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Clubs Essential Training Workshops

Clubs Essential Training workshops are part of the Clubs Essential Training program.

Clubs Essential Training workshops are categorized under three themes:

Event Planning

This workshop will explore effective event virtual and in-person planning from the planning stages, through execution, to reflection and assessment. Participants will gain a thorough understanding of how to plan for events and the important steps needed for effective marketing, budgeting, risk management and preparation. We will also talk about making events and marketing accessible to community members. We explore delegating roles and tasks and how to manage people through an event process. The session will also cover the evaluation and reflection process that is often neglected in event planning.

Measuring Organizational Success

Is your group successful? How do you know that? This workshop will help you to develop and implement tools for the assessment and evaluation of your organization. That will help to measure your goals and the success of your group in achieving them. Success doesn’t always mean doing the most, join us as we explore how success looks different for many people. In this workshop, you will learn both qualitative and quantitative methods that you can use to tell the story of your group’s success!

Group Dynamics and Team Building

This session introduces participants to the 5 stages of team development. Participants will explore ways to lead team building both virtually and in-person. Students will leave with concrete strategies and tools for navigating group dynamics and keeping their team engaged and productive.

Facilitating Meetings

Have your meetings moved online? Are you looking for some tips and tricks on running meetings in a virtual space? Or have your meetings transitioned back to in-person and you aren’t sure how to navigate that? This session will explore strategies for facilitating effective, meaningful and exciting meetings. We will look at setting and writing effective agendas, planning and organizing meetings, facilitating dialogue, responding to questions and issues, and writing! Once the “basics” of effective meetings are covered, we will dive into how to transform meetings into engaging and dynamic opportunities to team build.

Social Media

Does your organization have a brand or consistent image? In this workshop, you will learn about developing consistent branding and effective strategies for marketing your group and events on campus. Participants learn tips and strategies for creating attractive and accessible advertising. You will also learn to build and connect with your audience on social media such as Instagram, Discord, YouTube and TikTok. Communicate interactively with students and encourage new membership by exchanging information about your campus group that is relevant and delivered at the right time. This workshop also covers best social media practices, including how to keep your channels accessible and how to address online feedback.

Equity 101

We talk a lot about “equity,” but what does it really mean? How does it relate to our everyday lives? This workshop explores these questions while also creating a space for us to think about what commitments we can make around continuing to learn while putting what we have learned into action.

Creating Positive and Inclusive Space

Are you unsure what LGBTQ2SIA+ means? Join this workshop to learn about the diversity of sexual and gender identities as well as to understand key issues and concerns for LGBTQ2SIA+ students on campus. We will come together to develop strategies for creating an inclusive student group and for confronting homophobia and transphobia when it emerges.

Understanding Micro-Aggressions

This session will explore what microaggressions are and how understanding them can help us to create more inclusive environments. We will also explore ways to address them in everyday situations.

Difficult Conversations about Race

How can student leaders promote a culture of anti-racism through clubs and events? Participants in this session will build on basic understandings of race and racism and discuss key strategies for creating safer and more inclusive spaces for dialogue. How do we work through and across differences? How can we challenge each other in constructive ways that support a common goal? How do we anticipate and recognize the signs of exclusion? Join us as we explore these questions and more.

Goal Setting and Values

Why are you involved in your club or organization? What motivates you? What is your group’s vision for the year? Often, we don’t ask ourselves these questions. This workshop will help you to develop and articulate your vision and values and learn how to engage your membership in this conversation. By having a clear vision, goals and values for your group, your membership will feel more engaged and connected to the bigger picture. Participants will learn about the SMART goals framework and how to implement it for individual and organizational goal setting. We will also discuss goal accountability, prioritizing and communicating progress.

Prioritization: Tools & Techniques Self-Care for Student Leaders

Stephen Covey, author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, states: “The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities”. Being a student leader who builds communities, organizes activities and inspires change is exhausting! This workshop will identify strategies to improve prioritization through discussion of effective tools and techniques while exploring what it means to feel good and function well as a student leader. You will begin to understand the importance of managing your energy (not your time) while working as a leader in your campus organization. Drawing on recent evidence from the study of well-being, you’ll be introduced to a cluster of activities that promote resiliency and prevent burnout so you can be at your best. We will engage in conversations and activities that allow you to identify behaviours and attitudes that encourage prioritizing what’s “important” in your organization.

Effective Feedback

Participants in this session learn how to deliver effective, positive and constructive feedback. Feedback is a crucial element in group progress and success and helpful in working through conflict. Participants discover important theories and tips behind delivering and receiving feedback. Hands-on opportunities to practice giving feedback in a safe and inclusive learning environment will be included. Case studies and real-world examples are used to help members develop strategies to deliver feedback. Lastly, participants will have the opportunity to reflect on past feedback given and received, and the outcomes of that feedback, as well as time to develop goals towards giving feedback within their organization.

Reflection

Reflection is a key part of any leadership or group experience. It allows for an opportunity to think about your actions and results and determine ways of moving forward. This session will give you an opportunity to participate in a guided reflection, as well as learn about some tools to guide your group through reflection.

One of the goals of this workshop should provide this group of leaders to reflect and think about their experience as the main leaders of their student group. They should be given opportunity to discuss what they would feel were best practices and discuss “what they wish they had known.” This “advice” can be used in future workshops (and particularly the Presidents’ Retreat).

This session is aimed at senior and graduating students to discuss leaving your legacy in your organization and moving on in your organization or passing the leadership torch on to someone new. Change is a challenging and inevitable part of life and especially in your organization’s life. This session will be an opportunity to talk about moving on, how to inspire leadership in others and how to stay involved without taking over new incoming executives.

Exploring New Roles in Leadership

Have you ever found yourself in a role where you have felt uncertain or unsupported, and asking yourself how did you get there? Starting in a new role can be exciting but also nerve-wracking. Whether you are stepping up into a leadership role for the first time or transitioning from one role to another, authentic leadership is a tool that can be utilized to help ensure a smooth transition. Being authentic in your search for new roles or when starting in these roles is important to create your own identity in the workplace.

Club Cafés

Club Cafés are designed to gather club leaders from specific executive roles for casual conversation, networking, brainstorming and troubleshooting.

Topics:

  • Presidents
  • Appreciation
  • Recruitment and Retention
  • Fundraising and Sponsorship
  • Engaging and Motivating Team

Finances

New to your financial role within a campus club or organization? Looking for a refresher on essential financial literacy skills as they relate to clubs? Join us to learn about available club funding on campus, how to budget for the year, organize financial information, and understand the importance of financial accountability and transparency within your organization. We will review some popular funding applications, timelines and best practices when requesting funding. A budgeting template will be shared and reviewed to help you keep track of your club finances and we will share some tips for requesting sponsorship!