•    Conference Welcome
•    Greetings from Dignitaries
•    Introduce New Directors

This session will invite FCSS directors to reflect on how leadership can empower the development of an environment where every family and child can thrive. We will explore how to prepare and  plan for strengthening partnerships with Indigenous residents and neighbours to enhance the value of service delivery, improve outcomes for Indigenous and non-Indigenous children and  families, and build the kind of trust that supports safety, belonging, and long-term resilience. The  session will offer practical insights for understanding Indigenous community priorities, engaging  Indigenous residents and neighbours, and seeking resources that help FCSS programs to navigate complex political and social landscapes.

This workshop helps participants clearly articulate how community-based activities contribute to FCSS outcomes. Using a range of examples, participants will learn to define and describe prevention goals, activities, and outcomes. The session includes a primary focus on community events, but the tools and approaches apply to all FCSS programs so the session will be relevant to all. Staff will benefit from outcome framing, clearer alignment with prevention priorities, and increased confidence in communicating the value of their work.

Presenters:
Ki Wilson, FCSS Supervisor, Town of Devon
Kesa Shikaze, Director, FCS, Strathcona County
Charmion Whyte, Social Policy and Innovation Analyst, FCS, Strathcona County

This workshop helps participants clearly articulate how community-based activities contribute to FCSS outcomes. Using a range of examples, participants will learn to define and describe prevention goals, activities, and outcomes. The session includes a primary focus on community events, but the tools and approaches apply to all FCSS programs so the session will be relevant to all. Staff will benefit from outcome framing, clearer alignment with prevention priorities, and increased confidence in communicating the value of their work.

Presenters:
Ki Wilson, FCSS Supervisor, Town of Devon
Kesa Shikaze, Director, FCS, Strathcona County
Charmion Whyte, Social Policy and Innovation Analyst, FCS, Strathcona County

Edmonton Evergreen FCSS Region is proud to offer the opportunity for our friends and colleagues to explore the diversity of First Nations and Métis peoples at the Indigenous Peoples Experience at Fort Edmonton Park. The award-winning exhibit explores the rich and beautiful cultures of First Nations and Métis Peoples while encouraging visitors to seek out the truths as lived by Indigenous Peoples in Treaty 6. This multimedia tour will be led by Indigenous historical interpreters who share their families’ history in Amiskwaciwâskahikan (Beaver Hills House, now known as Edmonton). As you follow the path of the North Saskatchewan River through the space, you can engage with their interpreters, read messages shared by Elders of Treaty Six and the Métis Nation, and experience immersive storytelling

Reservations will be made in advance at a select group of Whyte Avenue Restaurants. Delegates can sign up for their chosen location at the morning break.

Things will not always go our way. Whether we make a decision that doesn’t work out or events happen that are outside of our control, learning to reset quickly is imperative in the world we live in. The process of regaining our footing in the midst of struggle is where our courage is tested and our values forged. Our stories of struggle can be big or small, but regardless of their magnitude or circumstance, the rising strong process is the same: We reckon with our emotions and get curious about what we’re feeling; we rumble with our stories until we get to a place of truth; and we live this process, every day, until it becomes a practice and creates nothing short of a revolution in our lives. Rising strong after a fall is how we cultivate wholeheartedness and learning. It’s the process that teaches us the most about who we are.