Course Overviews + Registration
We know that when we take the time and space to invest in the mental health of our employees that they will be more likely to succeed in their pursuits, be engaged in their day-to-day work and have the capacity to sustain commitments over time.
Workshops that address the curriculum are offered and added throughout the year. Please visit the U of A Events hub to find available courses. If you are interested in offering a workshop to your team that currently has no availability, please contact org.learning@ualberta.ca to discuss options.
View all Organizational Development Courses
Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)
Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) is completion of mental wellness continuum of course offerings within the We Care Health + Well-Being Program. ASIST teaches participants to recognize when someone may have thoughts of suicide and work with them to create a plan that will support their immediate safety.
Learning Outcomes
- Recognize that people are affected by personal and societal attitudes about suicide.
- Provide life-assisting guidance to a person thinking about suicide in a flexible manner.
- Identify the constituents of a safety plan to intervene in the life of a suicidal person.
- Demonstrate the skills required to provide suicide first aid to a person thinking about suicide.
- Appreciate the value of improving community resources including the way that they work together.
- Recognize that suicide prevention is broader than suicide intervention and, includes life promotion and self care for people thinking about suicide and for caregivers.
Delivery
ASIST is a two-day interactive and in person course. Participant guides will be distributed the day of the first workshop. In person attendance and full participation for both days is required for a letter of completion.
| Date | Location |
|---|---|
| Wednesday, September 24, 2024 | Enterprise Square (Edmonton) |
| Thursday, September 25, 2024 | Enterprise Square (Edmonton) |
| Wednesday, February 26, 2025 | Augustana Campus (Camrose) |
| Thursday, February 27, 2025 | Augustana Campus (Camrose) |
The course schedule is ready and registration links will be available close to the delivery dates.
Burnout to Boundaries: The Key to Life-Work Harmony (Integrated Awareness + Well-Being Series)
Burnout to Boundaries: The Key to Life-Work Harmony unites your personal and professional worlds as you develop awareness of how to create happiness in the midst of highly demanding work roles. We know that establishing healthy boundaries supports personal well-being, professional relationships, and organizational culture and yet keeping those boundaries (promises to ourselves) prove difficult. In this course you will create or update boundaries that can flex but not break when they are faced with demands, challenges and changing circumstances.
Learning Outcomes
- Understand the importance of personal and professional boundaries in various contexts.
- Identify common challenges and misconceptions related to maintaining boundaries.
- Develop strategies for setting and maintaining healthy personal and professional boundaries.
- Demonstrate effective communication skills for asserting boundaries respectfully and assertively.
- Synthesize learning to create a personalized boundary management plan for professional growth and development.
Delivery
This is a full day, in-person course. Pre-course work may be requested prior to the start date.
| Date | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday, August 13, 2024 | 9am - 4:30pm | Enterprise Square |
| Tuesday, January 14, 2025 | 9am - 4:30pm | Enterprise Square |
CALMING YOUR MIND IN CHALLENGING TIMES (SparkX Micro Session)
Today’s life is fast-paced and we all experience unique challenges, which may come in the form of societal pressures, pressure to do more, exposure to troubling global, local and personal situations, worry over family and friends or concern for our own well-being. In the face of life’s challenges, it is even more important for us to learn the art of relaxation and practice self-care. This session will explore personal stress triggers and review some practical, easy techniques to equip participants with brief relaxation moments that are such an important tool for coping during challenging times.
| Date | Location |
|---|---|
| Thursday, January 16, 2025 | Virtual |
Healthy Sleep Habits (SparkX Micro Session)
In today's fast-paced world, quality sleep is more crucial than ever. This micro session course is designed to empower you with practical knowledge and strategies.
Learning Outcomes
- Understand the importance of sleep health.
- Identify the stages of sleep and the ideal length of sleep continuum.
- Develop awareness about the effects of sleep deprivation in our lives.
- Determine activities that promote fatigue and strategies to implement a healthy sleep care routine.
| Date | Location |
|---|---|
| Thursday, August 22, 2024 | Virtual |
Managing Your Time + Energy (SparkX Micro Session)
The ability to effectively manage your time and harness your energy is more crucial than ever. Whether you are a busy professional, an ambitious entrepreneur, or a dedicated student, mastering these skills can significantly enhance your success and well-being.
Learning Outcomes
- Understand the premise of time management.
- Determine priorities in your life.
- Streamline your schedule to maximize efficiency and productivity.
- Discover practical tips and techniques to maintain high energy and focus throughout the day.
| Date | Location |
|---|---|
| Thursday, December 19, 2024 | Virtual |
Mental Health First Aid: Standard (Face-to-Face)
This course is a pre-requisite to our ASIST (Suicide Intervention) course.
Mental Health First Aid: Standard is part of the We Care Health + Well-Being Program. It is an extension of Starting the Conversation: Introduction to Mental Well-Being toward essential conversations when a person is having a mental health crisis.
Learning Outcomes
- Reinforce previous education about caring for ourselves, our peers and our leaders for optimal mental well-being in the workplace.
- Recall or recognize signs of stress that may indicate a decline in a person’s mental well-being with the risk of a mental health crisis.
- Advance skills to have a conversation that encourages caring, connection, and available resources.
- Determine when day-to-day life stressors have moved from manageable with support to a mental health or substance abuse crisis.
- Identify the effect that this type of caring can have on one’s own mental well-being and when the caregiver may also be in need of support.
Delivery
Mental Health First Aid: Standard requires a total of 9 hours of education. There is mandatory 2 hours of self-directed preparatory work prior to the day-long in person delivery. Upon registration to the self-directed module, participants will have access to an electronic version of the MHFA Participant Reference Guide that will be used throughout the course.
| Date | Location |
|---|---|
| Thursday, February 06, 2025 | Enterprise Square (Edmonton) |
PROFESSIONALISM IN THE WORKPLACE (SparkX Micro Session)
People form judgments about others in the workplace based on behaviour, attitude, speech, and appearance. The impressions that individuals communicate to others (positive or negative) can help move them ahead professionally, or can slow down their career progress and even create conflict in the workplace. This session will give participants an understanding of the importance of professional behaviour in the workplace and what it involves.
| Date | Location |
|---|---|
| Thursday, February 20, 2025 | Virtual |
Recognize, Rest, Reset (Integrated Awareness + Well-Being Series)
Recognize, Rest, Reset invites you to explore your personal path to happiness and wisdom by building awareness of how we respond to, adapt, and integrate information in changing contexts. This course provides an opportunity to discover and uncover your personal values and life purpose. It integrates self compassion, awareness of the types of rest and the reset of life-work balance.
Learning Outcomes
- Define factors that influence well-being.
- Identify personal values and how they shift based on levels of stress.
- Evaluate the types of rest to determine the areas that need improvement.
- Apply course concepts to develop a personalized plan to integrate these awareness in the workplace.
| Date | Location |
|---|---|
| Tuesday, November 26, 2024 | Augustana Campus (Camrose) |
| Tuesday, January 21, 2025 | Virtual Session by Zoom (condensed) |
Social Media: The Impact on Mental Health (SparkX Micro Session)
In a world where social media has become integral to daily life, it is crucial to explore its effects on our mental well-being. This micro session introduces the complexities of social media - positive and negative - and its profound influence on mental health.
Learning Outcomes
- Increase awareness of the impact of social media on the mind and mental health.
- Recognize how we use social media and distinguish the impact our use pattern has on our thoughts, emotions, and actions.
- Discover practical tips and techniques to engage with social media on our own terms.
| Date | Location |
|---|---|
| Thursday, September 19, 2024 | Virtual |
Starting the Conversation: Introduction to Mental Well-Being
*This course was formerly titled Managing for Mental Health (Leaders) and has been adapted for staff and faculty.
Starting the Conversation: Introduction to Mental Well-Being is a full day, in person course or a condensed half day virtual course. It is recommended as a starting place to effectively identify and respond in a caring and compassionate manner toward ourselves, our peers and our leaders.
Learning Outcomes
- Differentiate between mental well-being and mental illness.
- Understand the step by step process to become aware of and connect with care to ourselves and to those we interact with in the workplace.
- Determine ways to connect with intention to the person we notice and when the suggestion of resources would be appropriate.
- Apply the We Care: Health + Well-Being Tipsheets (Assistance Guide and Quick Look Resources) to case scenarios.
| Date | Location |
|---|---|
| Tuesday, May 28, 2024 | Enterprise Square (Edmonton) |
| Tuesday, July 9, 2024 | Zoom Virtual Session (condensed) |
| Tuesday, December 10, 2024 | Augustana Campus (Camrose) |
STRESS BUSTERS (SparkX Micro Session)
When stressors overwhelm us, effective techniques can help to bring us back to equilibrium. This session will explore all aspects of the stress response, focusing on practical tips and tools to bring us to optimal stress levels, thereby helping to maximize our energy and performance.
| Date | Location |
|---|---|
| Thursday, March 20, 2025 | Virtual |
The Science of Happiness (SparkX Micro Session)
Scientific studies have shown that 50% of our individual differences in happiness are determined by our genetic make-up, 10% by our life circumstances, and 40% by our intentional activities. This micro session introduces “happy habits” to increase levels of happiness and well-being.
Learning Outcomes
- Understand what happiness is in relation to our whole lives.
- Evaluate the avenues of activities and can generate feelings of happiness.
- Discover research-based practical techniques and strategies for long-lasting happiness.
| Date | Location |
|---|---|
| Thursday, October 17, 2024 | Virtual |
