The W̱SÁNEĆ School Board (WSB) is dedicated to investing in their staff and faculty. This fall, valuable training programs, designed to both improve the skills of staff and the workplace culture will be offered.

The WSB plans to invest in “capacity building” which would give WSB staff and faculty the opportunity to further develop their professional skills. Capacity building helps employees develop in their careers by learning additional skill sets, including tools to deal with difficult events or circumstances, and overall feel better on the job. 

Capacity building is very much based on the needs of the staff, and the WSB has plans to deliver training in three specific areas, due to feedback from staff as to the need for support in these areas.

The WSB has heard staff who have shared that it’s difficult to reconcile pro-rated pay over the summer holidays. Providing staff with training on how to access, read and understand pay stubs to ensure their accuracy is important, so WSB will be providing training on this essential knowledge this year.

Another area the WSB is exploring is training on the employee assistance and health programs, especially as these programs are often underutilized. These training sessions would give staff an overview of their options through providers, regarding their extended health plans, counseling, family issues and other supports available depending on the employee’s status and whether the plans are employer-paid, shared cost health benefits or via Federal Indigenous program health benefits. This training session may well be a two-part series to cover the overlaps between these programs.

Finally, the WSB would also like to acknowledge the difficulty that comes with working in an environment challenged by the ongoing legacy of colonialism and how this can result in additional challenges beyond those typically associated with working at a school.  As such, the WSB is exploring workshops on anti-bullying, lateral violence, resilience, and self care. 

To better develop these programs and others in the future, the WSB is actively seeking staff feedback on the types of workshops and lunch and learns that would be most valuable. 

For staff who wish to provide feedback, please fill out this survey to help the WSB, faculty, and staff move forward with everyone’s interests in mind.