On November 17, faculty association staff from across Ontario gathered in Toronto for a day of networking and skills sharing at the bi-annual OCUFA Faculty Association Staff Workshop.
The morning featured panels on membership engagement as well as the challenges and opportunities of working for a member-driven organization. Discussion covered many facets of the day-to-day work of faculty association staff, who enthusiastically shared their tips for effectively communicating and engaging with members.
In the afternoon, staff participated in a skills sharing roundtable, where they talked about the different ways they support the work of their associations, and shared the many different and useful skills they have learned, whether supporting the bargaining team, helping with grievances, making materials, or organizing events.
Participants then broke out into groups based on their areas of occupation to have more detailed discussions about their work. These groups allowed staff to discuss areas of interest in far greater depth, and develop professional relationships so they can continue to leverage the experience of their colleagues.
This article originally appeared in OCUFA Report. To receive stories like this every week, please subscribe.