Our Live Radio Broadcast
Who is Olivia McIvor?
Kamryn Weinkauf
Our first keynote speaker, Olivia McIvor, is a National Human Resources Expert, Author, and Leadership Development Facilitator visiting us from Vancouver, British Columbia. She has devoted her life to developing connections and creating positive environments in the workplace, and has accumulated over twenty five years of experience in Human Resource Management field.
Her venture into business and entrepreneurship began after she owned and operated a bookstore that focused on Personal and Professional Leadership. With this entrepreneurial experience, she gained an array of much needed insight, which led to the invention of innovative workplace wellness and employee engagement initiatives. Her workplace wellness campaign earned her a nomination as a Female Entrepreneur of the Year by “Working Women Magazine”.
Olivia is an instructor at the British Columbia Institute of Technology in the business faculty, and also serves as a member of the Board of Directors for The Kindness Foundation of Canada. Away from her time delivering numerous speeches and presentations, Olivia has penned three best selling books: The Business of Kindness: Twelve Habits that Build Collaborative Cultures, Four Generations-One Workplace: Sharing in the Information Age, and Turning Compassion into Action: A Movement Toward Taking Responsibility.
Who is Taunya Richardson?
Dylan Stang
We are proud to announce that Taunya Richardson will be a keynote speaker at the 2016 SCWEA conference in North Battleford. Richardson is a social entrepreneur who has provided her financial services to entrepreneurs and small businesses alike, all over the country. Some of her noteworthy achievements include being the founder and CEO of Epifany Capital and Chair of Nail the Numbers. As a financial coach, Richardson created Nail the Numbers to bring together a network of business owners who emphasize the positives of empowering entrepreneurs. The company has undeniably succeeded as a money mastery campaign for Canadian Startups.
As a social entrepreneur herself with over 25 years of experience, Taunya has changed the way entrepreneurs and investors view the topic of finance. She has the ability to do her business in and empathetic, transparent manner while displaying energy and humour. Young individuals who are driven to succeed as business entrepreneurs are the focus of her casual business tactics, backed by her professional success. With her thoughtful solutions and strong financial empowerment, Taunya is skilled at generating positive change for start-up businesses.
Who is Doug Elliott?
Dayton Stang
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Doug Elliott will be a keynote speaker at the 2016 SCWEA Conference. Elliott grew up in Grenfell, a small town in Saskatchewan. He has a Master’s degree in Mathematics and Statistics from the University of Regina and is the owner of QED Information System Inc. and publisher of Sask Trends Monitor. Elliott specializes in quantitative analysis, surveys, as well as statistical and economic research projects for governments and the private sector. He does a lot of freelance commentary for newspapers, radio, and magazines on a variety of social and economic issues. Elliott has been a consultant since 1984 working with governments at local, provincial, and federal levels; private sector organizations; and the non-profit sector.
Four Generations - One Workplace:
Embracing the Changing Landscape of Work
Olivia McIvor
Kamryn Weinkauf
NORTH BATTLEFORD - Olivia McIvor, national human resources and leadership expert, delivered an illuminating presentation that grappled with the concept of inter-generational collaboration in the workforce.
For the first time in history all four generations are collaborating in the workplace, however, there is a significant gap between generations that can cause misunderstanding and rifts in communication. McIvor states that “It isn’t our differences that divide us, but what divides us is our judgements about each other.” She believes that if the members of different generations are able to let go of judgements and use each other’s strengths, the workforce will be improved and perspectives will be altered.
Our world is always evolving. Whether in regard to technology or social customs, the different generations have to adapt to changing situations and economic circumstances. Since 1960, according to McIvor, the pressure to quickly fulfill the five milestones into adulthood has lessened. Young adults now are less likely to get married, have children, and move out before they are educated and financially stable. In the workforce, older generations maintain the mindset “I am my work” whereas younger generations believe “they work to play”. The Gen Y mindset can be interpreted by the general public as a lack of work ethic and laziness; to McIvor, this is false. It is judgments like these that are the actual cause of the generation gap.
What the public may not be aware of is that the generational gap is also caused by both traumatic and positive experiences (that leave lasting marks and memories on entire generations). McIvor calls these significant effects “imprints”. Each generation has grown up with a different perspective on the world, which has in turn altered the way they perform in the workplace. For example, Pre-baby boomers, or individuals born prior to 1945, grew up in the time of war and depression; these childhood experiences gave them a militaristic mentality and an extreme sense of loyalty to their country and to the companies they work for. Company loyalty stems from their increased need to feel safe and secure. Because of these lasting “imprints” and the common desire for the next generation to “have it easier”, each generation has helped to substantially shape the next. Each generation has the capability to mentor one another and learn from each other’s skills and experiences; a quote from McIvor states “mentorship is learning from one another”.
As the youngest person and the only Millennial present in the opening keynote address of the conference, Olivia McIvor’s informative presentation opened my eyes to the reality of a shifting workforce and the necessity of closing the generational gap. I do not believe I have ever actually thought about how different my generation and my grandparent’s generations are and I definiteIy have not thought about the reasons why. Listening to Olivia McIvor speak changed my perception of other generations and taught me how focusing on strengths instead of weaknesses is the key to my success in the workplace.
How Your Business Type Influences Your Income & Success
Taunya Woods Richardson
Dylan Stang
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NORTH BATTLEFORD- In Taunya Woods Richardson’s second feature session, she delivered a workshop about individuals and business type. She clarified that your business type doesn’t tell you who you are, it tells you where you are with money. After going through financial struggles herself and questioning the morality of her career, Richardson turned to the help of others and found herself as a self-classified “money martyr” who was too invested in helping others to satisfy her personal needs.
The attendees of the workshop were attentive as Richardson described the eight different money types: the innocent, the victim, the warrior, the martyr, the fool, the creator, the tyrant, and the magician. Each attendee took the “money type” quiz to identify their type or for some, their multiple types. The quiz was filled with adjectives that could potentially describe the way people spend their money, along with a letter of the alphabet which would later correspond to the individual’s money type.
Richardson highlighted that while there is no one particular, desirable type, multiple types combine to make the ideal money spender. She pegged the ultimate combination to be the magician, the warrior, as well as some characteristics of the creator; a magician who is aware and trusting of the surroundings, a warrior who is confident and optimistic and a creator who sees beauty in his or her purchases.
When seeking outside perspectives, Richardson met a financial advisor who had gone through a similar stage of uncertainty. The advisor went on to learn about the neuroscience of why people spend the way they do. The interpretations that she developed drew financial crusaders in, especially to Richardson who now incorporates the business types in her own business system and, as a result, she is able to help people discover themselves financially.
I was eager to participate in the quiz, and was happily surprised to find my own type to be the magician, with some of the warrior’s traits. The workshop was hands-on and highly helpful in answering the ‘why’ question many would have in regard to their business type. Richardson also encourages others to take the thirty minute test and I would highly recommend it.
Mentoring Gen Y Learners:
Creating Engagement in the Classroom
Olivia McIvor
Dayton Stang
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NORTH BATTLEFORD - Thursday morning, speaker Olivia McIvor delivered a very insightful presentation on engaging generation Y students in the classroom. McIvor provided in-depth information about the different ways students of this generation excel in learning and explained to the audience proper methods to use when teaching their students.
Proclaiming the importance of using orthodox teaching methods, McIvor opened with a quote by Teilhard de Chardin which read, “The future is in the hands of those who can give tomorrow’s generation valid reasons to live and hope.” McIvor frequently turned to the word “disruptive” as she talked about educational success in the quick, tech-savvy world we live in today. She suggested teachers “mix it up” in classrooms, and not to focus on one topic or task for more than fifteen to twenty minutes to keep the students on task.
Explaining some of the characteristics of generation Y, McIvor suggested those born in the 1980s and 1990s work well in cooperative environments as opposed to competitive environments which have been more common in the past. Teachers are beginning to create more student-teacher neutral and informal environments in schools and this is greatly beneficial, explained McIvor. Deepen relationships with your students, work around students’ personal interests, be upfront, create dialogue, be unpredictable, enhance online learning, and most importantly, be human. McIvor included some information on neuroscience and cited a study which indicated that reading and listening were not very effective learning methods. Rather than reading and listening passively, the study showed that students gain the most knowledge by listening to various small lessons, picking one, and explaining it to other students.
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McIvor concluded by speaking about the benefits of rewarding students for positive accomplishments. She talked about a social experiment that has been set up in Richmond, British Columbia where police officers have begun handing out “positive tickets” to youth who do good in the community. The officers give out one negative ticket for every three positive tickets. Youth crime has gone down by 42 percent; an incredibly encouraging statistic. She further explains this is just as effective in the classroom. A three to one ratio or even five to one is ideal with the positives outweighing the negatives. “Let something good be said,” she stated as she wrapped up the presentation.
From a student’s perspective, this was a very captivating presentation. As a member of the Y generation, I felt she had a great understanding about how we think and learn. Educators everywhere could really benefit from this work and help their students thrive academically.
Psych! Money Mastery- It's a Mind Game
Keynote- Taunya Woods Richardson
Dylan Stang
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NORTH BATTLEFORD- Speaker Taunya Woods Richardson describes herself as a money magician who specializes in financial transformations. Packed with an abundance of financial facts and tips, the hour-long keynote presentation outlined some very pertinent tactics regarding the daunting topic of money.
Richardson was quick to engage the audience by describing her personal encounters with financial adversity. When faced with money-demanding experiences such as post-secondary education, being diagnosed with cancer, marriage, buying a home, and having a baby, Richardson and her husband were forced to declare bankruptcy. Richardson made a very intriguing remark: “going through bankruptcy was the best experience of my life.” The audience was obviously surprised by the remark but Richardson went on to explain that it caused her to realize what is needed to live a fulfilling life and what can be written off as ‘wants’ stemming from the modern-day prospect of consumerism.
Five aspects of money management were introduced: Earn, save, spend, invest, and share. Because entrepreneurs are the focus of Richardson’s work, she mentioned that many entrepreneurs take the benefits of employee earnings for granted, as does the general population. Employees earn a wage, receive pension and are granted benefits which do not come with being a self-employed entrepreneur. There is often money that adults can get their hands on which goes unclaimed like child tax benefits for example. Richardson suggests talking to a financial advisor, it’s free. The act of saving is one that many execute with a poor purpose. Richardson advises to ‘save for safety’ rather than saving to spend. Spending is where all the problems occur. Budgeting was mentioned as a key: budget to save, budget to pay off debt and pay off your highest interest rate first, and lastly, budget for discretionary spending. With investments, knowing your numbers and controlling them is key. Good investing, essentially, is making your money, make money. Make balanced investments at varying risk levels. Finally, sharing wealth with others is the most rewarding part.
Overall, I was highly engaged and inspired by Richardson’s presentation. Her tips were simple and meaningful. Listening to how Taunya Woods Richardson overcame her financial challenges has caused me to feel comfortable and knowledgeable with the topic of money management as I graduate high school and make my own financial decisions later in life.
Labour Market Trends in Saskatchewan
Doug Elliott
Dayton Stang
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NORTH BATTLEFORD - Owner of QED Information Systems and publisher of Sask Trends Monitor, Doug Elliott, spoke at the 2016 SCWEA Conference on Thursday afternoon. Focusing on labour market trends in Saskatchewan, Elliott provided many statistics from all kinds of different perspectives regarding employment rates, employment growth, average wages, and more.
Elliott spoke on how the recently poor economy in Alberta has led to an increase in unemployment in Saskatchewan. Many Saskatchewan residents seeking work would use Alberta as an “escape valve” and go to Alberta for employment opportunities Elliott explained. Without a flourishing Alberta economy to lean on, the total number of people who are unemployed in Saskatchewan has increased by over fifteen thousand in the past two years.
Using his data, Elliott made an interesting point about how the “baby boomer” generation is causing employment issues in the younger generations. With a large number of experienced people still working well into their fifties, it is difficult for younger individuals to overtake these more experienced workers. As a result, the employment rate for people ages fifteen to twenty-four in Saskatchewan went down by an average of 0.3 percent per year between 2011 and 2015. Employment for ages fifty-five and above however, continued to climb, increasing by 3.3 percent per year.
Elliott emphasized the importance of education saying, “your parents were right.” He further explained that the more education you have, the higher the odds are that you will find employment. This also corresponds with average wages as people in Saskatchewan with a university degree make nearly twice as much as those without their grade 12.
Elliott’s data was insightful and well-presented. As a student exploring different career opportunities, this presentation was very engaging. This type of information could be very useful for students like myself and anyone looking for employment currently or in the future. However, Elliott made it clear that it is most important to do something you love to do, regardless of statistics.
Engagement Isn't Just a Buzzword
Olivia McIvor
Kamryn Weinkauf
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NORTH BATTLEFORD - Her third and final session of the day, Olivia McIvor delivered another enlightening presentation that informed the audience of the importance of engagement in the workplace.
At the beginning of the presentation, McIvor questioned the audience: “What is engagement?” The perplexed audience was immediately captivated by her question, and listened to her definition with extreme interest. Through McIvor’s eyes, engagement is a combination of three different things that individuals must display in the workplace: a deep understanding of work, goals to achieve (career-wise), and going the extra mile. McIvor believed that by putting both the mind and the heart into the career and feeling engaged at the workplace, employers and organizations will see results. In fact, her research indicated that certain factors in the workplace will be improved: productivity, customer satisfaction and collegial satisfaction. One of McIvor’s key quotes from this session states, “The minute you ask a question, change begins to occur”. Directed at younger audiences like myself, McIvor instructed employees to always ask questions in order to fully understand and be engaged in their workforce.
McIvor also explained that there are different sections of engagement. Being a kind and compassionate employer who maintains relationships with employees is essential in determining the amount of engagement in the workplace. Statistics show that 79% of people would rather go to a workplace in which they feel there are kind supervisors rather than unkind or negative employers. When there are caring supervisors, performance levels are also significantly raised. In order to keep up with the shifting trends in employment, McIvor recommended that organizations revert to appreciation awards for positive actions rather than threats for negative actions.
As she wrapped up her presentation, McIvor stated that time and the economy has changed. To keep up with the change, organizations must not only train in skills, but must train in relationships.
As an audience member and a newly employed high schooler, I was captivated by McIvor’s tips of the trade. She gave me valuable insight into how I can improve my overall work experience and my level of engagement. When I asked McIvor for advice that she could give to future workers, she replied with “The key thing is that you’ve got to keep on going.” I think what she meant with this is that my generation has to be open to long-term employment options; we cannot give up if something becomes too hard or laborious, especially in the workplace.
The Forgotten Stakeholder:
Students in a 21st Cenrtury Classroom
Kevin Colliar
Dylan Stang
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NORTH BATTLEFORD- Curriculum is a touchy subject for educators working in Saskatchewan. Kelvin Colliar, a former power engineering student, grade seven teacher and superintendent on the verge of retirement, remains passionate about advocating for changes to education in Saskatchewan.
Helping students transition into the workforce and understanding their perspectives are of great importance to Colliar. He highlights that many students, specifically 21st century students, are unengaged, leading to decreased percentages of students graduating “on-time”. This year, about 76% of students in Saskatchewan are projected to graduate high school on-time. While this may stem from problems such as students’ home life, mental health, or dropping out to enter the workforce, Colliar expresses that changes can be made to override these issues.
Devising new curriculums requires a tremendous amount of funds. Just recently, Alberta made a movement to renew a large portion of their curriculum for approximately $64,000,000. Saskatchewan’s curriculum however, has been on pause for the last five years. Colliar points out that the Ministry of Education have been waiting years to begin developing more effective teaching practices. Once the changes are finally in place, it will take years to implement those changes. According to Colliar, these changes need to be happening now.
Leadership, in Colliar’s opinion, needs to come from “the middle”; the teachers, not the ministry and not the students. Colliar urges teachers to advocate change, and talk to their MLAs and those employed with the provincial government, in the hope that it will influence Saskatchewan’s politicians, as they are the ones who can bring about this kind of transformational change.