Seeking Facilitators for the BCTF Workshops Program
The British Columbia Teachers' Federation (BCTF) seeks dedicated volunteer facilitators to support our diverse workshop offerings, including School Union Representative Training (SURT) and Professional and Social Issues (PSI) programs.

Rooted in the principle of “teachers teaching teachers,” these workshops rely on the expertise and commitment of teacher volunteers to support professional learning across the province. This approach highlights the essential role of volunteer facilitators in the BCTF workshops program.

We are currently recruiting teachers to serve as facilitators for a three-year term. Those selected will receive comprehensive training in facilitation techniques and content-specific program areas.

Although this is a volunteer role, the Federation recognizes the commitment of facilitators by providing release time and covering associated expenses, including travel, accommodations, dependent care, and meals incurred during workshop facilitation.

Facilitator Commitment and Expectations
Successful applicants must be available to attend the Facilitators’ Institute Training (FIT) on August 16–18, 2025, at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.

Attendance for the full duration of the training is required to be added to the roster of active facilitators and be called upon for workshop requests.

Volunteer facilitators are expected to lead up to three workshops annually, primarily between September to November and January to April, sometimes on short notice. Travel across the province can be expected.

This role is ideal for members who are passionate about professional development, dedicated to supporting fellow teachers, and committed to lifelong learning in a collaborative environment.

As a BCTF workshop facilitator, you will engage in ongoing growth and reflection, incorporating self-assessment and participant feedback to enhance your facilitation skills.

The positions listed below will commence for a three-year term on July 1, 2025.

School Union Representative Training Workshops
The School Union Representative Training (SURT) program provides training for local representatives in various roles, including Aboriginal contacts, health and safety representatives, school staff representatives, social justice representatives, and professional development chairs.

SURT workshop facilitators are released as needed throughout the year to deliver workshops for local Federation leaders. Facilitators receive specialized training in workshop design, facilitation techniques, inquiry-based learning, and key content areas relevant to the responsibilities of local representatives.

Applicants may apply to facilitate from the following three categories of SURT workshop areas:

Staff Representative Facilitators
Up to 6 facilitators required, three-year term

Staff Representative facilitators deliver training to staff representatives based in schools. They will receive training in facilitation and content areas related to the responsibilities of a school staff representative. Some of the content areas are:

• Role of the Staff Representative
• Contract Awareness: Know Your Collective Agreement
• Effective School Staff Committees
• Managing Conflict
• Engaging, Inclusive, and Productive Meetings.

For more information on staff representative workshops, contact Henry Lee at 1-800-663-9163, local 1849 (toll free); direct line 604-871-1849, or hlee@bctf.ca.    

Health and Safety Training Facilitators
Up to 4 facilitators required, three-year term

Health and safety trainers (HSTs) facilitate SURT workshops on occupational health and safety for the health and safety representatives and committees at school sites. HSTs may also deliver tripartite workshops that would qualify towards WorkSafeBC's mandated/entitled eight hours of annual training for workers on their site-based Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committees.  HSTs will receive training in facilitation and content areas related to the responsibilities of a health and safety committee. Some of the content areas are:

• Violence in the Workplace
• Occupational Health and Safety Training for New Committee Members and Worker Reps
• Role and Function of the School Site Health and Safety Rep
• Incident Investigations and Reports
• Refusal of Unsafe Work.

Due to the technical nature of the content, experience serving as a member of a site-based Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee is desirable.

For more information on health and safety workshops, contact Michael-Don Borason at 1-800-663-9163, local 1891 (toll-free); direct line 604-871-1891, or mborason@bctf.ca.

Professional Development Representative Facilitators
Up to 6 facilitators required, three-year term

Professional Development Representative facilitators deliver training to school Pro-D (PD) representatives. They will receive training in facilitation and content areas related to the responsibilities of a school PD representative. Some of the content areas are:

• The Autonomous Professional
• Role and Function of the Pro-D Rep
• TIP: Teacher Inquiry Program.

For more information on school PD rep workshops, contact Daniel Shiu at 1-800-663-9163, local 1849 (toll-free); direct line 604-871-1821, or dshiu@bctf.ca.

Professional and Social Issues Workshops
Professional and Social Issues (PSI) workshops include topics and program areas for teacher professional development. The workshop areas include Aboriginal education, school and classroom issues, social justice, teachers teaching on call, and Provincial Specialist Associations.

PSI facilitators are released as needed throughout the year to conduct these PD-related workshops for locals and school-based professional development days. PSI facilitators receive training in workshop design, facilitation, and inquiry processes in one of the above-mentioned content areas.

Applicants may apply to facilitate workshops from the following five categories of PSI workshop areas:

• Aboriginal Education
• School and Classroom Issues
• Social Justice
• Teachers Teaching on Call
• Provincial Specialist Associations.

Aboriginal Education
Up to 5 facilitators required, three-year term

Only members who self-identify as Aboriginal (First Nations, Inuit, Métis) will be appointed as facilitators for this category.

The Federation offers Aboriginal Education workshops on a variety of Aboriginal topics, including the following:

• Project of Heart
• Infusing Aboriginal Content—Graduation Requirement
• Disrupting Anti-Indigenous Racism
• Decolonizing Our Spaces
• Gladys: The Life of a Child in a BC Residential School.

For more information on Aboriginal Education workshops, contact Gail Stromquist at 1-800-663-9163, local 1854 (toll-free); direct line 604-871-1821, or gstromquist@bctf.ca.

School and Classroom Issues
Up to 10 facilitators required, three-year term

The Federation offers a variety of professional development workshops related to school and classroom issues, including some of the following:

• Reframing Challenging Behaviour through a Trauma-informed Lens
• Professional Boundary Issues: Teacher/Student Relationships
• Navigating Difficult Waters: Relationship Building at the School Level.

For more information on school and classroom issues workshops, contact Henry Lee at 1-800-663-9163, local 1849 (toll-free); direct line 604-871-1849, or hlee@bctf.ca.    

Social Justice
Up to 25 facilitators required, three-year term

Members who self-identify as Aboriginal, Black, People of Colour, and 2SLGBTQAI+ are welcome to apply.

The Federation offers several workshops on social justice topics, including anti-poverty, anti-racism, anti-homophobia, anti-transphobia, peace and global education, gender equity and women’s rights, environmental justice, equity and inclusion, and teaching for social justice. 

Some of the workshops offered include the following:

• Advancing Equity and Inclusion in our Schools and Community
• Creating Inclusive Spaces
• Sexual Health Education: It's Fun!
• Poverty is a Classroom Issue
• Social Justice through the Arts
• Creating Cultures of Peace
• Addressing Ableism
• Strategies for Discussing Controversial Issues
• Climate Justice 101/Climate Grief.

For more information on social justice workshops, contact Heather Kelley at 1-800-663-9163, local 1850 (toll-free); direct line 604-871-1850, or hkelley@bctf.ca.   

Teachers Teaching on Call
Up to 5 facilitators required, three-year term

Teachers teaching on call (TTOC) workshops address the unique issues faced by teachers teaching on call. Facilitators for this PSI category should be TTOCs. They are paid an on-scale wage by the Federation for workshops provided during the school day or if travel has precluded the facilitator taking a TTOC call-out for the day. Some of the content areas include the following:

• Classroom Management
• Employment Insurance: Navigating the EI Claim Process for TTOCs
• Reality 101: A Day in the Life of a TTOC.

For more information on TTOC workshops, contact Henry Lee at 1-800-663-9163, local 1849 (toll-free); direct line 604-871-1849, or hlee@bctf.ca.

Provincial Specialist Association
No new facilitators required for 2025–26

The Federation offers professional development workshops on topics developed by the Provincial Specialist Associations (PSA). There are a variety of topics, which include the following:

• Analyzing Play in the Early Years
• Education for All: 21st Century Inclusion
• Exploring Connections between Classroom Practice and Self-Regulation
• Strategies for Discussing Controversial Issues.

For more information on PSA workshops, contact Jennie Slack at 1-800-663-9163, local 1812; direct line 604-871-1812, or jslack@bctf.ca.

French language workshops
Up to 4 facilitators required, three-year term

French Immersion or Francophone program teachers are encouraged to apply to train and lead specific SURT and PSI workshops in French. Applications will be submitted in French, and training at FIT will be done in French and English. The French Facilitator sessions are developed by French speakers and the French coordinator, Carmen Woo. For more information on French program workshops, contact Carmen Woo at 1-800-663-9163 local 1809 (toll-free); direct line 604-871-1809, or cwoo@bctf.ca.

Ateliers de langue française
Jusqu'à 4 facilitateurs ou facilitatrices requis, mandats de trois ans.

Les enseignant·e·s des programmes d’Immersion française ou francophone sont encouragé·e·s à poser leur candidature pour animer et diriger des ateliers spécifiques du SURT et du PSI en français. Les candidatures doivent être soumises en français, et la formation à FIT se déroulera en français et en anglais. Les sessions pour les facilitateurs francophones sont développées par des locuteurs francophones et la coordinatrice francophone, Carmen Woo. Pour plus d’informations sur les ateliers du programme de français, contactez Carmen Woo. 1-800-663-9163) poste 1809 (sans frais); ligne directe 604-871-1809; cwoo@bctf.ca.

Application deadline: April 11, 2025, at 5:00 p.m.

To apply, submit a curriculum vitae form.