2024 Bridge Conference

Conflict is an inevitable part of any environment, whether at work or home. Understanding how to identify, manage, and resolve conflict through the lens of basic Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) can transform challenging situations into opportunities for growth and collaboration. This interactive 90-minute workshop will provide participants with the tools and strategies needed to navigate conflict effectively and equitably. Who Should Attend: - Team leaders and managers. - Employees seeking to enhance their conflict resolution skills. - Individuals interested in applying basic DEI principles in conflict management.

It only takes one moment for a student to hear “good job” and internalize that people-pleasing is the best way to achieve attention – essentially creating “praise junkies” in the blink of an eye. But when a trusted adult adjusts their language to specific feedback it only takes one moment to instill intrinsic motivation within the student – a moment that can lead to a movement of growth-minded young people. Join us for an engaging and transformative workshop on the benefits of specific feedback. Discover how shifting your classroom language from "good job" to specific, non-evaluative feedback can revolutionize your teaching approach and significantly benefit your students. Learn how specificity fosters growth-mindset, builds confidence, reduces anxiety and pressure, supports diverse learners, and creates an inclusive learning environment. Facilitated by self-proclaimed “education nerds” with backgrounds in theatre education and youth development, this workshop promises to be fun and educational. Participants will be actively involved, practicing the use of specific feedback with real-world classroom scenarios. This simple yet powerful tool can be seamlessly integrated into every learning environment, making a big impact on student development and classroom dynamics. By the end of the workshop, you will feel confident and empowered to implement non-evaluative language in your teaching practice, making your classroom a more supportive, motivating, and inclusive space for all students. Join us and transform your teaching with the power of specificity!

If you are a professional working with school-aged youth you might be wondering how to help the youth under your guidance cope with the torrent of developmental changes surging through their minds and bodies, not to mention the stresses of school, family, and even country, you might be looking for a tool to help you tackle the Tsunami of thoughts and feelings coming your way. Introducing MX Terra's Magic Remote! In this workshop participants will get their own copy of MX Terra's Magic Remote, game instructions, a presentation on school-aged development and the importance of improv as a tool to improve Social Emotional Learning, and more importantly a chance to play the game themselves and reflect on their experience. Improv games, done well in school-aged programming, can provide a safe and supportive environment for youth to explore different scenarios, make decisions on the spot, and take risks in a controlled setting. Through these games, youth learn how to think on their feet, communicate effectively with others, and adapt to unexpected situations – all skills that are essential for navigating the complexities of the world around them. We will talk about some famous improv games such as Dungeons and Dragons and learn about some famous minds who credit this form of play as crucial to their development. We will discuss how, with thoughtful adult facilitation, improv games help youth process their thoughts and feelings in a fun and engaging way while still leaving youth with a sense of agency over their environment. By encouraging creativity, spontaneity, and collaboration, these games enable youth to express themselves authentically and build confidence in their abilities. As they engage in playful interactions with others, they learn valuable lessons about teamwork, problem-solving, and self-expression – all of which contribute to their overall sense of agency and control over their lives. In this workshop we will learn how to play MX Terra's Magic Remote as a mixed-age group with diverse backgrounds. Each person who signs up for a turn with the master Magic Remote will get a chance to "control" the actors on stage by selecting channels, volume up, volume down, pause, mute, off and on, fast forward and rewind. HOT TIP: After you have played this game for fun several times you will find that the magic remote can be used for general classroom management. MX Terra's favorite way to use the remote in class is to rewind if a student makes a faux pax and give them a redo. It's also really fun to let everyone complain but muted or in fast-forward mode. As a workshop group we will share other games that have been effective with this age group. We will also problem-solve how to approach sensitive topics with a balance of empathy and playfulness. Participants will walk away with at least one new game but also a greater appreciation for how incorporating improv games into educational settings or extracurricular activities can provide youth with valuable opportunities to explore new possibilities, challenge themselves creatively, and ultimately cultivate a strong sense of agency over their environment.

How does cultivating agency empower safe and integrated learning for our students? In this workshop we will explore ways you can center and apply agency and consent tools to enhance your students’ experience and creative practices. Focal points will include exploring what makes a safe space, how to establish boundary practices in your classroom, exercises to support nervous system regulation, and ways to intentionally implement student agency in your curricula.

The workforce continues to evolve and organizations across the expanded learning field are being called to meet the diverse needs and learning styles of program staff. This workshop explores strategies for high quality staff development and empowers supervisors to provide the right balance of guidance and support. Participants will learn a framework that aids in leveraging the natural talents of their team, serves as inspiration when challenges arise, and establishes high expectations that contribute to transformational results for youth. 

In this session, participants will:

• Learn Be the Change Consulting’s Arc of Staff Development, a framework to mentor and coach employees to become independent, proactive team members
  
• Explore a spectrum of strategies to develop staff from supervision towards thought partnership
  
• Create a process to identify opportunities for growth and build a customized professional development plan
  

Join us for an immersive session on the Mindful Fibers Program, where we blend fiber arts with mindfulness practice to foster self-awareness and self-regulation in youth. Recent research into youth development highlights the importance of creative and mindful practices in enhancing mental wellbeing and SEL skills, and also underscores the significance of supporting practitioners' own mindfulness practices in order to strengthen outcomes for youth. SEL skill building is crucial for our young people to prepare them to move through a tumultuous world and effect positive change, while nurturing their own health and happiness. This session offers educators hands-on experience with the same techniques used in the program. Participants will engage in a fiber arts activity, while discussing how to integrate mindfulness practices into their program. You will leave this session with a Mindful Fibers curriculum, tangible strategies, and the confidence to build a practice of mindfulness with youth in your programs!

In the world of out-of-school activities, icebreakers are often used as a way to encourage groups to bond and build relationships in a short period of time. However, icebreakers are typically ineffective due to participants' reluctance to engage with them. They also tend to be non-inclusive for participants who are neurodiverse, disabled, speak English as a second language, or are introverted. In this session, participants will learn how to turn icebreakers into more effective connection builders that are inclusive of the majority of participants and that foster more authentic connections. Participants will leave this session with new activities to bring back to their groups as well as a new perspective on icebreakers and activity accessibility.

Are you struggling to manage a classroom where children find it challenging to listen, follow instructions, and stay organized? This insightful workshop is designed for youth workers and teachers focused on cultivating essential skills that enhance student learning and behavior. We will explore ways to create a supportive learning culture that encourages the development of focus and organization, equipping you with tools to manage common classroom challenges and improve overall student performance. Empower your students to reach their full potential and transform your classroom into an organized, focused, and thriving environment.

The Power of Play training introduces the importance of play and lays the foundation for creating a safe, healthy, and respectful environment for youth. Through experiential learning and debriefing, we provide tools to help create safe and inclusive play opportunities for youth. While the Power of Play is for everyone, this session is especially impactful for direct service staff at the elementary level.

In this wonderful workshop, we will address philosophies surrounding restorative practices. Participants will then walk through challenges as well as easy-to-discuss topics in a step-by-step process while they learn to facilitate circle activities by doing them. We will introduce a framework for asking inquiry-based questions for facilitation. By adopting these concepts educators will be ultimately helping students to build positive shifts in: Attitudes toward academics and school culture. Improved class attendance. Handling of face-to-face bullying and cyberbullying. Creative solving of discipline problems.

Move, groove, sing, and dance while you learn the 100% engagement educational model of Camp Read-a-Rama (www.Read-a-Rama.org), a non-profit and out-of-school literacy immersion program for children ages 4 to 11. With 12+ years of experience with using children’s books as the springboard for all activities, Camp Read-a-Rama takes an interdisciplinary approach to creating programming, integrating STEM, movement, arts, field trips, outdoor activities, aquatics, and more into fun day camps. Learn to infuse literacy-rich activities into your existing program, or get your first taste of training for offering your own Camp Read-a-Rama (after school or summer camp).

The We All Learn Here project was developed over several summers as a way to build a strong community of learners. Youth participated in a weekly conversation about who they are, what is important to them, and what it means to be a learner. At the end, students created a community art piece. Families are invited for the last day to learn about the project and see the murals.
During this session participants will learn the complete project as a group before enhancing it together. Small groups may scaffold the project for work with teens, extend the learning into longer investigations, translate the project into different home languages. The options will be driven by the group. At the end of the session, each participant will be emailed a copy of the newly updated curriculum. Laptops will be needed for the small group work.

Caring for yourself is essential to supporting the well-being of young people. In this interactive workshop, Space Between, a Seattle-based organization facilitating human and school transformation through mindfulness, and their research partner, foundry10, will share their latest research as well as strategies for cultivating and sustaining personal mindful practice. Participants will learn about why practitioner SEL and healing is essential to caring for youth, experience guided mindful practices, and engage in small group discussions focused on identifying and overcoming barriers to your practice.

Grief has become an ever-increasing concern for our youth. In this workshop, participants will learn creative and connection-building activities that are designed with the intention of increasing the professional’s knowledge of supporting children who are impacted by grief. This workshop will be fun, while increasing the professional’s comfort in talking to children about grief and in engaging the child in greater understanding of their physical and emotional response to their grief. This workshop will include hands-on activities with the option for participants to share their experience with each other to enhance the learning. Participants will also learn the intention behind the choice of activities, which will allow them to adapt the tools to fit their audience. This workshop is designed to be most beneficial to direct service staff. However, managers and leaders will also learn skills in this workshop that will increase their understanding of supporting grieving children.

Participants will explore how integrating language arts and art expression into STEM empowers diverse student populations. They will gain practical strategies to enhance student achievement and holistic development in educational settings. By the end of the session, attendees will feel inspired and equipped with actionable insights to implement inclusive practices that foster student success. This approach is incredibly transformative for newcomers, including refugees and immigrants, as it enriches their learning experience by making traditionally challenging subjects more engaging and accessible.

In the PBS's Learn & Grow Together workshop, participants will explore a series of interactive, hands-on activities designed for families with young children. This session will focus on implementing social-emotional learning, character development, and executive function skills through creative play and exploration. Emphasizing family engagement, attendees will learn how to use and adapt flexible, modular resources to involve families deeply and support their children's development in various community settings. By the end, participants will be equipped with practical tools and strategies to foster meaningful, multi-generational learning experiences that promote racial equity and inclusivity.

The ongoing impacts of COVID, civil rights uprisings, and climate crisis have brought attention to the trauma young people and our communities face. How can we harness brain science and best practices to support those who have been exposed trauma? How can we shift from reactive responses towards proactive communities of belonging and connection? This session introduces and expands on foundational concepts like the ACEs study, attachment, and Adlerian psychology to provide both theory and practice. We also explore how power and equity shape our relationships. Encouragement vs praise, asking vs telling, and co-created routines are some of the trauma-informed skills adults will gain to maintain the dignity of all young people.