About this Event
*THIS EVENT HAS BOTH IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL ATTENDANCE OPTIONS*
Welcome to The Student-Based Mental Health and Education Summit: Fostering Resilience Through Indigenous Perspectives for At-Risk, Highly Dysregulated, and Technology-Saturated Children and Youth.
On behalf of Jack Hirose & Associates, welcome and thank you for joining us in beautiful Victoria, British Columbia. We are delighted to bring together educators, counsellors, therapists, administrators, and helping professionals from across Canada for three days of practical, evidence-informed learning.
Our conference venue is conveniently located just minutes from Victoria’s picturesque Inner Harbour, marina, restaurants, shops, and many of the city’s most popular attractions. We encourage you to take advantage of your time here by exploring the waterfront, enjoying the local cuisine, and experiencing the unique charm and hospitality that Victoria has to offer.
Throughout the conference, you will explore practical strategies for supporting children and youth facing trauma, emotional dysregulation, mental health challenges, and the impacts of today’s digital world, while gaining valuable insights grounded in Indigenous perspectives and resilience-focused practices.
We hope you enjoy both the conference and your time in Victoria, and leave feeling inspired, connected, and equipped with new ideas to support the children and youth in your communities.
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Education and Clinical Professionals: All education and mental health or healthcare professionals who work with children or youth including, but not limited to K–12 Classroom Teachers, School Counsellors, Learning Assistance/Resource Teachers, School Administrators, School Paraprofessionals including Special Education Assistants, Classroom Assistants and Childcare Workers • All other professionals who support behavioural challenges and complex learning needs including but not limited to: Nurses, Social Workers, Psychologists, Clinical Counsellors, Family Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech Language Pathologists, Addiction Counsellors, Youth Workers, Mental Health Workers, Probation Officers and Community Police Officers.
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Day Two – October 29, 2026
When Students Feel Seen: Social-Emotional Learning as a Tool for Inclusion and Empowerment
Presented by , M.Ed., B.Ed., B.A
8:30am - 4:00pm October 29, 2026
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION
Creating classrooms where every student feels seen, valued, and connected has never been more important. As Canadian classrooms become increasingly diverse, educators are challenged to support students with a wide range of cultural identities, lived experiences, learning needs, and social-emotional strengths. This engaging and interactive workshop explores how social-emotional learning (SEL) can move beyond teaching individual skills to become a powerful framework for fostering belonging, inclusion, and student empowerment.
Grounded in current research and practical classroom experience, participants will examine the connections between social-emotional learning, equity, and student well-being while exploring the barriers that can prevent marginalized and underserved learners from experiencing a true sense of belonging. Through reflective activities, case studies, collaborative discussions, and practical classroom strategies, attendees will discover how relationship-centred, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed approaches can create learning environments where every student is supported to thrive.
Participants will also explore Transformative Social-Emotional Learning (tSEL), critically examine traditional SEL frameworks through an equity lens, and develop practical strategies that honour diverse identities, experiences, and ways of learning. Throughout the day, educators will leave with evidence-informed tools they can immediately apply to strengthen relationships, increase student engagement, and build more inclusive classroom communities.
Day Two
🕑: 08:30 AM - 04:00 PM
When Students Feel Seen: Social-Emotional Learning as a Tool for Inclusion
Host: Kelly Cleeve, M.Ed., B.Ed., B.A
Info: Creating classrooms where every student feels seen, valued, and connected has never been more important. This engaging workshop explores how social-emotional learning (SEL) can move beyond teaching individual skills to become a framework for fostering belonging, inclusion, and student empowerment.
Participants will examine the connections between SEL, equity, and student well-being while exploring barriers that may prevent marginalized and underserved learners from experiencing a true sense of belonging. Through reflection, case studies, discussion, and practical strategies, attendees will explore relationship-centred, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed approaches.
Participants will also examine Transformative Social-Emotional Learning and traditional SEL frameworks through an equity lens. Educators will leave with evidence-informed tools to strengthen relationships, increase student engagement, honour diverse identities and experiences, and build more inclusive classroom.
Agenda
Info: • Welcome, introductions, learning goals, and workshop overview.
• Explore the difference between inclusion and belonging and why belonging is essential for learning, engagement, and mental wellness.
• Examine barriers faced by marginalized and underserved students through research, reflection, and discussion.
• Learn the CASEL framework and explore how social-emotional learning (SEL) supports belonging, resilience, relationships, and student success.
• Participate in reflective activities that deepen self-awareness, build empathy, and strengthen classroom connections.
• Examine SEL through an equity lens, including cultural responsiveness and inclusive practices for diverse learners.
• Explore Transformative Social-Emotional Learning (tSEL) and its role in promoting equity, belonging, and empowerment.
• Apply tSEL through case studies, collaborative problem solving, and practical strategies for inclusive, relationship-centred learning environments.
• Reflect on key learning.
Learning Objectives
Info: • Describe connections between transformative social-emotional learning and fostering a sense of belonging amongst marginalized students in the classroom.
• Reflect upon their current professional practices and build additional strategies to support all students in their classrooms
Event venue & nearby stays
2852 Douglas St, 2852 Douglas Street, Victoria, Canada
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.