Documentary, 15 Reasons to Live

What are your reasons for living? After running into an acquaintance at the local used record store who shared his list of 15 reasons to live, filmmaker Alan Zweig felt a strong compulsion to make a film on the subject.  The participants in this film are as eclectic as the list, sharing personal anecdotes related to work, love, intoxication, humour, solitude, duty, home and death. Humorous and sometimes heartbreaking, Zweig ties these stories together in a film that strikes deeper chords about finding meaning in our existence. Watch this film about real people and their reasons to live, and walk away inspired.

Facilitator Bio:  Alan Zweig is a Toronto documentary filmmaker known for often using film to explore his own life.  Zweig's films have often premiered at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival. In 2011, Hot Docs devoted its Focus On screening series to Zweig's work.

Husk Time, Traditional Corn Husk Weaving

Come one, come all it’s “Husk Time”! Learn the history around the cornhusk and how it has played a role in Indigenous society. Not only you will learn the history and different uses, you will be working with cornhusk hands-on and partaking in the old technique of twinning cornhusk- the technique used by generations of people to make baskets, dolls and other traditional items. Participants will walk away with the knowledge to continue a project at home. This workshop is great for anyone interested in arts, crafts and Native culture.

Facilitator Bio:  Frazer Sundown is 26 years old and has 8 years of experience working with cornhusk to make various items. His work has made its way in the United States and across Southern Ontario. Frazer has taught workshops at schools, Children’s Aid Societies, and some indigenous women’s groups. Frazer’s cornhusk work is created with the same technique and calibre of the generations of people before him, and is similar in style and quality to older items one might see in a museum.   

Zine Creation

Learn about the history, impact and magic of zines! This 1.5 hour workshop shares the whys and hows of zine production, leading to youth making their very own zine on topics of health and wellbeing. Skills to be gained include brainstorming and story-boarding techniques, folding and binding, and collaging. This workshop offers an opportunity to be creative within a supportive atmosphere, and to explore inspiring topics in the area of self-care and wellbeing.

Facilitator Bio:  Taylor Holden is the Youth Outreach Assistant at mindyourmind. Passionate about creative arts, she enjoys exploring the connection between emotional wellness and expression. In her spare time she tours Southwestern Ontario, also playing her music at shows at venues in and around London. Taylor carries an unconditional love for watermelon!

Yoga for Beginners

Learn beginner level yoga for relaxation and mindfulness.

Facilitator Bio:  My name is Jeff Hardy, and I am 34 years old. I have been exploring the benefits of yoga for over 8 years. Currently I teach yoga in a local jail, and meditation in a local health clinic. I invite you to come spend an hour with me learning how to be present with yourself. Through an introductory yoga class followed by a brief guided meditation, I will help you to experience true unity of your mind and body. Remember, flexibility is a by-product of yoga, not a prerequisite! See you on your mat. "To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders" - Lao Tzu.

Job Search and Interview Skills

What are the most efficient ways to look for work? How do you make yourself stand out from the crowd? Make the best first impression! Get the job you want! Have you had numerous interviews, but no call back? Perhaps it’s your interview skills. We can help with that! This workshop will give you the basic knowledge of how to find work, and how to answer common interview questions.

Facilitator Bio:  Jamie Burns is the Employment Consultant with Collège Boréal, Employment Options. She assists in running workshops on a bi-monthly basis with Employment Options. One of the goals of their organization is to help youth age 17-29 get and keep jobs.

Tarot Time: Reading Tarot Cards

Tarot cards have been a method of self-reflection and divination for centuries. This workshop will teach the basics of reading tarot cards, a bit of the history of the topic, and give advice on good starter decks. While tarot cards may not predict the future, they do offer a great way to reflect on where you are and where you’re going. We’ll practice reading for each other, and learn how to look at the cards and get a sense of their meanings, with or without books to assist you. If participants already have tarot decks please bring them with you!

Facilitator Bio:  Megan Baxter is a self-taught tarot enthusiast who has been practicing the art of reading tarot cards for twenty years. She is also has experience teaching and lecturing at the university level.

Recording & Producing Radio Ads

Creating a professional sounding radio advertisement is easier than it seems! We’ll show you the basics of recording, mixing, and producing a professional sounding radio spots. Come get some hands on experience with recording announcers, editing audio, and mixing audio with a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation)!

Facilitator Bio:  Ryan Binhammer is a Senior Radio and Music Producer at 94.9FM CHRW. He is currently finishing his studies at Western University in Popular Music Studies. At CHRW, he has recorded radio advertisements, promos, live bands, and produced music for the LDN Music Project. He is also currently working with Epic Productions and Media One, audio production companies based in Toronto.

 Find Your Voice, Spoken Word Poetry

“Find Your Voice” is an introductory 'wordshop' to the art of spoken word poetry and poetry slams. Spoken word is an increasingly popular way for people (particularly youth) to creatively express themselves, share their stories, and speak out on personal and social issues. Poetry slams are energetic, diverse, and welcoming environments that encourage audiences to be engaged and enthusiastic, while offering a safe space for people to speak on important and personal topics through poetry. By the end of the wordshop, participants will have an understanding of the culture of poetry slams and the art of spoken word poetry, and (hopefully) will have written and performed some poetry of their own.

Facilitator Bios:  Inali has been practising spoken word for 7 years in London. She has performed on local and national stages in Saskatoon and Vancouver, this year ranking 16th in a Canada-wide competition. She has been facilitating workshops in London and area for 4 years in schools and community venues.

Holly has been performing spoken word for three years and am a three-time Grand Slam Champion and Director of the London Poetry Slam. She has performed at three national spoken word competitions, a TEDx conference, and dozens of school and community events across Ontario. She is also a certified secondary teacher, a Thames Valley DSB Safe Schools Speaker, and an Artist in Residence with the London Arts Council.

Hip Hop for everyone

Move your body and break a sweat through hip hop & breakdancing to find out what your body is capable of! Come dance your hot summer day away, clear your mind from daily stress and make some new friends. You will learn some cool breaking moves and be able to tear up the dance floor with confidence any time your song comes on. All age, any experience level is welcome to join in on this fun hour of dance. Plus you’ll get to see London’s finest street dance crew throw down right in front of your eyes!

Facilitator Bio:  Jim Han, along with the other members of the Ill at Will dance crew, have led over a hundred workshops in the last six years, for kids and youth in London. Jim leads workshops with patience and a fresh mindset of learning something new through teaching.

How To Be More Successful At Your Job

Have you had numerous jobs that just “didn’t work out”? Are you having difficulties in your current job? Maybe you’ve just been hired to a new position! Now what? This workshop gives tips and advice in order to more successfully become a part of your new workplace. A job plays an important role in life and it can bring you great satisfaction. No matter what kind of work you do, it is important to do it well! Learn what makes a good employee, and how you can succeed at your first job!

Facilitator Bio:  Jamie Burns is the Employment Consultant with Collège Boréal, Employment Options. She assists in running workshops on a bi-monthly basis with Employment Options. One of the goals of their organization is to help youth age 17-29 get and keep jobs.

Garden in a Bottle

Forest City Gallery and Grickle Grass Festival will be presenting two short workshops promoting sustainable living and healthy lifestyles. These two workshops will consist of creating small gardens in reusable containers such as pop bottles or mason jars. Participants will create their own mini-gardens to take home and care for!

Facilitator Bio:  Hosted by Jenna Powell and Savanah Sewell of the Forest City Gallery and the Grickle Grass Festival.

Be Entrepreneurial!

Ignite your entrepreneurial spirit and discover what it takes to start your own successful business venture! Explore how to develop a great product or service and define a business idea’s competitive advantage.

Facilitator Bio:  Anooshae Janmohammad is a Junior Achievement Alumna and student at Western University pursuing a degree in Business. Anooshae has 4 years of experience running small businesses through the JA Company Program and is enthusiastic about entrepreneurship, hoping to someday own her own marketing firm.