Day 1 Program – Day 2 Program | Download program PDF
The 2020 National Bottom Line Conference is about belonging. Our conference theme, Dismantling Barriers, Opening Doors: Inclusion at Work, explores how one’s sense of belonging – or lack of belonging – affects worker psychological health and safety and impacts workplace culture. COVID-19 is transforming our workplaces. As we struggle with these changes, the need for belonging and inclusion is more important than ever before. Whether we are working from home or on the front lines, work matters deeply.
We will hear from those with lived experience speak about how being included or excluded affected their health, workplace participation, and recovery. We will hear about the ways in which exclusion shows up at work: as bullying, and as the systemic bias that fuels bullying such as racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia and transphobia.
We will share how our organizations are keeping people connected even while working apart. We will chart how the National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety can be used to tackle these broader issues. Social inclusion is a determinant of mental health; just as meaningful work is integral to fostering a sense of belonging. As we have learned again and again, work has the power to transform.
This year’s virtual format gives us new opportunities to better engage everyone in the room. Expect to connect with others and have your say through shorter presentations and more small groups and engagement.
Day 1 – Monday, October 5
8:30 | Morning coffee & networking |
9:00 | Conference Opening and Welcome Kathryn Gretsinger, Emcee Stacey Ferguson, Qayqayt First Nation Jonny Morris, CMHA BC Division CEO |
9:15 | Now Change Everything! The 2020 Workplace How are we all doing? The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the workplace in ways large and small. CMHA BC CEO Jonny Morris will lead a conversation on the challenges of working for a living in 2020, and how some organizations have responded. |
9:40 | The Power of Social Inclusion – Marni Panas Marni is a diversity and inclusion professional dedicated to creating safe, welcoming, and inclusive environments especially for the LGBTQ population. Most recently she was a member of the LGBTQ2 Apology Advisory Council which helped draft the apology delivered in the House of Commons on Nov 28, 2017 to LGBTQ people in Canada. Followed by Q&A. |
10:20 | Break |
10:30 | Your Action Plan Reflect on what you’ve heard, share what you know and start thinking about what it all means for you in your workplace. This small discussion group is set up so you can meet others “face to face” and get your ideas flowing. Start developing your own action plan and hear what other people and organizations are doing. |
11:00 | Panel Discussion: Inclusion at Work What does inclusion really mean, how does it feel and what is the impact? Working people with lived experience of mental health in the workplace start off our conference learning. Join firefighter Christie Bruce, poet James Witwicki of Megaphone and writer and peer worker Curtis Neil for their insights and reflections. |
11:30 | Lunch break |
12:00 |
Learning Workshops
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1:15 | Afternoon Plenary: Tools for Action Hear back highlights from the other workshop sessions and engage, before a talk from MaryAnn Baynton of Workplace Strategies for Mental Health. She will introduce you to current free resources and policy tools available for workplaces implementing the National Standard for Workplace Mental Health. |
2:00 | Day 1 adjourns |
Day 2 – Tuesday, October 6
8:30 | Networking breakfast |
9:00 |
Morning Plenary Session |
9:30 | But I Was Wearing a Suit – Ardith Walpetko We’dalx Walkem Indigenous and racialized workers experience some of the most severe exclusion at work, in many forms. Lawyer and speaker Ardith Walkem will speak about how colonization continues to affect the lives of indigenous people, and will share some of the stories she curated in her video project But I Was Wearing a Suit to help us better understand racism, colonization and microdiscimination. Followed by Q & A. |
10:15 | Break |
10:25 | An Indigenous model for engagement – Zaa Joseph and Shannon Kelly, BCIT Diversity Circles This exciting grassroots workplace diversity and inclusion program will share some learnings from their Indigenous model for engaging student and community diversity. |
10:45 | Responding to racism in the workplace – Parker Johnson, Elevate Inclusion Strategies |
11:10 | Your Action Plan Part II of a small group discussion to reflect on what we’ve heard and work together to develop your priorities for action. |
11:30 | Lunch break |
12:00 |
Learning Workshops
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1:15 | Closing Plenary |
1:45 | Conference adjourns |