Brrrrrr, has it been cold outside! Beautiful but chilly.

Had it been warm, it might have been difficult to stay indoors and focus on all of the things that need our attention now that the 2018-19 Grant Application and Reporting materials are on the horizon to be shared by Advanced Education! The CLN team has been hard at work assessing all the implications of the renewed Logic Model. We are thinking about the new Outcomes, Indicators and Measures, and how best we can support you and your colleagues as you start to plan for the year ahead.

In the coming weeks, we’ll be updating the e-Learning workshops on the CALP Portal, as well as updating or modifying documents, templates and videos to align with the new vison and logic model for CALP. We’ll keep you up to date on our progress online and with updates to the field at spring Regional Meetings. We want to make sure you have current resources at your disposal through this time of transition. And remember, you can always call or email your RSS if you have any questions about the latest changes.

We look forward to hearing from you in the coming months, and learning more about how we can best support you on this next leg of your journey!

Lisa Dickner
Executive Director

On-boarding to the CLN Board

As the newest member on the CLN Board of Directors, I was asked to let the CALP world know what it felt like being “on-boarded” as a Director. I won’t go into lengthy detail, but instead, I’ll give you a glimpse of what I experienced.

Being a board member can be daunting whether it’s a Parent Council, Community Board or a Provincial Board. Inevitably, there is always the question of what you bring to the table and the role you will play on the board. In my case, I bring over 5 years of experience in the CALP world as the Executive Director of the Wetaskiwin Community Learning Program, in addition to having chaired Parent Council and numerous volunteer boards in my community.

Next big question - what will my role be on the CLN Board? I’m not going to lie, the thought of being Treasurer terrified me. Looking at a financial statement is like learning another language for me. Thank goodness the position of Treasurer was already assigned! I’m happy to be a Director for now.

I believe that as a Director, I have a responsibility to our membership to make informed, thoughtful decisions that position the CLN Board to effectively govern and lead. I have been familiarizing myself with information from previous board meetings, as well as getting an idea of how I can make a difference as a Director. My fellow Board Members and the staff at the CLN have been very gracious and helpful providing me with the information I need in my new role. My first board meeting was an enjoyable experience, and I felt like the other board members really take the role as seriously as I do. As I get more comfortable and familiar in my role, I am looking forward to learning something new at every meeting, and will be continuously looking for new and innovative ways the CLN Board of Directors can support our members.

Colleen Thiessen
CLN Board of Directors

2018 Literacy and Learning Symposium Opening Keynote: Dr. Wayne Hammond

As we are still busy finalizing our 2018 Literacy and Learning Symposium sessions and networking time, we wanted to share with you another teaser!

The opening keynote for Symposium this year is

Dr. Wayne Hammond

Dr. Hammond is the current CO-CEO and Chief Science Officer of MeritCore Inc. in Calgary, Alberta and holds an adjunct status with the School of Medicine at the University of Calgary. Over the past twenty-five years, he has primarily worked with high-risk youth and their families with a focus on strengths-based practice and the role of resilience in facilitating the capacity of complex individuals to thrive in ways that reflect successful outcomes.

He has published several scientific articles and has been an active lecturer with regards to various mental health concerns and the implications of strengths-based practice in educational and community care settings. More recently, Dr. Hammond’s focus has explored the role of thriving mindset orientations and professional competence and its implications for strengths-based leadership development and maximizing organizational performance.

Keep an eye out on the Portal for the 2018 Literacy and Learning Symposium Registration opening in early March!

And you if haven't already saved the dates, make sure you do:

Literacy & Learning Symposium 2018

Tuesday, September 25 to Friday, September 28, 2018

Location: DoubleTree by Hilton, West Edmonton
16615 109th Avenue North West, Edmonton, Alberta, T5P 4K8

Provincial Training Surveys

Please keep an eye out for the Provincial Training Surveys and the Literacy and Learning 2017 Survey being sent to you this week via email! 

CLN is collecting feedback to help us measure the impact and outcomes of PD mechanisms and initiatives funded through the provincial professional development system for CALP. If you attended last year's Literacy and Learning Symposium, or attended training in your region that was coordinated or hosted by CLN between August and November 2017, you will receive an email or two, asking for your feedback.

Our goal with these surveys is to gather information that paints a better picture of how these events serve and support you (or don't) over time. We have had a great response rate to our surveys in the past, and your thoughtful comments are invaluable not only to our evaluation of past events, but also to our planning of future training and events. 

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to fill out the surveys already. If you attended an event, but haven't received the survey(s) by email yet, please contact the CLN at office@calp.ca and we will send you the links to have your say! 

Volunteer Alberta - National Volunteer Week Grant Application

Every year, with support from the Government of Alberta, Volunteer Alberta assists communities around the province to celebrate National Volunteer Week through the National Volunteer Week Grant. 

The funding is provided to promote National Volunteer Week to help communities recognize and celebrate their volunteers.

This year, National Volunteer Week will be from April 15-21. The theme for 2018 is "Celebrate the value of volunteering."

Grant applications are now open, deadline to apply is February 23. 

Please review the Grant guidelines and Eligibility requirements before applying. 

You can apply online or visit the Volunteer Alberta National Volunteer Week Grant page for more information!

You can also visit Volunteer Canada for more resources and downloads to help you celebrate your volunteers. The full NVW Campaign Kit will be available soon at https://volunteer.ca/index.php?MenuItemID=326. 

Quote of the Day

It is never too late to be what you might have been.

- George Eliot