Focus on your facilitation skills at Train the Trainer – October 21-23, 2025
- Day 1 Tuesday, October 21, 2025 9:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
- Day 2 Wednesday, October 22, 2025 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
- Day 3 Thursday, October 23, 2025 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Location:
Holiday Inn Express 320 Bay Street, Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Are you ready to learn new facilitation skills with other participants who have demonstrated a commitment to using labour education as part of their work as activists?
OPSEU/SEFPO’s Train the Trainer: Focus on Facilitation Skills introduces participants to the theory and practice of activist education used at OPSEU/SEFPO. Its focus is effective facilitation and co-facilitation, with an emphasis on the delivery of OPSEU/SEFPO courses. Participants will expand their methods and skills to:
- introduce a variety of activities
- build community and equity among participants
- take up small group work
- lead large group discussions
- address common conflicts and tensions
- develop action emerging from union education
How do Region 6 & 7 members apply?
- Complete the Train the Trainer Application form and Time off Form (Pages 3 & 4) and and send it to the SSM Regional Office by e-mail to [email protected].
Wages, travel and accommodations will be covered for the event as per OPSEU/SEFPO Education Policy.
Applications are due on Friday, September 5, 2025, by 4:30 p.m. EST
- On your questionnaire, you must demonstrate support from a Board Member in your region.
- In the week following the application deadline; the list of applicants from your region will be sent to your Regional Vice President (RVP) to review with the Regional Education Committee. They will choose participants from your region as well as back up names, should there be more applicants than spaces available. Selection decisions will be based on the criteria below.
- The SSM Regional Office will contact the selected participants and advise of further details the week of September 15-19, 2025. Successful applicants will be notified during this week with a confirmation email. This email will give details on how to book the hotel, and employers will then be sent a Time off Letter if applicable.
Applicant Selection Criteria
- A demonstrated commitment to union meetings and education that mobilizes and builds solidarity between members
- A recommendation for this training from an Executive Board Member within the same region.
As far as possible, we encourage participation in Train the Trainer programs from OPSEU/SEFPO members who:
- Can demonstrate interest and involvement in union education and facilitation, or similar work in their community
- Can identify how they will apply the training (not just in OPSEU/SEFPO regional education, but also in work with locals, sectors, committees, and community),
- Play leadership roles (i.e. stewards, OPSEU/SEFPO committees – all these roles require process skills in bringing people together, running meetings, etc.)
By applying the above criteria, OPSEU/SEFPO hopes to identify and select the best possible participants for this program – activists who can help strengthen local, sectoral and regional education. Each Train the Trainer program tries to ensure fair representation by sector and equity-seeking groups such as women workers, Indigenous workers (Inuit, Métis or First Nations), racialized workers, workers with disabilities, 2SLGBTQ+ (Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer), young workers and francophone workers.