel/tourism industry and explore current issues (e.g. Risk management, eco-tourism, cultural sensitivity) through group discussions and hands-on activities. The group will then head outside for a guided tour of Cedar Glen that centres on the fundamentals of group facilitation and leadership.

Students will learn about the parts of a compass, features of a map, how to find magnetic north, and how to set and follow a bearing. Hands-on experience will be gained by navigating around a compass course on our wilderness property.

Learn about Canadian landscape artists, styles, and techniques and put this knowledge to use by capturing the rolling hills of Cedar Glen’s 263-acre property in the Oak Ridges Moraine.

What makes an effective leader? We’ll be defining leadership and what it means to each one of us, discussing the character traits of a good leader, and engaging in group activities online. Participants will analyze leadership experiences that they have been part of, either as a participant or a leader, and explore their strengths and weaknesses. Cooperative group challenges will require a variety of leadership skills and expose authoritative, laissez fair, and democratic leadership styles. A facilitated debrief will examine the leadership skills demonstrated and how we can all continue to build on our leadership abilities.

How can we exhibit effective communication (active listening, paraphrasing, clarifying, empathizing)? We will be diving into the causes of communication breakdown and learning about different types of verbal and non-verbal communication. The theory of effective communication will be coupled with a number of cooperative group challenges online that allow participants to exercise strong communication skills. A facilitated debrief will evaluate effective communication skills and areas for growth as discovered throughout the workshop.

Conflicts are inevitable, but how can we manage them effectively when they arise? Students will explore the causes, triggers, and appearance of conflict and how to manage it, through facilitated discussions and online activities. Students will learn about conflict resolution strategies such as the V.O.M.P. Method (Vent, Own, Moccasin/Empathy, Plan) and work through role play a number of scenarios where conflicts needs to be managed. Participants can look forward to group initiatives facilitated completely online!

High school is a prime example of a small society consisting of different groups of people, so it’s incredibly fitting that students understand how these groups come to be and exist/coexist. In this SHSM, we will discuss and investigate group dynamics by examining various theories of group development, including the five stages of Tuckman’s Theory of Group Development: forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. Students will explore the many factors that influence the cohesiveness and resiliency of a group. Through online scenarios, team building activities, and facilitated debriefing, students will consider the different roles that people take on in group scenarios and analyze where they tend to fit within this process.

Have you ever had a really excellent customer service experience? Is there one particularly awful one that sticks out in your mind? In this SHSM workshop, we will examine what excellent, good, and poor customer service looks and feels like through the eyes of the customer. Students will learn about customer service standards, the characteristics of a great service provider, the seven steps to selling, and barriers to service excellence. Online cooperative group challenges and role playing scenarios will challenge students to demonstrate strong communication and conflict resolution skills in order to provide service excellence to their peers. A debrief and reflection will focus on how conflicts were resolved and the role that effective communication plays in providing excellent customer service.