Share and Learn
Communities Making a Difference: Learning From Each Other
Join us to share & learn:
Hear successes and highlights from communities throughout Southern Health-Santé Sud on their healthy living work.
Focus on equity-based projects and best practice initiatives reflecting Southern Health-Santé Sud’s core values of Uncompromising Integrity, Healing Compassion, Pursuit of Excellence, Respect for all and Purposeful Innovation.
Enjoy a keynote address and take away inspiring ideas for your community, all from the comfort of your home or office.
May 8, 2025 | 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Free Virtual Conference – REGISTER
AGENDA
- Greetings from Southern Health-Santé Sud
- Opening prayer from Elder Linda St. Cyr-Saric
- Keynote: Yas Hassen from the Tamarack Institute
- Five community stories:
- Human Library – Pilot Mound
- Community Youth Festival and Events group – Ste. Anne
- Families and Nature Adventure Nights: Together We Grow – Sprague
- Art in the Woods with Friends: An Inter-Generational Experience of Nature, Art and Community – Grunthal
- Story Telling and Traditional Foods – St. Eustache
- Closing Prayer from Elder Linda St. Cyr-Saric
Keynote Biography and Overview:
Biography: Yas Hassen is the Associate Director of Skills for Change at the Tamarack Institute Learning Centre, dedicated to fostering community engagement and ethical co-creation. With a master’s in Adult Education and Community Development from OISE, they emphasize collaboration and reciprocity in their work, learning from the land. Yas drives meaningful systems change through innovative public space and place-based learning methods, creating environments where diverse voices are valued in decision-making. They believe in the power of collective leadership and strive to empower everyone to contribute. Certified in Transformative Mediation, Yas is committed to (un)learning, enhancing their ability to facilitate constructive dialogue in conflict situations. They promote empathy and open communication, developing dynamic learning experiences that inspire communities to navigate challenges together.
Overview: Yas Hassen will deliver a keynote on exploring belonging through lessons from natural cycles, community connection, and health equity. They will introduce the interconnected concepts of micro, meso, and macro belonging—representing the “me,” “we,” and “us”. Integrating personal reflections on their journey with chronic pain, Yas will emphasize the importance of hope and navigating social isolation by highlighting how a holistic understanding of health can foster essential relationships with the beyond-human world. They will share insights on relationship building and repair for sustainable community development, drawing lessons from the natural laws of reciprocity to deepen connections within communities. By exploring the role of communal spaces as vital connectors during societal changes, Yas will unpack how care and gift economies can enhance our resilience through the power of collective action.