Interpretation Skills Workshop Part 1 & 2 - October 2023

Join this day-long workshop for youth (grades 9 -12) to develop your communication and interpretation skills, as you explore beyond the basics.

This one-day workshop will give youth (grades 9 -12) a chance to continue to explore the field of interpretation, which is all about sharing information in ways that inspire and connect people to a subject. Interpreters often connect visitors with natural, cultural, and historical information and places.

Led by experienced interpreters Carl Sieber and Silva Johansson, the day will give you a chance to use your interests, passion, and skills to start small by creating a short 2-minute presentation (the topic is up to you)! Through fun activities, we’ll explore how to choose your main point, how to organize what you want to say, and how to make your topic interesting to your audience. At the end of the workshop, you’ll present what you’ve created to the group.

Youth will have the opportunity to develop basic interpretation skills inspired by their own interests, passion, and skills, and also learn about how to make presentations fun, engaging, and meaningful for the people they present to.

This workshop will strengthen communications skills, which is a valuable skill to have in all walks of life! Employers are often seeking candidates with strong communications skills.

AGENDA: October 20, 2023 (Pro-D Day)

• 9:00 Bus leaves First Street Dock
• 9:25 Bus leaves Ty-histanis health centre
• 9:45 - 10 am Arrive and check-in
• 10 am-12 pm Workshop Part 1: Learn about interpretation. Work with your topic to choose your main point for your presentation and make it easy to understand.
• 12 – 1 pm Lunch (provided)
• 1 – 3 pm Workshop Part 2: Explore ways to make your presentation interesting and engaging, then present your short presentation to the group.
• 3:25pm Bus arrives in Ty-histanis
• 3:50pm Bus arrives at First street dock

WORKSHOP LOCATION & MEALS & ATTIRE

The workshop will take place in Activity Room 1 at the Ucluelet Community Centre (500 Matterson Dr, Ucluelet).

Morning snacks and lunch will be provided. Please be sure to let us know your allergies and dietary restrictions when you register. There may be an outside activity so please dress for the weather (bring a sweater, rain jacket, and boots if it’s cold & rainy!).

Please come prepared with a topic you’re interested in and would like to share information about. Please bring any small items (objects, pictures) that would help you present.

INSTRUCTOR BIOS

Carl Sieber gets paid to talk to people about nature. That’s not what was supposed to happen. When he was a teenager, he’d rather read a book than talk to people. He never imagined how many people he’d end up talking to every day for his job. He’s always loved nature, but it took growing up to realize sharing that excitement ends up being an awesome career.

In an aquarium, a rainforest, a theatre, or on the beach, if you're with him and you're not having fun, he's doing something wrong. He works as a Parks Canada interpreter. Ask him about using humour, emotion, story, and experience to provoke understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment.

Silva Johansson is a heritage interpreter and interpretive trainer. Her life-long love of the B.C. coast comes from growing up aboard the tall ship North Star of Herschel Island. She loves exploring the West Coast - the beings, the places, and the stories.

She works as an Outreach Education Officer with the Parks Canada Vancouver Outreach Team. She’s also an interpretive guide for the Wild Pacific Trail Society and Long Beach Nature Tours and is an occasional volunteer interpreter at the Ucluelet Aquarium. You might have heard her on the West Coast’s new Off the Edge radio service at 102.1 FM!

Ask her about what skills she finds surprisingly useful as an interpreter, and how to continue your learning journey if you’re interested in making interpretation a career.

LEARN MORE ABOUT INTERPRETATION

If you would like to learn more about interpretation and see if Interpretation is something you might be interested in, check out this survey: https://interpretationrecruitmenttoolkit.wordpress.com/additional-resources/

Questions? Please reach out to Nicole at nicole@westcoastnest.org or 250-726-6508 (text/call).