Course Description
This relevant and dynamic leadership program is focused on developing both individual and collective leadership skills with a focus on school-based initiatives. Students come as a group from their school (E.g. student councils, athletics councils, arts councils, clubs/committees and advocacy groups). Students will be given opportunities to explore and strengthen their own voice as "partners in education" and will, as a school group, develop a student-initiated action plan to take back to their own school setting.
The uniqueness of this course is that students will attend this course with a teacher advisor. This advisor plays a critical role in helping the group achieve their goals back at their school.
Teacher advisors will be able to participate in all aspects of the program. They will be able to network with teachers from around the province and share best practices. Teacher advisors will also attend special PD sessions designed around current issues in schools.
Leadership Development Sessions
Each leadership development sessions is carefully planned to build students capacity for community building, teamwork, inclusion and developing a commitment and a sense of responsibility to their group. Students will further learn about their role as leaders in their school and how to develop positive school climates. Students, along-side their teacher advisor, will begin to develop an action plan as to how they can create change within their school based on the objectives they wish to see.
Each session starts off with a large group activity that gets all school groups interacting with each other and thinking of the big picture. Students then move into their individual school groups to discuss the topic at a local level. Finally the session ends with students showcasing their work so that ideas can be shared amongst all schools.
Special Sessions
Workshops: Students will have the opportunity to participate in 2 workshops of their choice. Each workshop is special and provides students with unique ideas that can positively affect their school and community. Our workshops change year to year based on staff, but in the past we have offered sessions on: Social Justice, Right To Play, Improving Intramurals, Fundraising Techniques, and mental health.
Back Pocket Games: This sessions is loud, crazy and fun! It is designed to give students ideas about activities that are quick and easy to run. Perfect for orientation days, energizers for a meeting or to run in play days at school.
Guest Speak: Each year we host a guest speak to motivate and empower our students to believe that anything is possible. Stay tuned for our announcement of this year’s guest speaker
Round Table Discussions: Students will develop topics and then lead the discussion in this very powerful student voice session. The goal of the session is to allow students to speak freely about their issues that greatly affect them. At the end, students create 1-3 action statements that can affect change in the lives of themselves and others.
Course Logistics
There is no minimum or maximum number of students that a school can send. However very large groups will be split into different sections to allow for maximum participation. Please remember your staff to student ratio for overnight field trips and plan accordingly. If you are having difficulty in arranging a staff member to attend please contact the Centre so we can discuss possible arrangements.
Students stay in their own cabins. Teachers have separate accommodations. OELC staffs this course with exemplary teachers from across the province, but an important component of the success of this program is the partnership with the schools’ teacher advisors.
Detailed information about the program and preparation requirements is sent to the students and teacher advisors upon registration.
We understand that transportation is an added cost for this Secondary School Leadership course. OELC is happy to help coordinate travel for schools attending from similar geographic locations.