Education and training

Update: Sarnia's Injured Workers' Speakers School free 12-week 2011 class starts September 28. Click here for more details or contact Susan Toth at (519) 337-4627 x2335 or iwss_sarnia@zoho.com

Injured Workers' Speaker School: a 10-session program to help injured workers to speak in public: in a group setting, injured workers learn public speaking techniques and the transition form "venting" to "convincing".

  • Learn about the history and principles of our compensation system
  • Learn about the history of the injured workers movement
  • Learn how to speak in public, to the media and to politicians
  • Have fun while learning with other injured workers seeking positive change

Initiated in 2006, the school now also includes the courses of a previous training program to help injured workers realize the history and principles of our workers' compensation system and the importance of their active participation in the struggle for justice. The School is supported by the Research Action Alliance on the Consequences of Work Injury, with funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

At the March 22, 2011 celebration of their graduation from the 2010/2011 Injured Workers' Speaker School, six injured workers movingly recounted their compelling stories of workplace injury and dealing with the Board. The event and these stories are recorded here in "WSIB: The Big Ship" by Terri Aversa, OPSEU. Read also M.P.P. Michael Prue's tribute delivered in the House Mar. 29 during the debate on Bill 160.

Contact Orlando Buonastella at Injured Workers Consultants (416-461 2411) for dates of upcoming Toronto sessions
Contact Robin Faye at the Thunder Bay & District Injured Workers' Group (807- 627 9136) for dates of Thunder Bay sessions

RAACWI Community Forums - regular sessions to update injured workers on research in progress. Organized by the Research Action Alliance on the Consequences of Work Injury. Check RAACWI calendar for upcoming events.

February 2007 : Northern Regional Training Workshop, Sudbury
This workshop on workers' compensation practice in a general service community legal clinic included a session by Orlando Buonastella (Injured Workers' Consultants) on community organizing.
The following related paper by Ivana Petricone of the Rexdale Community Legal Clinic discusses her experiences in starting an injured workers' group and the impact for the workers and her clinic practice. Read more...