Grief at Work: The Conference

Join us for Grief at Work: The Conference, a unique event focused on addressing the critical topic of grief and loss within professional settings.

  • Engage in conversation about grief and its impact on workplace dynamics
  • Learn practical strategies to support employees who are grieving
  • Understand the implications of grief on those who are preciariously employed
  • Hear first-hand experiences of what supportive workplaces can look like

DETAILS:

WHEN: Tuesday October 1, 2024 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
WHERE: Community Pavilion, Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex (101 Father David Bauer Drive, Entrance C)
REGISTRATION FEE: $150/person (includes lunch and light refreshments)

SPEAKERS & TOPICS

Grief Leadership in the Workplace

Susan Cadell, PhD, RSW (she/her), Social Work Researcher and Professor in the School of Social Work at Renison University College
Grief as the experience and expression of loss is universal. Work is also part of life, be it paid or unpaid. Grief leadership in workplaces, however, is less common. Drawing on literature and other resources, as well as experience in the field, Susan’s presentation will define grief leadership and how it can be enacted. 

Meet Susan:
Susan Cadell, PhD, RSW (she/her) is a social work researcher and Professor in the School of Social Work at Renison University College, which is affiliated with University of Waterloo. Susan’s research concerns death, dying and bereavement, particularly positive outcomes of caregiving and grief. Susan’s most recent projects concern grief in COVID, after Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD), and healing tattoos.

Grief at Work: What we’ve learned

Melina Pearson, Outreach Coordinator, Bereaved Families of Ontario – Midwestern Region
Melina has provided BFO-MR’s Grief at Work program for 200+ employees and leadership teams across various businesses and sectors. Drawing on this experience, Melina will share what she’s learned about the complexities of grief in the workplace through both employee and employer perspectives, and what works, and what doesn’t, when creating compassionate grief literate workplaces.

Meet Melina:
Melina Pearson has been Outreach Coordinator at Bereaved Families of Ontario – Midwestern Region since 2019. Her passion for educating communities about grief and ensuring access to support for marginalized populations has resulted in the growth and evolution of many BFO programs and grief literacy initiatives. Melina strongly believes in meeting people where they are and is honoured to hold space for their stories and experiences. Melina leads BFO’s Grief at Work program and is the co-chair of the Waterloo Region Integrated Drug Strategy Working Group.

Limited space for grief: Workers’ experiences of bereavement and precarious employment in Ontario

Karima Joy, Karima Joy (she/her), MSW, RSW, PhD , Grief Education Program, University of Toronto
Despite the universal nature of death and bereavement, Canadian workers have minimal space to honour grief and attend to bereavement labour. Findings will be discussed from a policy analysis on bereavement accommodation and participant interviews, including the practical labour in bereavement, overwhelming and stigmatizing conditions, and factors that exacerbated or alleviated distress. This presentation calls for enhancing grief literacy, disrupting harmful values and norms, strengthening bereavement care, and honouring the dignity of bereaved workers.   

Meet Karima:
Dr. Karima Joy is a social scientist, therapist, and consultant. She has been working in mental health since 2006, specializing in grief and bereavement since 2008. She is driven to contribute on the ground with people in private practice and addressing systemic issues through research, education, and advocacy. In 2020, she led the development of the Grief Education Program at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto. She was nominated to become a member of the International Working Group on Death, Dying and Bereavement, where she currently works with mentors and scholars on grief literacy initiatives. 

Our Summer of Nora

Tanner Nivins and Jessica Furtado will be sharing their story about navigating bereavement at work leading up to and following the stillbirth of their beloved daughter Nora. Despite a host of complicated circumstances, Jess and Tanner will focus on the glimmers of their experiences, particularly how the people around them did what they could to support them through grief.

From small gestures to above-and-beyond advocacy, they hope that in sharing their story, workplaces and individuals can expand the ways in which we care for each other.

REGISTRATION INFORMATION:

  • Deadline to register is Monday September 16, 2024
  • $150/per person includes all four sessions, lunch and light refreshments
  • 40% discounted rate for students – email us at admin@bfomidwest.org for your promo code for this special rate.
  • Your registration automatically enters you into a draw for a gift from us
  • Registration fees are non refundable.

This conference is open to anyone who wants to learn more about grief at work, and we don’t want cost to be a barrier to participation. If you do not have the financial means to pay the registration fee, please email our Executive Director Jaime (jaime@bfomidwest.org).

REGISTER TODAY

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

DID YOU KNOW?

We offer a grief education program for workplaces called Grief at Work. This program is designed to support businesses and organizations gain a better understanding of grief, take away tangible tools and strategies they can apply in the workplace, and learn how to create a culture of compassion that promotes empathy and understanding.  grief education for workplaces. If you’re interested in bringing this program to your workplace, check out our customizable session packages and pricing.