Prince Rupert, BC

In Person Training Description:

COURSE OVERVIEW 

Format: In Person Workshop

This training builds the capacity of service providers to prevent, navigate, and repair challenging interactions and crisis situations, with particular attention to recurring behaviours, ongoing conflict, and situations where the same challenges continue over time. Grounded in relational, trauma-informed, harm reduction, and person-centred approaches, the course explores how workers can respond effectively while maintaining relationships, clear boundaries, safety, consistency, and dignity.

The course integrates:

• Understanding patterns of recurring, challenging, and escalating behaviour
• Trauma-informed communication and de-escalation
• Responding when behaviours or conflicts continue despite previous interventions
• Setting and maintaining clear, consistent boundaries
• Balancing relationship-building with accountability and safety
• Emotional regulation for workers and clients
• Cultural safety, anti-oppression, and person-centred dignity
• Practical tools and scripts for difficult and repeated interactions
• Realistic scenarios from supportive housing, shelter, outreach, and other frontline settings
• Repairing relationships and rebuilding trust after conflict or crisis
• Team consistency and communication around ongoing behavioural concerns
• Worker self-care and strategies for managing cumulative stress

Designed for shelters, outreach, overdose prevention sites, housing, and community environments where peers and staff regularly encounter emotionally escalated states and complex behaviours. 

Instructor: Kevin Parker

Instructor Bio:

Kevin is a Peer Support Specialist in Vancouver’s Downtown East Side with The Spencer Creo Foundation, with over 15 years of experience supporting marginalized and underserved communities. His work is rooted in direct frontline practice, including crisis response, overdose prevention, and day-to-day support for people navigating homelessness, substance use, and systemic barriers. 

Kevin brings more than a decade of frontline and leadership experience from RainCity Housing, where he held multiple roles supporting teams and residents through complex crises, including the toxic drug poisoning emergency. He also runs Parker & Assu Consulting, providing peer-led education, advocacy, and policy support to non-profit and community-based organizations. 

Kevin’s approach is grounded in lived experience, cultural responsiveness, and practical, relationship-based care. As a biracial Black man, he brings a deeply personal commitment to equity, dignity, and non-judgmental support. His work centers on building trust, supporting frontline workers and people who use substances, and helping unhoused individuals to access needed services.  

Recommended Pre-Learning:

This course assumes a basic working knowledge of trauma-informed practice and de-escalation; participants are encouraged to complete any of the following recommended pre-learning (linked below) to support shared understanding and practical application. 

LearnHSABC:  

• Anti-Oppressive De-Escalation
• Understanding Trauma-Informed Care and Peer Support 
• Trauma-Informed De-Escalation Techniques by PWLLE & Peers 

Webinar Library: 

• Webinar: Walking Alongside PWLLE: Peer Staff Support Essentials - HSABC 

Location Information: Prince Rupert, BC

Nisga'a Hall
860 3 Ave W, Prince Rupert, BC V8J 1M6

Additional Information:

Please confirm any allergies, accessibility, and/or additional support needs during the registration process. If you need any assistance or additional support, please email info@hsa-bc.ca.

Please read the HSABC Community Agreement prior to registering.