Introduction to Shelter Diversion – Homelessness Learning Hub

Build skills and strategies to quickly divert individuals from shelters into safe housing alternatives.  

In response to the growing homelessness crisis, there have been urgent calls to build more shelters. Yet, emergency shelters offer only a temporary solution for people experiencing homelessness. Overcrowding, limited supports, and a lack of culturally responsive services often trap people in homelessness, leading to long-term housing instability. Shelter diversion aims to help individuals and families quickly find safe housing alternatives, reducing their need for shelter services and preventing chronic homelessness.

What You Can Expect:

• Integrate Shelter Diversion with Community Homelessness Strategies: You’ll learn essential shelter diversion practices and service delivery approaches to enable individuals and families to avoid entry to shelter.

• Level Up Your Shelter Diversion Program: You’ll explore timely, solutions-focused interventions and flexible, holistic supports to get results that are effective and sustainable.

• Hands-on, Problem Based Learning: You’ll gain insights from shelter diversion programs across Canada which will help guide implementation in your community.

Who Should Take This Training?

• Community service providers – you want to learn from real examples and gain insights to start or strengthen shelter diversion in your community.

• Funders and policymakers – you want to learn how shelter diversion offers a cost-effective approach to decrease shelter stays and reduce the strain on homeless services.

This training includes:

• 4 Interactive lessons

• 3 case examples to illustrate practices

• Self-assessment, feedback and reflection

• Course certificate upon completion

Participants typically complete this self-paced course in about 3 hours.

To register: HomelessnessLearningHub – ISD

Introduction to Eviction Prevention - Homelessness Learning Hub FREE

An effective response to evictions is a critical part of broader homelessness prevention efforts that enhance the stability and well-being of people who are at risk of losing their housing. 

The training addresses an urgent need, given the rise of evictions and their significant impact on individuals, families, and communities, including as a pathway into homelessness. 

Eviction prevention aims to keep individuals and families at risk of eviction in their homes. The intervention involves stabilizing tenancies and finding sustainable solutions for individuals and families.

What You Can Expect:

• Integrate Eviction Prevention with Community Homelessness Prevention Plans: You’ll learn the fundamentals of eviction prevention and its key components, including legal, financial, and social support mechanisms for those threatened by eviction. 

• Start or Strengthen an Eviction Prevention Program: You’ll gain a better understanding of the eviction process and explore essential practices to empower tenants, provide short-term financial assistance, and access legal supports and advocate for tenants’ rights.

• Hands-on, Problem Based Learning: You’ll gain insights from eviction prevention programs in Canada which will help guide implementation in your community.

Who Should Take This Training?

• Community service providers – you want to learn from real examples and gain insights to start or strengthen shelter diversion in your community.

• Funders and policymakers – you want to learn how eviction prevention offers a cost-effective approach to decrease shelter stays and reduce the strain on homeless services.

This training includes:

• 4 Interactive lessons

• 3 Practice vignettes

• Self-assessment, feedback and reflection

• Course certificate upon completion

Participants typically complete this self-paced course in about 3 hours.

To register: HomelessnessLearningHub - IEP

Self-Care Essentials for Health and Well-Being – Homelessness Learning Hub

Essential self-care training for housing, support and community workers in the homelessness sector.

Topics include mindfulness, stress relief, self-compassion, habits, boundaries and life satisfaction. Those who care for others, often give little attention to care for themselves. This training is about the importance of self-care and how to get started with a personalized self-care practice. You will learn a variety of techniques and strategies for overall well-being. The training starts with self-care for physical health: sleep, nutrition, activity and stress relief. Other lessons focus on emotional and psychological well-being. There are many opportunities to learn new strategies and practice techniques with hands-on activities. The training includes resources to support continued learning and practice activities for relaxation, deep breathing, self-compassion, healthy boundaries and resilience. Whether you are just getting started or you want to re-invigorate your self-care routine, this training will give you the tools you need. 

What you’ll learn:

• Explore common ideas about self-care 

• Set personalized goals for self-care 

• Explore the benefit of improving self-awareness 

• Establish and maintain healthy habits 

• Set boundaries for healthy relationships 

• Use techniques to increase self-compassion 

• Learn ways to increase resilience and life satisfaction

To register: Homelessness Learning Hub - SCEHWB

Harm Reduction for the Homelessness Sector – Homelessness Learning Hub

Self-paced training on harm reduction and substance use for service providers in the housing and homelessness sector.

This training explores harm reduction as an evidence-based approach to minimizing the risks associated with substance use. Harm reduction involves a broad range of strategies applicable in the housing and homeless-serving sectors. This course highlights the importance of addressing stigma and unconscious bias related to substance use and homelessness. Harm reduction plays a crucial role in strategies to end homelessness.

Included in the Training:

• Goals and benefits of harm reduction

• Principles of harm reduction

• Policies and practices for emergency shelters and housing programs

• Equity-based approaches for working with individuals who use substances and those experiencing homelessness

• Challenges in implementing harm reduction

While harm reduction is often associated with specific interventions like needle exchange and supervised consumption, it encompasses many practical strategies applicable across various roles. This training is designed to support frontline service providers in the homeless-serving sector by equipping them with knowledge and practical resources. It prepares staff to work with individuals who use substances through a rights-based and equity-oriented approach, offering practical resources, strategies, and techniques suitable for outreach, shelters, and housing programs.

To register: Homelessness Learning Hub – HRHS

Harm Reduction and Naloxone Access Course - First Nations, Inuit, & Métis Program

A one hour session that discusses the opioid epidemic as it relates to Indigenous communities, as well as how to access and safely use naloxone.

The opioid crisis in Indigenous communities across Canada is a complex and urgent issue that requires comprehensive and culturally relevant solutions. Addressing this crisis involves acknowledging historical injustices, improving access to healthcare, and supporting community-driven initiatives.

Communities accessing naloxone has been identified as a barrier that needs to be addressed. Health directors, health and social professionals, and leaders working in or supporting various services and programs must be educated on obtaining naloxone to make it available to community members. This is a virtual program provided in one session (1 hour). These webinars are sponsored by Emergent BioSolutions, the manufacturer of Naloxone nasal spray.

Upon program completion, learners will have gained knowledge related to:

• Understand the opioid crises in Canada and Indigenous communities.

• Review of harm reduction and safe use of naloxone.

• How to communicate and support staff and community members in accessing naloxone. 

Audience:

• Health Directors

• Health and social professional and leaders working in or supporting various community services and programs

• Provinces included are Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, and Labrador. 

This program can be delivered in-person upon request.

To register: Naloxone Course

Creating Diversity, Sensitivity, and Inclusion in your Workplace: A Roadmap for Real Change - Charity Village

This introductory course will help organizations design their roadmap for their DEI journey and to bring about real change.

It is important that nonprofit and charitable organizations have strategies in place to support Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in their service delivery and in their workplace. The issues around DEI can be multifaceted and complex. Sometimes, it can feel difficult to know where to start or which actions will have the most impact.

This course will empower professionals and leaders of non-profit and charitable organizations to:

• Conduct an internal culture survey

• Address DEI gaps and vulnerabilities

• Build awareness

• Implement best practices

To register: Charity Village - CDSIWRRC

Decolonizing, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion – Homelessness Learning Hub

The training is designed to provide participants with a solid understanding of decolonization, equity, diversity, and inclusion (DEDI) within the homeless-serving sector. The course aims to align participants’ understanding with their organization’s goals and purpose, ensuring a consistent approach to these critical topics.

What to Expect:

1. Shared Understanding: Gain a consistent understanding of decolonization, equity, diversity, and inclusion in alignment with organizational goals and purpose. (Note: Please view the webinar on Decolonization before starting this series).

2. Impact Awareness: Understand how anti-Black racism and colonization impact those with lived experience of homelessness and their supporting organizations.

3. Ally Responsibility: Learn your role and responsibility in promoting decolonization, equity, diversity, and inclusion as allies.

4. Practical Application: Apply this knowledge to homelessness to foster a deeper appreciation of the complexity of this work.

The training will be of interest to anyone working in the homeless-serving sector who is committed to creating an inclusive and equitable environment for all. Enroll for free to deepen your understanding and enhance your capacity to contribute meaningfully to decolonizing efforts and promoting equity and diversity in your organization

To register: HomelessnessLearningHub – DEDI

Métis People and Health Course - First Nations, Inuit, & Métis Program

A course for anyone interested in learning more about Métis people and health.

This course was developed in the spirit of collaboration and partnership between the Métis Nation of Alberta (MNA) and the SE Health First Nations, Inuit and Métis Program. Funding for this course was provided by the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer.  It is our collective hope that you will find the learnings from this course useful in your work and interactions with Métis people.

The Métis People and Health course is available publicly to all interested learners at no cost.  It has been developed based upon one module in a larger course called Métis Cancer Care, also developed with the MNA.  This larger course is available to all health care providers working with Métis, First Nations or Inuit people through our online learning platform @YourSide Colleague

The Métis People and Health course is focused on Métis people in Alberta and will help you to better understand the following:

• Métis as a distinct culture and identity

• Métis in terms of historical and intergenerational trauma and social determinants of health

• Importance of using culturally safe strategies in talking with Métis clients

• Recognize the structure of the Métis Nation of Alberta and its role in supporting health and wellness

• Recognizing the health status of Métis as distinct from other Indigenous groups

Audience:

• This course is intended for anyone interested in learning more about Métis people and health.

• It may be particularly useful for Nurses (LPNs, RPNs, RNs, NPs) working in or with Métis people in Alberta and across Canada,   

• It will also be useful to new and seasoned nurses looking to support their professional development. As well as nursing students nearing graduation and interested in working in Métis people.

• It is recommended for health professionals to take the full Metis Cancer Course on @YourSide Colleague if they are looking to inform their work with Métis in a cancer context including the challenges experienced in by Métis people during their cancer journey.

This is a self-directed learning course  approximately 1 hour in length on our LMS system.

Health Care Providers:  Access an account on @YourSide Colleague at no cost. Visit https://fnim.learn.sehc.com/login and click the sign-up link.

To register: People and Health

Wise Practices for Life Promotion – Thunderbird Partnership Foundation

Free for First Nations community wellness workers, this is a 3-day virtual training that focuses on suicide prevention and life promotion practices through an Indigenous lens.

This course supports First Nations communities interested in building their capacity to connect youth with life and living via implementing life promotion ideas from the wisepractices.ca website. The topics that will be covered include how life promotion contributes to suicide prevention, the strength-based approach to life promotion, land based life promotion practices, the role of First Nations knowledge in community-based life promotion efforts, and the relationship between colonial violence and suicidal behaviours, and how Indigenous Knowledge resists this. The training respects the unique characteristics and priorities of each community and recognizes that First Nations communities have their own teachings and practices related to community wellness.

To register: ThunderbirdPF – Training Calendar

Where We Are At – Peer Connect BC

A provincially approved curriculum that will train you to be a peer worker.

Where We Are At is a first of its kind, provincially approved curriculum that’s been guided and evaluated by existing peer support organizations and people with lived experience in the province – from start to finish. The training is made up of 16 modules that focus on the peer support worker role. It’s designed to enhance your support worker training and to ensure quality and consistency across British Columbia. In every module, the goal is the same: to help you internalize these important concepts so you can use them in your own work settings. 

The Provincial Peer Support Training Curriculum course takes approximately 40 hours to complete. To receive a Certificate of Completion you must first register for the course on the Registration page to create an account.

To register: Peer Connect BC

BounceBack – CMHA

BounceBack® is a free skill-building program from the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) designed to help adults and youth manage low mood, mild to moderate depression, anxiety, stress or worry.

Topics covered in the BounceBack® program include:

• Understanding worry and stress

• Overcoming sleep problems

• Being assertive

• Practical problem solving skills

• Changing extreme and unhelpful thinking

• Building relationships with your family and friends

• Planning for the future

Videos are available in English, French, Arabic, Farsi, Cantonese, Mandarin, and Punjabi.

With the right tools and practice, you can bounce back to reclaim your health.

To register: CMHA – BounceBack

Empowering Families Affected by Psychosis – CAMH (Centre for Mental Health and Addictions)

Learn how to support loved ones who are experiencing psychosis.

This course is for families, friends and supporters of those who have experienced a first episode of psychosis. The course covers what your relative may experience during early psychosis and how you can work with a health care team to support your relative in the recovery process. The course will also help you recognize the stress and range of emotions you may be experiencing and understand the importance of addressing your own needs.

At the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Explain what psychosis is.

• Identify the impact of a relative’s symptoms of psychosis on you.

• Describe the challenges you may face with a relative experiencing psychosis.

• Explore ways to provide support to your family member during the recovery process.

• Identify physical, emotional, social and spiritual self-care strategies you can use to reduce your stress.

To register: CAMH – EFAP

Empowering Families Affected by Substance Use Problems – CAMH (Centre for Mental Health and Addictions)

Learn how to support loved ones who are struggling with substance use.

Having a family member with a substance use problem can be very stressful and overwhelming. You play a key role in supporting your relative and in promoting their wellness and recovery. Performing this role may take a toll and have a significant impact on you as well. This self-directed online program is designed to empower you as you support your loved one.

This course will help you to recognize the stress and range of emotions you may be experiencing, and to understand the importance of addressing your own needs. The course will also explore strategies you can use to cope with the challenges of dealing with a relative with substance use problems, strategies for self-care and ways to empower yourself.

At the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Explain why people use alcohol and other drugs.

• Identify the impact a relative’s substance use problem has on you.

  Describe the challenges you may face with a relative with substance use problems and strategies to address the challenges.

• Explore ways to provide support to your family member.

• Identify physical, emotional, social and spiritual self-care strategies you can use to reduce your stress.

To register: CAMH – EFASUP

101 Introductory Courses – CAMH (Centre for Mental Health and Addictions)

A collection of introductory modules on different subjects within the field of mental health and addictions.

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is Canada's largest mental health teaching hospital and one of the world's leading research centres in its field. They offer a number of introductory courses around mental health and addictions. Each module can be completed separately. Some of the courses include Addiction 101, Mental Health 101, Depression 101, Harm Reduction, Diversity and Health Equity, etc.

To register: CAMH Mental Health 101 Courses

Indigenous Perspectives on Trauma, Vicarious Trauma and Wellness – Thunderbird Partnership Foundation

Free for First Nations community wellness workers, this online course covers various aspects of trauma and resilience in Indigenous culture.

This course builds upon the strengths of Indigenous peoples, utilizing Culture as Foundation, to understand the experience of collective trauma, historical, intergenerational, and vicarious trauma. In doing so, the course explores trauma and its effects on individuals and communities and explore ways to promote healing and resilience, including the application and use of the Indigenous Wellness Framework (IWF) and First Nations Mental Wellness Framework (FNMWC). Additionally, the course will provide guidance on stress, vicarious trauma, burnout, and workplace wellness, exploring ways to promote self-care and organizational wellness.

To register: ThunderbirdPF – Online Course Sign-Up

First Nations Mental Wellness Continuum Framework Implementation – Thunderbird Partnership Foundation

Free for First Nations community wellness workers, This 3-day virtual training provides participants with an understanding of the key themes and concepts of the Continuum framework.

This training is designed to guide the design of new or existing programs and services to improve Indigenous wellness outcomes, using culture as foundation.

To register: ThunderbirdPF – Training Calendar

Gender-Based Analysis Plus – Government of Canada

A tool that can be applied to policies, programs, and initiatives that will guide development in an accessible and equitable way that benefits everyone and that all members of society can participate with minimal barriers.

Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) is an analytical tool used to support the development of responsive and inclusive policies, programs, and other initiatives. GBA Plus is a process for understanding who is impacted by the issue or opportunity being addressed by the initiative; identifying how the initiative could be tailored to meet diverse needs of the people most impacted; and anticipating and mitigating any barriers to accessing or benefitting from the initiative. GBA Plus is an intersectional analysis that goes beyond biological (sex) and socio-cultural (gender) differences to consider other factors, such as age, disability, education, ethnicity, economic status, geography (including rurality), language, race, religion, and sexual orientation.

To register: GoC – GBA Plus