OTHER LINKS MENTIONED IN THE SESSION:

• https://gpuzzles.com (Sue-Ellen's picture brain teasers)

• https://www.frommers.com/trip-ideas/cultural-immersion/50-places-to-find-free-travel-themed-virtual-backgrounds-for-video-calls

• https://www.expedia.ca/travelblog/best-virtual-meeting-backgrounds-for-zoom/

• https://classroomscreen.com/ 

• https://jamboard.google.com/ 

Mary is a Community Literacy Worker and member of the Staff Collective Management Team at Parkdale Project Read for over two decades. Her greatest joy is holding space for collective creativity, self-expression, and learning, within a culture of care and mutual support. For over a decade, Mary has been facilitating a creative writing group supporting learners to express their unique voices as storytellers and poets. As a Toronto Writer’s Collective volunteer, Mary has co-facilitated writing groups at Progress Place Clubhouse, a mental health community centre, as well as various Metro Toronto Movement for Literacy workshops and trainings. Her deep belief in the power of expressive writing and storytelling to support personal and community growth and healing, whether in-person or on Zoom, continues to drive her work. 

Ida is an active learner at Parkdale Project Read. For the past five years, she has been a member of the Parkdale Women's Leadership Group which facilitates a monthly community-led drop-in space for peer-to-peer training, support, and resources. Ida is a mother and grandmother.

Charlotte has been involved in the adult literacy field for over 15 years in a variety of roles. Currently, she is the Literacy and Essential Skills Coordinator for the Simcoe County District School Board Continuing Education Department. Charlotte is also Chair of the Simcoe Muskoka Workforce Development Board and is past-chair and member of CESBA (Ontario Association of Continuing Education School Board Administrators) Literacy and Basic Skills (LBS) Committee. She considers herself to be a life long learner and embraces opportunities for learning for herself and promotes professional development for staff whenever it is available. This past 16 months has been a constant learning curve, especially in the realm of remote and online facilitation, but Charlotte realizes this is the beginning of something new and exciting for LBS and adult learners. And just for fun, in her spare time she stays young at heart these days spending time on video calls with her 9 year old granddaughter. Her favourite past-time is listening to and collecting vinyl records. 

SuEllen is a Literacy and Essential Skills Instructor with the Simcoe County District School Board and has facilitated several online Soft Skills Solutions© and Self Care Mental Workshops to Ontario Works clients for the past 7 months. She has over 15 years experience working for various social service agencies, such as The Ministry of Health Psychiatric Patient Advocate Office, CMHA Simcoe County (Mental Health and Addictions counsellor), and Simcoe Muskoka Family Connexions. In her spare time, she loves to travel and look after her rescue dogs.