Connexion Corner: September 2020 Edition
September 2020 Edition
No matter your role within our department, you can find something to fit your unique needs and interests within Connexion Corner: your one-stop-shop for everything learning related at ESDC!
'Tis the season to fall back in love with learning!
If the fall season has you in the mood to expand your knowledge base and skill set, then you're in luck because as an ESDC employee, you have access to a wealth of valuable learning opportunities.
Ready to start learning? Browse the learning options below to register for the offerings of your choice, or send this page to your colleagues to make it a team event.
Spotlight on!
Every year on September 30, Orange Shirt Day commemorates the experiences of former students of residential schools and recognizes Canada's commitment to ongoing reconciliation. On this day, we acknowledge the harm that Canada's residential school system has inflicted on generations of Indigenous families and their communities. To learn more about Orange Shirt Day, visit orangeshirtday.org.
Stay tuned for national and regional learning activities leading up to Orange Shirt Day that address the experiences of residential school survivors, the impact on First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities and Canada's commitment to reconciliation.
Do you have a colleague who's been helping improve the way we learn at ESDC? Or do you know of an innovative and exciting new learning development that's taking place? Let us know so we can shine The Spotlight on things happening right here within our department and they can get the recognition they deserve!
Explore these online learning offerings at anytime
- Mental Health: Health and Wellness Strategies (Z042)
- Staying Balanced in a Shifting World (W013)
- Your Role in Workplace Diversity (W004)
- Overcoming Unconscious Bias in the Workplace (W007)
- The history and legacy of residential schools and reconciliation
- Unleashing Personal and Team Creativity (G027)
- Planning an Effective Presentation (C060)
- By Design - How to use visuals and narratives to build better decks (C250)
- Learning How to Learn: Powerful mental tools to help you master tough subjects
- Busrides.ca
- Health Canada's Specialized Organizational Services (SOS) for Managers, Executives, Team Leads
Do more learn more
Ask Coco!
Dear Coco,
Linguistic Duality Day is right around the corner and it has me thinking about my own language-learning journey. I want to improve my abilities in my Second Official Language, but I think I need to work on my reading and writing skills and I don't know where to start. I have been grazing on some learning resources online. As well-intentioned as this is, I am really at a beginner level and this self-study approach has left me feeling overwhelmed – HELP!
- Grazed and Confused
Dear Grazed,
Happy Linguistic Duality Day, to you (taking place on September 8th, for those who did not know)!
What are you doing creating your own learning plan and selecting language-learning resources for yourself? Leave that to the professionals! Check out the College@ESDC's newly launched Self-Study Toolkit to Achieve Level B on the PSC's Written Tests (French / English), where you can find excellent study tips, links to related learning tools, and even a self-study planning workbook to help you assess your progress.
It is normal to feel overwhelmed by the prospect of learning and using a new language; you are not alone on this. In fact, the College@ESDC is launching a new series of Language Learning Testimonials from Your Peers. Keep an eye out for this and be sure to watch it to get an honest insight into the language-learning journeys of your ESDC colleagues.
Learn by participating in these national, virtual events
Understanding the United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent
Date: September 9, 2020
Time: 1:30 – 3:30 PM EDT
Language: Bilingual
Learning Priority: Intercultural Competence learn more (PDF, 234 KB)
- Description:
- This discussion will explore: a brief history of what led up to the Decade and its three pillars of recognition, justice and development, what the three pillars could look like within the federal public service and what we have learned from previous attempts at achieving. Live Q&A period follows panel discussion.
Register for Understanding the United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent
Dr. Wilton Littlechild on Circling Back and Moving Forward with Reconciliation
Date: September 14, 2020
Time: 1:00 – 2:30 PM EDT
Language: Bilingual
Learning Priority: Intercultural Competence learn more (PDF, 234 KB)
- Description:
- Please join us for a conversation with Dr. Wilton Littlechild as he reflects back on his work on both the Declaration and the Calls to Action, and considers the work that still needs to be done.
Register for Circling Back and Moving Forward with Reconciliation
Finding Health Equity for First Nations Children
Date: September 16, 2020
Time: 10:30 – 12:00 PM EDT
Language: English, with interpretation in French
Learning Priority: Intercultural Competence learn more (PDF, 234 KB)
- Description:
- Join us for a presentation and talk with Dr. Cindy Blackstock, Ph.D., Executive Director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society, and Professor Sir Michael Marmot, Director of the International Institute for Society and Health. They will discuss the pursuit of equity for First Nations children in the context of Jordan's Principle and the Pan American Health Organization's recent report Just Societies: Health Equity and Dignified Lives.
Register for Finding Health Equity for First Nations Children
Visible Minorities in the Senior Ranks of the Public Service of Canada: Challenges and Opportunities
Date: September 17, 2020
Time: 1:30 – 3:00 PM EDT
Language: Bilingual
Learning Priority: Intercultural Competence learn more (PDF, 234 KB)
- Description:
- This panel discussion will focus on visible minorities and the challenges they face in moving into the senior ranks of the federal public service. The panel will talk about their experiences and how to bring about progressive and positive changes within the federal public service.
The role of a coaching attitude in our communications
Date: September 22, 2020
Time: 1:00 – 4:00 PM EDT
Language: French
(English session will be available at a later date)
Learning Priority: Healthy and Inclusive Workplaces learn more (PDF, 234 KB)
- Description:
- Develop a coaching attitude regarding the management of challenging situations in the workplace.
Register for The role of a coaching attitude in our communications
Design Thinking: Driving and fast-tracking innovation through design thinking
French session: October 1 and 2, 2020, 12:00 – 3:00 PM EDT
English session: September 29 and 30, 2020, 2:00 – 5:00 PM EDT
Learning Priority: Digital Mindset learn more (PDF, 234 KB)
- Description:
- Through this hands-on seminar, you will learn the core principles of design thinking, a powerful, concrete approach to creating value.
Coaching for supervisors – Conflict management
Date: September 29, 2020
Time: 2:00 – 3:30 PM EDT followed by 4, 90-minute coaching session every two weeks by telephone.
Language: : French
(English session will be available at a later date)
Learning Priority: Healthy and Inclusive Workplaces learn more (PDF, 234 KB)
- Description:
- This coaching program focuses on developing innovative and constructive approaches for supervisors, at all levels, resolve conflicts in their work environment.
Data and you at ESDC, now and in the future
French session: October 1, 2020, 10:00 – 11:30 AM EDT
English session: October 1, 2020, 1:30 – 3:00 PM EDT
Learning Priority: Digital Mindset learn more (PDF, 234 KB)
- Description:
- This keynote will help demystify the uses of data — now, and in the future — and show you how data is used in a context of performance measurement, business intelligence and even prediction.
Try this!
Guess what? ESDC's 2020-2021 National Learning Catalogue (DOCX, 130 KB) is now available! With so many learning options available to you – ranging from Mental Health to Transformational Learning – it can be tough to decide which opportunities to register for. To plan your learning effectively and strategically, follow these simple steps:
- Have a look at the newly updated 2019-2022 Learning Priorities, which reflect departmental and government-wide priorities.
- Check out ESDC's 2020-2021 National Learning Catalogue (PDF, 912 KB) on iService to browse a wide selection of learning offerings taking place from September – December 2020.
- Have a discussion with your manager and get their approval before registering for the sessions of your choice.
Don't forget: The catalogue is updated frequently, so please check back often to stay up-to-date with the latest learning options!