Author: Toronto OASIS

Our event begins at 11am, we are back to our usual space on the 2nd floor of the Koffler house, 569 Spadina.

Our featured speaker, Gregg Fenten, will speak about how the history of community-based conflict resolution formed and developed. He will talk about two fundamentals of life – relational and transformational – and elaborate on three primary principles of belief and practice: individuality, diversity/difference, and inclusivity. Gregg will compare the community-based approach versus the court/justice-based approach to conflict resolution. We will also learn about the STRONG approach for dealing with conflict.

Gregg Fenten is an accredited family mediator (AccFM) with the Ontario Association for Family Mediation (OAFM). His work includes doing triage and referral services as an Information and Referral Coordinator within the Toronto Family Justice System for the past number of years. He is a coach with York University’s Certificate in Dispute Resolution Program and the Family Mediation Program and a Dispute Resolution Educator with the Advanced Certificate in Dispute Resolution.

For the past twenty-one years, Gregg’s professional practice has involved engaging individuals, couples and families. His professional experience started in the community mediation/development field with Conflict Mediation Services of Downsview (CMS-D) in Toronto, Canada as an intern, volunteer, mediator and case manager. He ultimately became the Director, Community Transformation Program.

Gregg has a diverse private practice that includes mediation and facilitation for family, workplace and community matters. His practice includes mentoring, training and communication coaching with individuals to acquire the requisite knowledge and skills to be effective communicators to assist them to strategize and navigate their relationship challenges. As well, Gregg’s work involves consultation efforts in community development that includes proposal writing, project development and project implementation.

For over thirteen years, Gregg has been writing, producing and hosting the radio program Mediation Station heard live each Sunday from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. EST on CHHA 161O AM in Toronto, Canada. The radio program works to educate and inform listeners with information to assist them in creating positive change within their lives and in the community. It also supports the profession of conflict resolvers to enhance and elevate their professional practice.

You can listen at www.chha1610am.ca (Click the LISTEN LIVE icon) or on Rogers Digital Cable Channel 951 or at 1610am on the radio dial. Podcasts at Mediation Station on iTunes and at https://lnkd.in/g7BCxks Twitter @FentenMediation

Our featured musical performer will be Cassie Norton. We are always so enthused to have the very talented Cassie return to our stage! Cassie is the music director of Toronto Oasis and a Toronto based singer-songwriter, classically trained violinist/folk leaning tunesmith with a punk rock heart. She has recorded two full length albums, Little Strength (2009) and Quiet Wilderness (2010). She will be joined this Sunday with Wes Neal on Bass.  Check out her website: www.cassienorton.com

To RSVP to this event, please visit our Meetup page.

Our event begins at 11am.  This week we will be meeting in a slightly different location – the same building, Koffler House 569 Spadina Ave., but on the 1st floor room KP113.

There is a ready explanation for the concept of the existence of the human spirit (soul) that carries our awareness in a non-material realm. This concept allows us to believe that, after our material brain dies, we can experience an afterlife. The existence of such an entity is, however, a man-made idea which has no supporting scientific evidence, although we can understand why this philosophy originated.  Our featured speaker, Benjamin Vande Weerdhof Andrews will speak about what he has found about the origin of people’s beliefs about the spirit.

Benjamin Vande Weerdhof Andrews was raised as a boy in Holland and moved to Canada as a young man. His family attended the Dutch Reformed Church. Ben started questioning the dogma of his church and has studied world religions during his adult life. After retiring from his career as a high school teacher in Ontario, Ben began his website, www.origin-of-religion.com, to explore and discuss the role of religion in modern society and to encourage people to think outside the box. Through his explorations, Ben has discovered that many people struggle with the concepts of religion and the fear of death. He has decided to share his findings with others and has published a critical analysis of religion entitled “Why You Won’t Go To Hell”. He lives with his wife in Barrie, Ontario.

Returning to the Oasis stage, our featured musician will be Lindsay Foote!  Lindsay writes honest, soul-bearing music and couples that with a voice that will melt even the hardest heart.  Inspired by the alternative folk music scene, Lindsay has been writing songs for as long as she can remember. Originally from Winchester, Massachusetts, she moved to Canada in 2009 to study voice at the University of Toronto.

Her newest release, Going Gone EP, boasts lush acoustic arrangements paired with Lindsay’s signature candid writing style. The songs explore love, loss, and facing the truth even in the toughest moments. From her Going Gone EP, “Silence” was featured on CBC Metro Morning, CBC Big City Small World, and CJRU Double Booked. RAW RAMP Magazine calls these songs “the most celestial & moving folk songs you can imagine” and For the Rabbits calls it “the sound of an artist expanding their musical horizons and fulfilling a very rich promise.”

We are so enthused to have Lindsay Foote return to the Oasis stage!  https://www.lindsayfoote.com

To RSVP to this event, please visit our Meetup page.

Our event begins at 11am, On the 2nd floor of the Koffler house, 569 Spadina.

Our featured speaker, Michelle Bilek*, is with the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (caeh.ca), formed to build a national movement to end homelessness from the community up. What’s missing is a practical, community-based approach that shifts the focus from managing homelessness to a system focused on ending it. We need to move from crisis responses (like shelters and soup kitchens) to solutions – permanent, appropriate, safe and affordable housing with the support necessary to sustain it. Michelle will share how Canadian communities can end homelessness by outlining the critical ingredients of a community-based plan such as Housing First, supporting affordable housing options, housing sharing, renting secondary units for Housing First clients, innovative building solutions and developments.

Our featured musician, Olio&I, aka Pippa Andrew, is a Melbourne based fiddle-singer and loop artist, whose music interweaves an eclectic collection of influences, spanning Singer-Songwriter, Folk, Soul and Jazz. This performance will be part of Olio&I’s first trip to perform in Canada!

You can RSVP for this event on our Meetup page at https://www.meetup.com/Toronto-Oasis/events/248558224/

*Michelle Bilek was originally scheduled to speak at Toronto Oasis on March 18, 2018 but was unable to attend due to unforeseeable circumstances. (In her place, we were very fortunate to have Dianne Woodruff (CMA, PhD) speak to us about 3D Workout: 3DWorkout.com).

Our event begins at 11am, On the 2nd floor of the Koffler house, 569 Spadina.

Like Oasis, the Rotary Club provides a way for people to get engaged in their communities.  Whereas the Oasis network is a relatively new organization, the Rotary Club has been around for a very long time.  Our featured speaker, Peter Thoem, has been a member of Rotary for 30 years.  He will talk about the origins of Rotary, its credo and how it has grown over 100+ years.  He will share his personal experiences with Rotary and the experiences of any individual member of Rotary.

Peter Thoem is a 35-year resident of downtown Burlington.   Now retired, he is a keen observer and writer about natural history. He finds fulfilment in volunteering, putting in countless hours on local and international Rotary projects as well as at the Royal Botanical Gardens. He has undertaken studies on bird populations in Uganda and Kazakhstan as well as at various bird observatories in Ontario. He served a term as a Burlington City Councillor from 2006 to 2010. Peter and Ruth have three grown children and five young grandsons..

Our featured musician will be Noble Sobel. Through the process of discovery and decision we realize our true potential and the impact we can have on all things around us. Inspired by the infinite journey of self-discovery, and driven by a passion to connect and uplift, Noble Sobel is here to move you to dance, or move you to tears… maybe both!

To RSVP to this event, visit our Meetup page.

Our event begins at 11:00 am, on the 2nd floor of Koffler House, 569 Spadina Ave

Our featured speaker, Yvonne Tang, is Director of Exhibitions and Events at Lord Cultural Resources, the world’s largest cultural professional practice.

Her clients include museums, art galleries, historic sites, festivals and events. Yvonne’s involvement on projects ranges from initial visioning to design through to opening day. She thoroughly enjoys her work behind-the-scenes at various institutions, and even though she’s been asked before, she is definitely not a spy.

In the current state of the world today – museums and other cultural institutions have a huge role to play. Yvonne will discuss how the role of cultural institutions have changed and continue to adapt today. She will also share stories from some of her recent projects including the opportunities and challenges of working internationally.

For our musical performances we will have Cassie Norton with Patrick O’Reilly. Cassie Norton is the music director of Toronto Oasis and a Toronto based singer-songwriter, classically trained violinist/folk leaning tunesmith with a punk rock heart. She has recorded two full length albums, Little Strength (2009) and Quiet Wilderness (2010). She teaches a variety of private and ensemble classes at Regent Park School of Music, and at her private studio.

Cassie will be performing with her band-mate Patrick O’Reilly on guitar.  To RSVP to this event, visit our Meetup page.

Our event begins at 11:00 am, on the 2nd floor of Koffler House, 569 Spadina Ave.

Our featured speaker, Michelle Bilek, is with the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (caeh.ca).  She will argue for methods such as Housing First and supporting affordable housing options – strategies like housing sharing, renting secondary units for Housing First clients, innovative building solutions and developments.  Michelle will present the case that it is methods such as these and not management of homelessness by increasing shelter spaces that are the solution.

Our featured musicians will be CITIZEN JANE, a Toronto-based folk-pop duo that evocatively weaves powerful vocal harmonies with innovative string textures to create an emotionally charged soundscape.

The duo consists of married couple Reenie Perkovic (vocals, guitar, mandolin) and Lea Kirstein (viola, fiddle, cello, vocals), who met while studying classical music on the west coast of Canada. The ladies have since made a home in Toronto’s vibrant music scene.

Reenie grew up in the Toronto area, after her family escaped the civil war in her birthplace, Sarajevo, Bosnia. Reenie was a semi-finalist in the 2016 UK Songwriting Contest, and has released 3 solo albums. She has opened for Juno-nominated Alysha Brilla, and Annabelle Chvostek (Wailin’ Jennys).

Lea is an acclaimed violist and fiddler, who grew up in Victoria, BC, where she studied viola and music education at UVic. Classical musician by day and fiddler by night, Lea discovered new ways of melding the two styles into one. Her passion for these genres took her across Canada & the U.S. with the Folk Arts Quartet. She has recorded with Juno-nominated artists Oliver Schroer and Teresa Doyle.

To RSVP to this event visit our meetup page.

Our event begins at 11:00 am, on the 2nd floor of Koffler House, 569 Spadina Ave

Nathania Rodman, a Professionally Trained Art Therapist, will serve as a guide for us to experience the healing qualities that Art Therapy possesses.

She will begin by providing an overview of Art Therapy and then move to a workshop format and invite us to create. The creating will serve as a visual voice, symbolic of our hopes, dreams, concerns, and wishes. In closing, everyone will be provided with the opportunity to share their creations, if they choose to, and ask any questions they may have for Nathania.

Nathania Rodman is a graduate of the University of Guelph in Studio Art and Psychology and a Professionally Trained Art Therapist. She did her Art Therapy Training at Kutenai Art Therapy Institute (KATI) in Nelson BC. Through her personal experience and her learning at KATI, she came to value the person-centred humanistic worldview and the importance of mind-body integration in the healing process. Her internship was primarily at North York General Hospital working with both inpatient and outpatient Mental Health, Adult Eating Disorder, One on One through the Spiritual Cares office and Workshops for Staff and Volunteers. She also has experience with children who recently immigrated to Canada, and has volunteered at a long-term care facility in Brampton, ON. Nathania has recently opened up her own Private Practice known as Blue Lotus Art Therapy in the Toronto Beaches.

Further information can be found on Nathania’s Website and Facebook: Blue Lotus Art Therapy.

Our featured musician this week will be Dana Swarbrick. Dana is a singer-songwriter originally from Ottawa who found her voice in Hamilton and is now refining her sound in Toronto. Her sets feature a mixture of covers and her original music, inspired by blues, jazz, and folk that is reminiscent of artists like Norah Jones. Dana enjoys sharing the latest research in the neuroscience of music. She creates an emotional experience with her music and enlightens audience members with the neural underpinnings shaping their experience.

To RSVP to this event visit our meetup page.

Our event begins at 10:30 am, on the 2nd floor of Koffler House, 569 Spadina Ave.

Many families and couples enter into conflict when their interpretations of religion, or faiths themselves, diverge. While conflict is, generally speaking, a normal and healthy process, there are some issues that families are unable to resolve on their own. In such situations, mediation can be a valuable tool that helps families or couples better understand one another, and move forward in their conflict. Our featured speaker, Dr. Glaholt will discuss the process of mediation, and two different approaches to conflict management (interest based negotiation and narrative mediation), as a means of providing options for those who find themselves in the midst of family strife.

Dr. Hayley Glaholt is an Accredited Family Mediator, practicing in Toronto. She holds a PhD in Religion, Ethics, and Public Life, and one focus of her practice is addressing conflicts brought about by religious and ethnic difference. She is also a roster mediator with the Ministry of the Attorney General, providing subsidized mediation in Toronto’s family courts.

For our musical performances we will have Willow Rutherford with Cassie Norton.

Willow Rutherford is a troubadour balladeer of folk, jazz, Celtic and traditional standards, with deep roots in the Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver indie music scene. She has composed soundtracks for documentaries and animated shorts, and has accompanied rising stars The Fugitives, E.S.L., Annabelle Chvostek, and David Simard. Willow sings in English, French and Spanish.

Cassie Norton is the music director of Toronto Oasis and a Toronto based singer-songwriter who tells the stories behind her lyrics with sound. Cassie is a classically trained violinist/folk leaning tunesmith with a punk rock heart. She has recorded two full length albums, Little Strength (2009) and Quiet Wilderness (2010). She teaches a variety of private and ensemble classes at Regent Park School of Music, and at her private studio.

To RSVP to this event visit our Meetup page.