This February workshop series has 11 participants – community volunteers, staff of an NGO project, health promoters in a government department, and representatives of a national equity focused organization – registered for an afternoon each week from February 1 – March 1.  They have now completed their 4^th workshop of a 5 -part series. 

The workshops have a mixed design, with content and opportunities for group discussion and knowledge exchange.  Feedback indicates that participants enjoy the workshops and that they are exploring how the Circle of Health can be applied in practical work situations.  

• I love working with a dynamic group of people with diverse skillsets – so this in itself is terrific.  Really enjoyed hearing about other people’s skills, experiences, and lenses on the topics you gave us.
• I Learned that the COH framework is broad enough for use across sectors and across major societal issues.  This is very exciting!  So glad to be learning about how to use this tool/framework — it’s going to be of immediate use in my volunteer work on community engagement.
• Holding a tool in your hand is very powerful; it becomes “one’ with you very quickly…. I am a tactile and visual person, so these two elements came together very nicely for me. I was surprised (it was a welcome surprise). 
• I would like to work with my co-workers and discuss how we can integrate the circle of health rings into our daily work and programs. With the goal of becoming more focused on values and health determinants rather than target numbers. 

The workshops appeal to international participants as well as those with local interests. This February workshop series has an Atlantic Canada focus, with participants from Nova Scotia and PEI. In 2021, the spring series had representation from five countries and six time zones; and the November series was attended by students at Furtwangen University in Germany. Clearly, professional development online has appeal for those committed to health promotion and who can engage in learning at a distance!

Based on requests, a Circle of Health Facilitator Training is planned for early May.  Registration is open to all previous participants of the Online Workshop Series.  Stay tuned for details.