Support Staff Academy

The Support Staff Academy

Aligned with the Support Staff Performance & Development Program (SSPDP) competencies – the Support Staff Academy (SSA) provides participants access to a variety of professional learning opportunities focused on relevant skills, knowledge and abilities required in a learner-driven work environment. Note: Other employee groups are also invited to attend SSA sessions.

Academy Description

The Support Staff Academy

In alignment with the Algonquin College People Plan 2017-2022 and the competencies identified in the Support Staff Performance & Development Program (SSPDP), the Support Staff Academy (SSA) is an interactive learning program designed for all College employees including staff in support roles. The SSA will provide participants access to a variety of professional learning opportunities focused on relevant skills, knowledge & abilities required in a learner-driven work environment.

Employees are encouraged to participate in the workshops within the SSA that support their identified leaning needs.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Support Staff Academy (SSA) is an interactive learning program designed for all employees and including staff in support roles at Algonquin College. The SSA will provide participants access to a variety of professional learning opportunities focused on relevant skills, knowledge & abilities required in a learner-driven work environment.

The SSA is developed to run within a 3 semester cycle. Participants will be introduced to and expand upon contemporary concepts, skills, and tools specific to providing exemplary support services in post-secondary education. The SSA is also closely aligned with the SSPD competency framework which satisfies one or a variety of the following competencies: Team Contributions, Professional Skills, Innovation, Technical Skills, Interpersonal Communications, Student Success, Initiative & Leadership.

Participants will have access to their own expert internal resources in all these areas. In addition, participants will have an opportunity to collaborate with colleagues from across the College to discover and share effective practice.

PROGRAM OF STUDY

The Support Staff Academy is offered across three semesters in the academic year (Fall, Winter and Spring). Each workshop is a half day session and promotes a collaborative learning structure that includes independent work and small group discussion. Resources will be provided by facilitators to enhance the learning experience and to instigate further exploration of each topic.

Review the Workshop Descriptions and Schedule

REQUIREMENTS FOR SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION

In keeping with our learner-driven philosophy, all employees including Support Staff are encouraged to participate in the workshops within the Support Staff Academy that support their identified learning needs. Learners will be recognized for their participation.

PROGRAM OUTCOMES

Participation in the Support Staff Academy will give participants the opportunity to:

Reflect upon and identify their learning needs based on the competencies outlined in the Support Staff Performance and Development Program competency framework
Increase their knowledge, skills and tools based on their identified learning needs
Increase their understanding of available resources for ongoing learning and support
Network and collaborate with other colleagues from across the College to discover and share effective practice
Have access to expert internal resources

Workshop Descriptions and Schedule

Workshop Title	Category	Workshop Description	Register	Academy	Delivery
Being Well By Cultivating Our Resilience	Health and Wellness	This is a 4-week online, self-paced asynchronous course with various networking opportunities including online Discussions. This course includes short curated online learning modules for the participation of all Algonquin employees. The Course Learning Objectives are designed to be outcomes-oriented and meaningful to the participant's work or life and allows choices for flexibility based on the participant's personal needs and abilities. After completion of this 4 week online course, participants will be able to: build upon their present knowledge and experience in the area of personal resilience; develop a greater awareness of 'self' and the importance of being proactive in cultivating resiliency in their everyday lives; experiment, practice and choose from a variety of resiliency-building approaches and techniques that best fit their personal lifestyles. PLEASE NOTE: Course Info Session – Date/time to be confirmed It is encouraged that you attend the ½ hour INFO Session to kick-off this Online (hybrid) Course – the session link is located in the course Calendar, and in the Content tab, once you have enrolled in the course shell.	View Offerings	Support Staff Academy	Hybrid
Support Services for Our Students and Where to Find Them	Leadership	Participants in this workshop will engage in group discussions to explore the student needs they have experienced in their roles. The various service areas across the college will be discussed in greater detail, including participants experiences of referring to such areas. By the end of the workshop, participants will have had the opportunity to: Explore the most common hurdles faced by students Investigate initiatives and services available to help students overcome those hurdles Better understand how to effectively connect students, or coach other employees on how to connect students with those services.	View Offerings	Support Staff Academy
AC CARES Service Excellence Model	Leadership	As we embrace our Algonquin College core values of Caring, Learning, Integrity, and Respect, we are reminded of our caring and obligation to work collaboratively and in harmony with our colleagues to provide exemplary service to our clients. In this interactive workshop, participants will work individually and as a team, to reflect on AC’s Customer Service Standards and review various scenarios to arrive at a comprehensive understanding of service delivery excellence. Participants will have the opportunity to share successes and challenges and to examine and apply service excellence techniques and skills, including: reviewing important elements of client service excellence at Algonquin College; networking and collaborating with colleagues to share proven techniques for dealing with clients effectively, referring with certainty and determining customer satisfaction; demonstrating listening to understand, empathize and deliver on diverse customer wants, needs, and expectations; constructively handling complaints and difficult situations in support of positive client moments of truth; experiencing greater job satisfaction, as part of our vital and caring AC service excellence team.	View Offerings	Support Staff Academy
Courageous Conversations	Leadership	Communication can take all kinds of forms and, when done effectively, can help us to build strong relationships both at work and in our personal lives. Often, we are presented with situations that require a difficult and / or uncomfortable conversation. Sometimes it takes “courage” to initiate such conversations. Through the sharing of effective practice, key strategies for success and case studies, participants will have an opportunity to learn and apply strategies that will make courageous conversations more positive and productive. By the end of the workshop, participants will have had the opportunity to: Use a courageous conversation framework to prepare for a difficult conversation; Discover techniques to turn difficult conversations into productive conversations; Prepare and practice a 60 second opening statement for a difficult conversation; Connect with others who are willing to share effective practice and provide support in this area in the future.	View Offerings	Support Staff Academy	Hybrid

Support Staff Academy