Learn how to facilitate writing workshops in your own healthcare community in this intensive, two-part online training led by poet Ronna Bloom. Using poetry as a portal for reflective writing and community building, learn the foundations of effective facilitation in a writing context. Then, practice these newly formed skills by facilitating a writing workshop of your own with a small group of friends or colleagues.

As Poet in Residence at Sinai Health and Poet in Community to the University of Toronto, Ronna saw how a poem, like a treatment when it works, can go to the site of a need and meet it. In her work, Ronna leads workshops where poems are doors to people’s unexpressed experiences and where writing allows people to name and explore needs, struggles, and passions.

This offering is both a primer and practicum for those who want to facilitate writing workshops in hospitals, community settings, or educational programs. Ronna will share her process of facilitating workshops, and support learners as they plan and offer a pilot writing workshop in their chosen community. (A community could mean a few friends around the kitchen table!)

This training is geared towards those interested in learning how to facilitate writing workshops using poetry as a tool for reflection and community-building. The focus of this training is on developing your skills and confidence in your role as a workshop facilitator.

We welcome all who appreciate poetry — its ability to cut through ordinary language, to express joy, grief and uncertainty, and to cultivate presence and compassion.

Learning Objectives

• Participate in a poetry-based writing workshop with Ronna Bloom and debrief the experience
• Learn practices and processes of facilitating a writing session, including developing writing prompts, creating a conducive environment, and listening and giving feedback
• Explore what communities you wish to serve
• Design and carry out your own pilot workshop
• Share learning in a small group setting

Workshop Dates and Times

The two parts that comprise this offering will take place 4 weeks apart to allow time for learners to organize their pilot writing workshop. Dates and times for the two parts are:

• Saturday, November 4 from 10 am – 5 pm
• Saturday, December 2 from 10 am – 1 pm

Instructor

Ronna Bloom is an experienced facilitator and educator and has led initiatives to bring poetry into health care settings and health care education. She developed the first Poet in Residence program at Mount Sinai Hospital, where she offered workshops for staff, students, and patients. She is the author of six books of poetry — many of which have been shortlisted for awards. Her most recent book, The More (Pedlar Press, 2017) was longlisted for the City of Toronto Book Award. Her poems have been recorded by the CNIB, and translated into Bangla, Chinese, and Spanish. She has collaborated with filmmaker Midi Onodera and performed with Juno Award winning musician Jayme Stone. In 2018, PLANT Architects painted her poem “The City” on King Street in Toronto.

Her latest poetry collection, A Possible Trust: The Poetry of Ronna Bloom, will be published by Wilfred Laurier University Press in September 2023. Featuring poems selected from her work to date, this collection eloquently illuminates the connections between poetry and healthcare. From the publisher: “Bloom writes concisely of the precarious, the ephemeral, the epic, and of the fragility and determination of people in daily life and extraordinary health crises. She is attentive to suffering, as well as to spontaneous connections and gestures of love.”

Visit Ronna’s website to learn more.

Fee

Program Fee: $640

All amounts are in Canadian Dollars (CAD $) and are subject to 13% HST.

Cancellation

Cancellations will be accepted until Friday, October 27, and are subject to a processing fee of $60 plus applicable taxes. Refunds will not be processed after this date. No refunds will be issued where the cancellation fee exceeds the registration fee.

Requests for cancellation must be made in writing to cpd.programs@utoronto.ca .

Registrations are not transferable.

The University of Toronto reserves the right to cancel events. Registrants will be notified at the earliest possible date in the event of a cancellation. Registration fees for events cancelled by the University will be refunded; however, the University will not be liable for any loss, damages or other expenses that such cancellations may cause.

Accreditation

College of Family Physicians of Canada – Mainpro+® (Group Learning):
This 1 credit(s)-per-hour Group Learning program meets the certification criteria of the College of Family Physicians of Canada and has been certified by Continuing Professional Development, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto for up to 8.5 Mainpro+® credits.

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada – Section 1
This event is an Accredited Group Learning Activity (Section 1) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, approved by Continuing Professional Development, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto. You may claim a maximum of 8.5 hours (credits are automatically calculated).

American Medical Association – AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ Designation
Through an agreement between the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and the American Medical Association, physicians may convert Royal College MOC credits to AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Information on the process to convert Royal College MOC credit to AMA credit can be found at: https://www.ama-assn.org/education/ama-pra-credit-system/agreement-royal-college-physicians-surgeons-canada

European Union for Medical Specialists (UEMS)
Live educational activities recognized by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada as Accredited Group Learning Activities (Section 1) are deemed by the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS) eligible for ECMEC®.