African Canadian women in helping professions (social workers, educators, nurses, care givers, youth leaders, Church leaders etc.) are so busy taking care of others that they rarely take time out for themselves. This program is an invitation to African Canadian women to step away. You will get to create a quilt square that tells your own story, and then incorporate that into a quilt that will be sold to support a fund raising effort of the group’s choosing. You’ll be able to gather with other women to create together, to explore experiences, to share best practice strategies, and to care for yourself.
The aim of the program is to give African Canadian women a safe space to embrace their creativity, to explore their experiences as helping professionals, to examine the challenges and barriers they face, and to share strategies that help them to cope, survive and thrive. It is also a professional development opportunity where participants will learn strategies to deal with burn out and compassion fatigue, and will be able to teach those strategies to others.
Program Cost: $285 (tuition, meals & accommodation)
Local Price: $245 (without overnight)
We strive to make our programs as accessible as possible.
Please contact our Registrar to inquire about a bursary or payment plan.
Please register at least 2 weeks in advance to secure your place in this program.
Leadership
Connie Glasgow White
Connie Glasgow White was born and raised in East Preston, where she currently resides with her husband, Louis. She is the mother of two adult children and a proud grandmother to Darien. She has been retired for nine years, after having worked with the Halifax Regional School Board as a teacher, guidance counsellor, junior and senior high school administrator. Connie is presently involved in Adult Literacy in East Preston and Dartmouth, and is a past coordinator for an afterschool tutoring program sponsored by the Black Educators’ Association. She is passionate about family, reading, gardening, volunteering, and quilting. Connie has been a quilter for nine years, and has made and donated several quilts to family and friends. She particularly loves making baby quilts. Connie is an active member of New Beginnings Ministries, the East Preston Seniors Club, and the Dartmouth Christian Women’s Group.
Wanda Thomas Bernard
Wanda Thomas Bernard is a Social Worker, Educator, Researcher, Community activist, Advocate and Mentor. Born in East Preston, Nova Scotia, she was one of the first three young people from her community to attend university and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Mount Saint Vincent University. She then received a Masters of Social Work from the Maritime School of Social work at Dalhousie University, and her Ph.D from the University of Sheffield. She has worked in mental health at the Nova Scotia Hospital, in rural community practice with the Family Services Association, and since 1990, has been a professor at the Dalhousie School of Social Work, where she held the position of Director from 2001- 2011. In 2013 she was the Harrison McCain Visiting Scholar at Acadia University. She is highly regarded for addressing racial and cultural diversity in social work education and in the community, and is a thoughtful leader who generously shares her expertise in family and social development.
Tionda Cain
Tionda Cain is a clinical social worker with the IWK Community Mental Health Team. She is passionate about working for social justice and transformation and healing in Black Communities. Tionda relocated in 2002 to reconnect with her family roots and history in Nova Scotia. Tionda was involved in the development the Black Leadership Advisory Committee and helped developed the African Dance and Ubuntu programs at Tatamagouche Centre. She has been a member of the Program Resource Group since 2005.