Next session: April 3rd to June 2nd, 2023

Registration: Now open!

• Taught virtually by a current Ontario Guidance Counsellor.
• Participants sign up for Part 1 or Part 2 or the Specialist.

For further information, please visit www.osca.ca and go to the AQ section at the top of the main webpage.

Cost: $650
No textbook

Includes a one year OSCA-ACOSO: AQ subscription, if one does not have an active subscription and one link for a copy of Ethical Guidelines.

Registration closes March 27th or sooner when session capacity is reached.

Apply early to avoid disappointment!

> Summer Session will be July 3rd to July 31st with registration opening up later in the spring <

Meaghan Johnson, MSc RP, is excited to be invited back to present for OSCA! This workshop is NOT about work-life balance or how you should get enough sleep and eat more vegetables. You know that, and you are already likely doing your best in the midst of really challenging times. What this workshop IS about, is how to take care of your mind and heart while doing your best. Drawing on theories from neurobiology and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) we will take an hour to explore easy and actionable ways to feel better in the midst of your life.

The first half of the workshop will look at how the nervous system and mind interact and introduce two exercises that will soothe your body in order to help the mind settle. The second half of the workshop looks at ways to let go of being in conflict with your own emotions and thoughts and make things more workable.

The interventions presented in this workshop are those that have proven to be the most universally helpful in Meaghan’s psychotherapy practice. These are also the techniques she uses herself on a daily basis to stay present and engaged in these turbulent times. Don't miss this opportunity to start the new year off with a focus on YOU and your well-being!

Register here!

Ontario’s forest sector is facing a significant labour shortage. It is recognized that engaging students and recent graduates to promote employment and career opportunities is critical to the long-term viability of the sector – from forest management planning to operations and lumber processing to research, innovation and manufacturing. On February 16, 2023, students in forestry and forestry-related programs are invited to join employers at Forests Ontario’s annual Student-Employer Engagement (SEED) Session. SEED brings together students, recent graduates, and representatives from organizations and companies within the forest sector in a virtual environment to discuss employment opportunities and in demand skills.

online registration open and can be completed at https://forestsontario.typeform.com/Seed23. We anticipate SEED will run from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm (EST) – final agenda to be confirmed as we finalize speakers. SEED is a free event!

School Mental Health Ontario is excited to share the first expansion lesson of the MH LIT: Student Mental Health in Action series is now available: Test and Exam Stress: Strategies to Perform at Your Best.   
 
MH LIT: Student Mental Health in Action is a series of four lessons to support the development of basic mental health knowledge and help-seeking skills. The lessons are designed for use with secondary students, focusing on building their understanding of mental health and mental illness, signs of mental health problems, and how/where to access help when needed. 
 
Expansion lessons focus on specific topic areas that align with and build on the four core lessons in the series. This first expansion lesson focuses on test and exam stress, building students' knowledge and skills to better manage stress associated with tests, exams, and other assessments, evaluations, and performance-based situations. Expansion lessons are ideally offered after the core lessons have been delivered to ensure students have a grounding in mental health literacy. However, they may be used independently with proper scaffolding (see the lesson for more). A second expansion lesson on managing transitions out of secondary school will be available in February. 
  
You can find all four core lessons and this expansion lesson on the School Mental Health Ontario website.  

Register Now!

The connection between language and meaning has been well established. The language we use is directly related to the way we view and treat others. Inclusive language is imperative to achieve equitable change, grounded in human rights and social justice.

Many countries today have laws protecting against the use of any language that incites or willfully promotes hatred against an identifiable group.

Many municipalities, organizations and school boards have established inclusive language guides.

Although the scope of these laws vary, what they have in common is recognizing the gravity of language.

The socioeconomic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have been felt disproportionately among certain groups. Young people in particular have been affected. In 2020, they accounted for nearly a quarter of all job losses nationwide (Sharp, 2020).

Higher education usually leads to higher rates of employment, higher earning potential, and improved health and well-being (Rae, 2018). But when compared with their Canadian-born peers, immigrant and refugee youth in Canada have historically been more likely to be unemployed and more likely to be found in low-skilled, low-wage work (Shields and Lujan, 2018; Turcotte, 2019).

January can be the perfect time to start your job search so you’re poised and ready to go when hiring managers start looking for candidates for the year ahead
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From the scramble to complete tasks, file reports, and ensure targets have been hit before year end to office parties and networking events, December can be an incredibly busy and tiring time no matter what industry you work in, leaving a lot of workers feeling burnt out.

But once the dust settles and you’ve had time to decompress over a couple of days off, January can be the perfect time to start your job search so you’re poised and ready to go when hiring managers start looking for candidates for the year ahead.

Happy New Year to all!

As we return from what is hoped to have been a restful time to recollect, relax and enjoy the Christmas Season, we look to the pressures of what lies ahead in transitions for our elementary and secondary students, as plans for the next school year begin to unfold (already!). It is a time of conversations about and exploration towards next steps to Pathways Planning that involves looking to adjust to new surroundings as elementary students reach out to their secondary schools, and our Grade 12 potential graduates begin to affirm their decisions about post-secondary. As well, students are heading into a time period of course selection which can provide assurances or newness that they may or may not be prepared for. These are exciting times as we look to recognize the skills developed and growth in maturity since September of those who come before us. 
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Meet OSCA/ACOSO’s Board of Directors: Susi Dupuis, President

We at OSCA/ACOSO are also transitioning, as the Board of Directors welcomes its new members and remains grateful to those who are returning to serve for another year.  Over the next several weeks, you will be introduced to those who are committed to providing continued professional development and support in the world of Guidance and Careers Studies as your 2023 OSCA/ACOSO Board!

I am looking forward to acting as President of OSCA/ACOSO for the 2023 calendar year!  I previously held the position of Vice President of Governance, and have been a member of both the Communications and Professional Development Committees during my short time on the Board of Directors. I am fulfilling the role of Secondary Program Pathways Consultant for K-12 with the Lambton Kent District School Board, as well as being the Board’s OYAP Recruiter. I am honoured as an educator to bring opportunities to staff, students and families that are meant to help develop skills and provide exploration of pathways destinations in planning for the future dreams of our youth. As a wife, mother, and soon-to-be grandmother, life balance remains a high priority as we continue to attempt to move to our traditional ways while moving out of the COVID-19 pandemic. Being ever-aware of time management, physical and mental capabilities, and the desire to enjoy the esthetics of life, these are constants that remain for being able to do well at work and at home. Here is hoping all are remembering to put oneself first in order to be who one needs to be for others.

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Bonne année à tous!
Alors que nous revenons de ce que l’on espère avoir été un temps reposant pour se recueillir, se détendre et profiter du temps de Noël, nous nous préparons pour ce qui nous attend. Nous examinons les pressions en ce qui concerne les transitions pour nos élèves du primaire et du secondaire, alors que les plans pour la prochaine année scolaire commencent à prendre forme
(déjà!). C’est un temps de conversations et d’exploration vers les prochaines étapes de la planification de parcours. Cela implique de chercher à s’adapter à un nouvel environnement alors que les élèves du primaire se tournent vers leurs écoles secondaires et que nos diplômés potentiels de la 12 e année commencent à affirmer leurs décisions concernant le post-secondaire. De plus, les élèves se dirigent vers une période de sélection de cours qui peut fournir des assurances ou des nouveautés auxquelles ils peuvent ou non être préparés. C’est une période excitante alors que nous cherchons à reconnaitre les compétences développées et la croissance en maturité depuis septembre de ceux parmi nous.
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Rencontrez le conseil d'administration d'OSCA/ACOSO : Susi Dupuis, présidente

Nous sommes également en période de transition à l’OSCA/ACOSO alors que le conseil
d’administration accueille ses nouveaux membres tout en restant reconnaissant envers ceux qui
reviennent pour une autre année. Au cours des prochaines semaines, vous serez présentés à
votre conseil d’administration 2023 : un groupe de personnes qui s’engagent à fournir un
perfectionnement professionnel continu ainsi qu’un soutien dans le monde de l’orientation et la
formation au cheminement de carrière!