Tuesday, June 8, 9:00 – 4:00pm

Title: Cultivating Innovation: a workshop to improve facilitation and problem solving to creatively drive change

Facilitators: Tyler Griffin, Assistant Regional Director, York Library Region, New Brunswick Public Library Service; Kaelan Keys, Business Development Manager, Efficiency Nova Scotia; Sarah Kilfoil, Regional Director, York Library Region, New Brunswick Public Library Service; Andrea Koteles, Library Director, New Brunswick Library of Craft and Design
Language: English

There is no charge for this event, but registration is required. Enrollment Limit: 20.

This full day workshop is an opportunity for participants to learn through co-creation with other participants. Facilitators will provide the framework and tools for participants to use and adapt to suit their specific realities. The content covered comes from Design Thinking methodology, a framework used within social innovation organizations. 

Participants will: 

  • work on strategies to find, define, and solve problems;
  • interactively explore brainstorming techniques – divergent and convergent thinking – how and when to apply each;
  • deploy various problem-solving tools and templates that can be adapted for future projects;
  • develop ideation techniques;
  • prototype and solution test for systematic improvement and getting your entire team involved, regardless of their communication style;
  • learn new approaches to giving and applying useful feedback.

Ultimately our goal is for participants to walk away with tools they can apply, regardless of their job title, organization type, or library type they work in. 

Drawing from research and experience, the facilitators will introduce concepts and guidance throughout the day. Most of the outcomes will come from shared learning amongst the participants. The workshop and provided resources will allow participants to return to their workplaces ready to be change makers.

Tuesday, June, 8, 1:30 – 3:00 pm

Skills For An Intercultural Workplace

Facilitators: Paul Pickering, Coordinator, Workplace Culture Program: Immigration Services Association Nova Scotia (ISANS); Colleen Belle, Coordinator, Workplace Culture Program: Immigration Services Nova Scotia (ISANS).
Language: English
There is no charge for this event, but registration is required. Enrollment Limit: 32

Creating a culturally competent and inclusive workplace culture blends awareness with actions and behaviours. In this activity we will “create” what we think of as a normal culture, and then explore the process of changing it; balancing the needs of the people who will come and go, with the needs of the group (the organization).  Intercultural components of change are mixed among more general expectations of communicating. This is an interactive activity, with a large percentage of the time relying upon the lived experiences of those in each group being shared and developed.  We cultivate the trust that comes from open communication and enhance our abilities to be agents of change. The activity is debriefed by a skilled facilitator, and participants emerge with a deeper appreciation for our own roles and abilities in this process.  Those registering for this workshop are encouraged to attend the “Benefits of a Diverse Workplace Culture” live webinar, offered monthly by the ISANS Workplace Culture program, without charge. Attendance on this webinar is an optional, enjoyable opportunity to raise awareness and answer questions prior to the day and is led by the same expert facilitator as with our workshop.