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    <title>Bethesda upcoming events</title>
    <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/events</link>
    <description>Bethesda upcoming events</description>
    <dc:creator>Bethesda</dc:creator>
    <generator>Wild Apricot - membership management software and more</generator>
    <language>en</language>
    <pubDate>Sun, 08 Nov 2026 16:26:44 GMT</pubDate>
    <lastBuildDate>Sun, 08 Nov 2026 16:26:44 GMT</lastBuildDate>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Mon, 09 Nov 2026 23:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>Transition to Adulthood Workshop Series (Monday, November 09, 2026)</title>
      <description>&lt;h2&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;Transition to Adulthood Workshop Series&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p&gt;A four-part, weekly workshop series designed to support parents, caregivers, and youth as they prepare for life beyond childhood!&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Each workshop will provide practical tools, expert guidance, and insights into the services and supports available during this important transition. Our goal is to help families plan with confidence. Take the next step toward a successful transition to adulthood!&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;
  &lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6734511</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6734511</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Tue, 10 Nov 2026 14:30:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>CARES: Supporting Caregiver Wellbeing (Tuesday, November 10, 2026)</title>
      <description>&lt;h2&gt;&lt;img src="https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/resources/Pictures/CARES%20logo.png" alt="CARES program logo" title="CARES program logo" border="0" width="533" height="273" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;CARES: Supporting Caregiver Wellbeing&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p data-pm-slice="1 1 []"&gt;Take time to focus on you! CARES is an eight-week, peer-led program designed to help caregivers of loved ones with complex needs build practical skills, strengthen their well-being and connect with others who share similar experiences.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Through weekly group sessions, caregivers will have the opportunity to share experiences, learn strategies to support their mental health and build confidence in navigating everyday challenges.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;The program includes six interactive modules covering caregiver burnout, assertive communication, helpful thinking, managing stress, problem-solving and rewriting our stories.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;CARES is about caring for the caregiver.&lt;/strong&gt; Join a welcoming, supportive space to connect, learn and develop tools that support your well-being, both for yourself and your family.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Learn more about CARES. &lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyGFAc_d8MI" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;u&gt;Click here to watch a short orientation video&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;a href="https://thecaresprogram.org/" target="_blank"&gt;Click here to view the CARES program website&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;
  &lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6876798</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6876798</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Tue, 10 Nov 2026 23:30:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>Queer and Questioning: A Support Group for Queer Youth and their Parents/Caregivers (Tuesday, November 10, 2026)</title>
      <description>&lt;h2&gt;&lt;img src="https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/resources/Pictures/Gender%20Rocks.jpg" alt="a group of teens, standing against a pink wall, wearing pink tops" title="a group of teens, standing against a pink wall, wearing pink tops" border="0" width="567" height="378"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;Queer and Questioning: A Support Group for Queer Youth and their Parents/Caregivers&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p&gt;In Partnership with Quest Community Health Center, we invite you to this engaging support group where parents and youth will work separately and collaboratively to understand what it means to be queer, and how families can effectively support their youth.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6799151</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6799151</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Wed, 11 Nov 2026 23:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>PEERS | 14-17 years (Wednesday, November 11, 2026)</title>
      <description>&lt;h2&gt;&lt;img src="https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/resources/Pictures/Peer%20Mentor%20-%20unplash.jpg" alt="Photo of teens - children and youth PEER event" title="Photo of teens - children and youth PEER event" border="0" width="567" height="378"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;PEERS&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;h3&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 24px;"&gt;Ages 14-17 years&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;

&lt;p&gt;PEERS is an evidence based social skills intervention for motivated teens currently in high school who are interested in making and keeping friends and/or handling conflict. Teens and parents attend 14-weekly group sessions for 90 minutes per week.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Teens are taught social skills through didactic lessons and role-play demonstrations, and practice these skills during group socialization activities. Parents attend separate sessions simultaneously and are taught how to assist their teens in making and keeping friends. Parent participation required.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;u&gt;A Group Meet and Greet will take place at the Niagara Family Centre on August 19 at 6:00pm - 7:00pm&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6766297</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6766297</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Wed, 11 Nov 2026 23:30:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>Understanding Your Child's Diagnosis (Wednesday, November 11, 2026)</title>
      <description>&lt;img src="https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/resources/Pictures/2024-08-09%20-%20Parent%20and%20daughter%20talking%20(Teaching%20Child%20Receptive%20Language).jpg" alt="Mother talking to her small daughter and helping her" title="Mother talking to her small daughter and helping her" border="0" width="567" height="378"&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;Understanding Your Child's Diagnosis&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Caregivers will learn what is autism and how to best support their child.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6796822</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6796822</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Sat, 14 Nov 2026 14:30:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>Once Upon a Family Day (Saturday, November 14, 2026)</title>
      <description>&lt;h2&gt;&lt;img src="https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/resources/Pictures/Harry%20Potter%20(10-13).jpg" alt="Young boy sitting by a tree, holding a wand and a book, wearing a scarf and glasses" title="Young boy sitting by a tree, holding a wand and a book, wearing a scarf and glasses" border="0" width="567" height="378"&gt;&lt;img src="https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/resources/pexels-thatguycraig000-3411132.jpg" alt="" title="" border="0"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;Once Upon a &lt;em&gt;Family&lt;/em&gt; Day&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Come to the building and checkout different stations based around popular children’s books!&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Potions with Harry Potter, Very Hungry Caterpillar Snack station, Pete the Cat music corner and more!&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6799230</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6799230</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Mon, 16 Nov 2026 23:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>Transition to Adulthood Workshop Series (Monday, November 16, 2026)</title>
      <description>&lt;h2&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;Transition to Adulthood Workshop Series&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p&gt;A four-part, weekly workshop series designed to support parents, caregivers, and youth as they prepare for life beyond childhood!&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Each workshop will provide practical tools, expert guidance, and insights into the services and supports available during this important transition. Our goal is to help families plan with confidence. Take the next step toward a successful transition to adulthood!&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;
  &lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6734511</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6734511</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Tue, 17 Nov 2026 14:30:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>CARES: Supporting Caregiver Wellbeing (Tuesday, November 17, 2026)</title>
      <description>&lt;h2&gt;&lt;img src="https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/resources/Pictures/CARES%20logo.png" alt="CARES program logo" title="CARES program logo" border="0" width="533" height="273" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;CARES: Supporting Caregiver Wellbeing&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p data-pm-slice="1 1 []"&gt;Take time to focus on you! CARES is an eight-week, peer-led program designed to help caregivers of loved ones with complex needs build practical skills, strengthen their well-being and connect with others who share similar experiences.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Through weekly group sessions, caregivers will have the opportunity to share experiences, learn strategies to support their mental health and build confidence in navigating everyday challenges.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;The program includes six interactive modules covering caregiver burnout, assertive communication, helpful thinking, managing stress, problem-solving and rewriting our stories.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;CARES is about caring for the caregiver.&lt;/strong&gt; Join a welcoming, supportive space to connect, learn and develop tools that support your well-being, both for yourself and your family.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Learn more about CARES. &lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyGFAc_d8MI" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;u&gt;Click here to watch a short orientation video&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;a href="https://thecaresprogram.org/" target="_blank"&gt;Click here to view the CARES program website&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;
  &lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6876798</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6876798</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Tue, 17 Nov 2026 18:45:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>Speed Connections (Tuesday, November 17, 2026)</title>
      <description>&lt;h1&gt;&lt;img src="https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/resources/2026-08-18%20Speed%20Connections%20cropped%20(8).jpg" alt="" title="" border="0" width="567" height="425"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/h1&gt;

&lt;h1&gt;Speed Connections&lt;/h1&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;Meet, Mingle, Connect!&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Meet New People: Make new connections in one afternoon&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Join us for an exciting event designed for individuals 18+ with developmental disabilities to meet new people, make friends, and explore potential romantic connections in a safe and supportive environment. We will provide topics to help keep the conversations flowing and all matches will be facilitated with care.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;This free event includes an educational workshop, a break and speed connections. The&amp;nbsp;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;educational workshop will be presented by Carol Hicks, Registered Behaviour Analyst.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;u&gt;Itinerary for event:&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0px !important;"&gt;1:45pm - 2:00pm&amp;nbsp; - Registration&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important;"&gt;2:00pm - 2:30pm - Educational Workshop&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important;"&gt;2:30pm - 3:30pm - Speed Connections&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px;"&gt;3:30pm - 4:15pm - Social Time&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important;"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;u&gt;Event Details:&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0px !important;"&gt;When: Tuesday, November 17, 2026&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="line-height: 26px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important;"&gt;Time: 1:45pm-4:15pm&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="line-height: 26px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important;"&gt;Where: Sala 61, 125 Vansickle Road, St.Catharines, ON (Easily accessible by public transit)&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px !important;"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="margin-top: 0px !important;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;u&gt;Note:&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Food &amp;amp; Drinks will be available for purchase at Sala 61.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;If you require support for this event, our Passport Department is here to help! Please contact Ashleigh Geroux at &lt;a href="mailto:ageroux@bethesdaservices.com" target="_blank"&gt;ageroux@bethesdaservices.com&lt;/a&gt; for more information.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;font&gt;Sign up early to secure your spot! Registration deadline is&lt;strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;November 7, 2026.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Scan QR Code to Register!&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;For more information, contact Leah Jeffery at &lt;a href="mailto:ljeffery@bethesdaservices.com"&gt;ljeffery@bethesdaservices.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6818313</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6818313</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Tue, 17 Nov 2026 22:45:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>Financial Planning Workshop (Tuesday, November 17, 2026)</title>
      <description>&lt;h2&gt;&lt;img src="https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/resources/Financial%20Planning%20Workshop%202025-07-10.jpg" alt="Financial Planning, parents with child, man, woman, child, baby, computer, using computer" title="Financial Planning, parents with child, man, woman, child, baby, computer, using computer" border="0" width="567" height="378"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;Financial Planning Workshop&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Are You Planning for Your Loved Ones' and Your Future?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Join Us!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;For a free and informative workshop on planning for your own financial future, along with planning for your child or loved one with a developmental and/or intellectual disability. Learn ways to prepare yourself and your loved ones for the future.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;strong&gt;LEARN ABOUT:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;div style="margin-left: 4em"&gt;
  &lt;ul&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;Registered Disability Savings Plan&lt;/li&gt;

    &lt;li&gt;Registered Education Savings Plan&lt;/li&gt;

    &lt;li&gt;Disability Tax Credit&lt;/li&gt;

    &lt;li&gt;Wills and Planned Giving&lt;/li&gt;

    &lt;li&gt;Henson Trusts&lt;/li&gt;

    &lt;li&gt;Power of Attorney&lt;/li&gt;
  &lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Presented in Partnership with C.R. Smith Financial&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6855056</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6855056</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Tue, 17 Nov 2026 23:30:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>Queer and Questioning: A Support Group for Queer Youth and their Parents/Caregivers (Tuesday, November 17, 2026)</title>
      <description>&lt;h2&gt;&lt;img src="https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/resources/Pictures/Gender%20Rocks.jpg" alt="a group of teens, standing against a pink wall, wearing pink tops" title="a group of teens, standing against a pink wall, wearing pink tops" border="0" width="567" height="378"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;Queer and Questioning: A Support Group for Queer Youth and their Parents/Caregivers&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p&gt;In Partnership with Quest Community Health Center, we invite you to this engaging support group where parents and youth will work separately and collaboratively to understand what it means to be queer, and how families can effectively support their youth.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6799151</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6799151</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Wed, 18 Nov 2026 23:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>PEERS | 14-17 years (Wednesday, November 18, 2026)</title>
      <description>&lt;h2&gt;&lt;img src="https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/resources/Pictures/Peer%20Mentor%20-%20unplash.jpg" alt="Photo of teens - children and youth PEER event" title="Photo of teens - children and youth PEER event" border="0" width="567" height="378"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;PEERS&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;h3&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 24px;"&gt;Ages 14-17 years&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;

&lt;p&gt;PEERS is an evidence based social skills intervention for motivated teens currently in high school who are interested in making and keeping friends and/or handling conflict. Teens and parents attend 14-weekly group sessions for 90 minutes per week.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Teens are taught social skills through didactic lessons and role-play demonstrations, and practice these skills during group socialization activities. Parents attend separate sessions simultaneously and are taught how to assist their teens in making and keeping friends. Parent participation required.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;u&gt;A Group Meet and Greet will take place at the Niagara Family Centre on August 19 at 6:00pm - 7:00pm&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6766297</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6766297</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Wed, 18 Nov 2026 23:30:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>Youth Workshop: Internet Safety (Wednesday, November 18, 2026)</title>
      <description>&lt;img src="https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/resources/Pictures/Online%20Safety.jpg" alt="Young teen working on a computer and learning how to use technology" title="Young teen working on a computer and learning how to use technology" border="0" width="567" height="352"&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;Youth Workshop: Internet Safety&amp;nbsp;&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p&gt;This interactive workshop is designed for teens who are interested in learning tools and strategies for using the internet safely. Topics include digital etiquette, risks and benefits of social media and private vs public information.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6796829</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6796829</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Thu, 19 Nov 2026 14:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>Mental Health First Aid - Essentials Training (Thursday, November 19, 2026)</title>
      <description>&lt;h1&gt;&lt;img src="https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/resources/Pictures/Mental%20Health%20Training%20-%20pexels-silverkblack-36729377.jpg" alt="A woman and girl having a conversation and receiving support for mental health" title="A woman and girl having a conversation and receiving support for mental health" border="0" width="567" height="319"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/h1&gt;

&lt;h1&gt;Mental Health First Aid -&amp;nbsp; Essentials Training&lt;/h1&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Essentials equips you with practical skills to support someone facing a &amp;nbsp;mental health or substance use challenge until professional help is available. The course builds confidence, reduces stigma, and enhances self-care, offering a strong foundation in MHFA principles without formal certification. MHFA Essentials is ideal for individuals, teams, and communities in any setting.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;MHFA provides the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for participants to recognize changes in mental health, respond supportively, and apply practical actions for declining mental health and crisis situations. It helps participants build confidence, reduce stigma, and enhance their own mental health.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Objectives&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;The MHFA course helps participants:&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;
  &lt;ul&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Increase their awareness of mental health&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

    &lt;li style="list-style: none; display: inline"&gt;
      &lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;
        &lt;ul&gt;
          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Distinguish between mental health, mental illness, and mental health conditions&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Recognize indicators of mental health across the continuum (optimal, declining, poor)&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
        &lt;/ul&gt;
      &lt;/div&gt;
    &lt;/li&gt;

    &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Improve their confidence to provide help&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

    &lt;li style="list-style: none; display: inline"&gt;
      &lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;
        &lt;ul&gt;
          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Apply the ALGES framework in scenarios of declining mental health and crisis&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Demonstrate empathy and effective listening skills in supportive interactions&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Communicate non-judgmentally using verbal and non-verbal skills&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Provide reassurance and appropriate information in supportive conversations&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Explain recovery-oriented approaches to providing support&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
        &lt;/ul&gt;
      &lt;/div&gt;
    &lt;/li&gt;

    &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Decrease their mental health-related stigma&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

    &lt;li style="list-style: none; display: inline"&gt;
      &lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;
        &lt;ul&gt;
          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Recognize stigmatizing language and practice respectful alternatives&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Reflect on personal attitudes and biases that contribute to stigma&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Understand risks and limitations associated with diagnostic labeling&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
        &lt;/ul&gt;
      &lt;/div&gt;
    &lt;/li&gt;

    &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Enhance their mental health&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

    &lt;li style="list-style: none; display: inline"&gt;
      &lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;
        &lt;ul style="margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px !important;"&gt;
          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Identify personal self-care strategies using the Three Pillars of Self-Care:&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li style="list-style: none; display: inline"&gt;
            &lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;
              &lt;ul style="margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px !important;"&gt;
                &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Reflective, Purposeful, and Boundaries&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
              &lt;/ul&gt;
            &lt;/div&gt;
          &lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Recognize when self-care is needed as a Mental Health First Aiders and how to integrate it into daily life&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Commit to intentional self-care actions to maintain personal well-being as a Mental Health First Aider&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
        &lt;/ul&gt;
      &lt;/div&gt;
    &lt;/li&gt;
  &lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;p style="margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Event Details:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0px !important;"&gt;When: Wednesday, November 19 to Thursday, November 20&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="line-height: 26px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important;"&gt;Time: 9:00am-4:00pm&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="line-height: 26px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px;"&gt;Where: 3280 Schmon Parkway, 2nd Floor Boardroom, Thorold, ON&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="line-height: 26px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important;"&gt;Cost: $100&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px !important;"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="margin-top: 0px !important;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Note:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Sign up early to secure your spot! Registration deadline is &lt;strong&gt;Sunday, November 1, 2026.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;For more information, contact Leah Jeffery at &lt;a href="mailto:ljeffery@bethesdaservices.com" target="_blank"&gt;ljeffery@bethesdaservices.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6784018</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6784018</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2026 14:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>Mental Health First Aid - Essentials Training (Friday, November 20, 2026)</title>
      <description>&lt;h1&gt;&lt;img src="https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/resources/Pictures/Mental%20Health%20Training%20-%20pexels-silverkblack-36729377.jpg" alt="A woman and girl having a conversation and receiving support for mental health" title="A woman and girl having a conversation and receiving support for mental health" border="0" width="567" height="319"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/h1&gt;

&lt;h1&gt;Mental Health First Aid -&amp;nbsp; Essentials Training&lt;/h1&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Essentials equips you with practical skills to support someone facing a &amp;nbsp;mental health or substance use challenge until professional help is available. The course builds confidence, reduces stigma, and enhances self-care, offering a strong foundation in MHFA principles without formal certification. MHFA Essentials is ideal for individuals, teams, and communities in any setting.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;MHFA provides the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for participants to recognize changes in mental health, respond supportively, and apply practical actions for declining mental health and crisis situations. It helps participants build confidence, reduce stigma, and enhance their own mental health.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Objectives&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;The MHFA course helps participants:&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;
  &lt;ul&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Increase their awareness of mental health&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

    &lt;li style="list-style: none; display: inline"&gt;
      &lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;
        &lt;ul&gt;
          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Distinguish between mental health, mental illness, and mental health conditions&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Recognize indicators of mental health across the continuum (optimal, declining, poor)&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
        &lt;/ul&gt;
      &lt;/div&gt;
    &lt;/li&gt;

    &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Improve their confidence to provide help&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

    &lt;li style="list-style: none; display: inline"&gt;
      &lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;
        &lt;ul&gt;
          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Apply the ALGES framework in scenarios of declining mental health and crisis&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Demonstrate empathy and effective listening skills in supportive interactions&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Communicate non-judgmentally using verbal and non-verbal skills&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Provide reassurance and appropriate information in supportive conversations&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Explain recovery-oriented approaches to providing support&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
        &lt;/ul&gt;
      &lt;/div&gt;
    &lt;/li&gt;

    &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Decrease their mental health-related stigma&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

    &lt;li style="list-style: none; display: inline"&gt;
      &lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;
        &lt;ul&gt;
          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Recognize stigmatizing language and practice respectful alternatives&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Reflect on personal attitudes and biases that contribute to stigma&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Understand risks and limitations associated with diagnostic labeling&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
        &lt;/ul&gt;
      &lt;/div&gt;
    &lt;/li&gt;

    &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Enhance their mental health&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

    &lt;li style="list-style: none; display: inline"&gt;
      &lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;
        &lt;ul style="margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px !important;"&gt;
          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Identify personal self-care strategies using the Three Pillars of Self-Care:&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li style="list-style: none; display: inline"&gt;
            &lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;
              &lt;ul style="margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px !important;"&gt;
                &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Reflective, Purposeful, and Boundaries&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
              &lt;/ul&gt;
            &lt;/div&gt;
          &lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Recognize when self-care is needed as a Mental Health First Aiders and how to integrate it into daily life&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Commit to intentional self-care actions to maintain personal well-being as a Mental Health First Aider&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
        &lt;/ul&gt;
      &lt;/div&gt;
    &lt;/li&gt;
  &lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;p style="margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Event Details:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0px !important;"&gt;When: Wednesday, November 19 to Thursday, November 20&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="line-height: 26px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important;"&gt;Time: 9:00am-4:00pm&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="line-height: 26px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px;"&gt;Where: 3280 Schmon Parkway, 2nd Floor Boardroom, Thorold, ON&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="line-height: 26px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important;"&gt;Cost: $100&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px !important;"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="margin-top: 0px !important;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Note:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Sign up early to secure your spot! Registration deadline is &lt;strong&gt;Sunday, November 1, 2026.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;For more information, contact Leah Jeffery at &lt;a href="mailto:ljeffery@bethesdaservices.com" target="_blank"&gt;ljeffery@bethesdaservices.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6784018</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6784018</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Mon, 23 Nov 2026 15:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>Creative Coffee Chats (Monday, November 23, 2026)</title>
      <description>&lt;h2&gt;&lt;img src="https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/resources/Pictures/Coffee%20chat.jpg" alt="Two women sitting at a table with cups of coffee and chatting" title="Two women sitting at a table with cups of coffee and chatting" border="0" width="567" height="378"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;Creative Coffee Chats&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p&gt;We’re incorporating art into our coffee chats. Do you have questions? We have answers!&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Coffee Chats are a parent support group in which parents/grandparents/guardians come together to learn, grow and find connections.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;This group is led by our Service Coordinator, Tonya White, and Lianne Wyatt, our Caregiver Engagement Lead, and runs throughout the year to offer emotional support to families.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6798203</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6798203</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Mon, 23 Nov 2026 23:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>Transition to Adulthood Workshop Series (Monday, November 23, 2026)</title>
      <description>&lt;h2&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;Transition to Adulthood Workshop Series&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p&gt;A four-part, weekly workshop series designed to support parents, caregivers, and youth as they prepare for life beyond childhood!&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Each workshop will provide practical tools, expert guidance, and insights into the services and supports available during this important transition. Our goal is to help families plan with confidence. Take the next step toward a successful transition to adulthood!&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;
  &lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6734511</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6734511</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2026 14:30:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>CARES: Supporting Caregiver Wellbeing (Tuesday, November 24, 2026)</title>
      <description>&lt;h2&gt;&lt;img src="https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/resources/Pictures/CARES%20logo.png" alt="CARES program logo" title="CARES program logo" border="0" width="533" height="273" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;CARES: Supporting Caregiver Wellbeing&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p data-pm-slice="1 1 []"&gt;Take time to focus on you! CARES is an eight-week, peer-led program designed to help caregivers of loved ones with complex needs build practical skills, strengthen their well-being and connect with others who share similar experiences.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Through weekly group sessions, caregivers will have the opportunity to share experiences, learn strategies to support their mental health and build confidence in navigating everyday challenges.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;The program includes six interactive modules covering caregiver burnout, assertive communication, helpful thinking, managing stress, problem-solving and rewriting our stories.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;CARES is about caring for the caregiver.&lt;/strong&gt; Join a welcoming, supportive space to connect, learn and develop tools that support your well-being, both for yourself and your family.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Learn more about CARES. &lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyGFAc_d8MI" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;u&gt;Click here to watch a short orientation video&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;a href="https://thecaresprogram.org/" target="_blank"&gt;Click here to view the CARES program website&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;
  &lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6876798</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6876798</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2026 23:30:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>Queer and Questioning: A Support Group for Queer Youth and their Parents/Caregivers (Tuesday, November 24, 2026)</title>
      <description>&lt;h2&gt;&lt;img src="https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/resources/Pictures/Gender%20Rocks.jpg" alt="a group of teens, standing against a pink wall, wearing pink tops" title="a group of teens, standing against a pink wall, wearing pink tops" border="0" width="567" height="378"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;Queer and Questioning: A Support Group for Queer Youth and their Parents/Caregivers&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p&gt;In Partnership with Quest Community Health Center, we invite you to this engaging support group where parents and youth will work separately and collaboratively to understand what it means to be queer, and how families can effectively support their youth.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6799151</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6799151</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2026 23:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>PEERS | 14-17 years (Wednesday, November 25, 2026)</title>
      <description>&lt;h2&gt;&lt;img src="https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/resources/Pictures/Peer%20Mentor%20-%20unplash.jpg" alt="Photo of teens - children and youth PEER event" title="Photo of teens - children and youth PEER event" border="0" width="567" height="378"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;PEERS&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;h3&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 24px;"&gt;Ages 14-17 years&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;

&lt;p&gt;PEERS is an evidence based social skills intervention for motivated teens currently in high school who are interested in making and keeping friends and/or handling conflict. Teens and parents attend 14-weekly group sessions for 90 minutes per week.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Teens are taught social skills through didactic lessons and role-play demonstrations, and practice these skills during group socialization activities. Parents attend separate sessions simultaneously and are taught how to assist their teens in making and keeping friends. Parent participation required.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;u&gt;A Group Meet and Greet will take place at the Niagara Family Centre on August 19 at 6:00pm - 7:00pm&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6766297</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6766297</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2026 23:30:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>Exploring Pathways: Early Steps Towards the Transition to Adulthood (Wednesday, November 25, 2026)</title>
      <description>&lt;img src="https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/resources/Pictures/Pathways%20to%20Employment.jpg" alt="Blond girl sitting on bed working on laptop" title="Blond girl sitting on bed working on laptop" border="0" width="567" height="378"&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;Exploring Pathways: Early Steps Towards the Transition to Adulthood&amp;nbsp;&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p&gt;The transtion to adulthood is a long process, but the earlier you start the better prepared you will be when your child reaches that milestone. This workshop will review practical steps that you can take now to prepare for your child’s transition to adulthood.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;This workshop is here to support caregivers of youth aged 8-12 years.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6798047</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6798047</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Sat, 28 Nov 2026 20:30:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>PASSPORT Supported Social Event: Cozy November Social (Saturday, November 28, 2026)</title>
      <description>&lt;h1 style="background-color: transparent;"&gt;&lt;img src="https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/resources/Pictures/pexels-shvets-production-8416232.jpg" alt="Photo by SHVETS production: https://www.pexels.com/photo/people-in-pajamas-with-pillows-in-hands-8416232/" title="Photo by SHVETS production: https://www.pexels.com/photo/people-in-pajamas-with-pillows-in-hands-8416232/" border="0" width="567" height="378"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/h1&gt;

&lt;h1 style="background-color: transparent;"&gt;Passport Adult Services Supported Social Event:&lt;/h1&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;Cozy November Social&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Come join us for a cozy Slumber Party!&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Put on your coziest outfit and get ready for an evening filled with laughter, friendship, and fun! Whether you love a comfy matching set, your favourite cozy clothes, or want to embrace the slumber party theme, come dressed for comfort for a fun evening out with friends!&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;This is the perfect opportunity to meet new friends, reconnect with familiar faces, and enjoy a relaxed evening with peers. We’ll be celebrating with fun games, tasty food, and activities to make the evening extra special. Get creative as we decorate our very own pillowcases to take home as a keepsake from our cozy night together!&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;This is a fee-for-service event, and participants will receive 4 hours of support from experienced Bethesda staff in a 3:1 support ratio. This event is perfect for individuals looking for opportunities to socialize with peers in a fun, welcoming environment with the support of our kind and caring staff, or for primary caregivers looking for an evening respite option.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Your cost includes:&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;ul&gt;
  &lt;li&gt;4 hours of direct support&lt;/li&gt;

  &lt;li&gt;Pillow Case decorating activity&lt;/li&gt;

  &lt;li&gt;Games and activities&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;

&lt;p&gt;*additional $4.00 charge for Pizza, pop, and snacks&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="background-color: transparent;"&gt;&lt;font color="#1F4970"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;u&gt;Details:&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 0px !important;"&gt;&lt;font color="#1F4970"&gt;Date of event: Saturday, November 28, 2026&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 27px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px;"&gt;&lt;font color="#1F4970"&gt;Price of event: $120 per person&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 27px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important;"&gt;&lt;font color="#1F4970"&gt;Additional $4.00 charge for Pizza, pop and snacks&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important;"&gt;&lt;font color="#1F4970"&gt;Time of event: 3:30pm - 7:30pm&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Pre-Registration is required to attend this event.&lt;br&gt;
Registration closes on Monday, November 16 at 4:00pm&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="background-color: transparent;"&gt;&lt;font color="#1F4970"&gt;Please connect with Ashleigh Geroux, Manager, Adult Supported Living, Fee-for-Service if you have any questions about this event.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;blockquote style="background-color: transparent;"&gt;
  &lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0px !important;"&gt;&lt;font color="#1F4970"&gt;905.684.6918 ext. 385&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

  &lt;p style="margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px;"&gt;&lt;font color="#1F4970"&gt;ageroux@bethesdaservices.com&amp;nbsp;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

  &lt;p style="margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important;"&gt;&lt;font color="#1F4970"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

  &lt;p style="margin-top: 0px !important;"&gt;&lt;font color="#1F4970"&gt;&lt;font&gt;*The cost for this event can be submitted for reimbursement through the&amp;nbsp;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.ontario.ca/page/passport-program-adults-developmental-disability"&gt;&lt;u&gt;Passport Funding Program&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/blockquote&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6904198</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6904198</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Tue, 01 Dec 2026 14:30:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>CARES: Supporting Caregiver Wellbeing (Tuesday, December 01, 2026)</title>
      <description>&lt;h2&gt;&lt;img src="https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/resources/Pictures/CARES%20logo.png" alt="CARES program logo" title="CARES program logo" border="0" width="533" height="273" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;CARES: Supporting Caregiver Wellbeing&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p data-pm-slice="1 1 []"&gt;Take time to focus on you! CARES is an eight-week, peer-led program designed to help caregivers of loved ones with complex needs build practical skills, strengthen their well-being and connect with others who share similar experiences.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Through weekly group sessions, caregivers will have the opportunity to share experiences, learn strategies to support their mental health and build confidence in navigating everyday challenges.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;The program includes six interactive modules covering caregiver burnout, assertive communication, helpful thinking, managing stress, problem-solving and rewriting our stories.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;CARES is about caring for the caregiver.&lt;/strong&gt; Join a welcoming, supportive space to connect, learn and develop tools that support your well-being, both for yourself and your family.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Learn more about CARES. &lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyGFAc_d8MI" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;u&gt;Click here to watch a short orientation video&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;a href="https://thecaresprogram.org/" target="_blank"&gt;Click here to view the CARES program website&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;
  &lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6876798</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6876798</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Tue, 01 Dec 2026 23:30:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>Queer and Questioning: A Support Group for Queer Youth and their Parents/Caregivers (Tuesday, December 01, 2026)</title>
      <description>&lt;h2&gt;&lt;img src="https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/resources/Pictures/Gender%20Rocks.jpg" alt="a group of teens, standing against a pink wall, wearing pink tops" title="a group of teens, standing against a pink wall, wearing pink tops" border="0" width="567" height="378"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;Queer and Questioning: A Support Group for Queer Youth and their Parents/Caregivers&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p&gt;In Partnership with Quest Community Health Center, we invite you to this engaging support group where parents and youth will work separately and collaboratively to understand what it means to be queer, and how families can effectively support their youth.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6799151</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6799151</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Wed, 02 Dec 2026 23:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>PEERS | 14-17 years (Wednesday, December 02, 2026)</title>
      <description>&lt;h2&gt;&lt;img src="https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/resources/Pictures/Peer%20Mentor%20-%20unplash.jpg" alt="Photo of teens - children and youth PEER event" title="Photo of teens - children and youth PEER event" border="0" width="567" height="378"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;PEERS&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;h3&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 24px;"&gt;Ages 14-17 years&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;

&lt;p&gt;PEERS is an evidence based social skills intervention for motivated teens currently in high school who are interested in making and keeping friends and/or handling conflict. Teens and parents attend 14-weekly group sessions for 90 minutes per week.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Teens are taught social skills through didactic lessons and role-play demonstrations, and practice these skills during group socialization activities. Parents attend separate sessions simultaneously and are taught how to assist their teens in making and keeping friends. Parent participation required.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;u&gt;A Group Meet and Greet will take place at the Niagara Family Centre on August 19 at 6:00pm - 7:00pm&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6766297</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6766297</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Wed, 02 Dec 2026 23:30:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>Caregiver Club (Holiday Crafting) (Wednesday, December 02, 2026)</title>
      <description>&lt;h2&gt;&lt;img src="https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/resources/Pictures/Holiday%20Crafting%20-%20pexels-givingtuesday-9826019.jpg" alt="group of individuals working on holiday crafts at table" title="group of individuals working on holiday crafts at table" border="0" width="567" height="393"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;Caregiver Club&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;h3&gt;Wednesday, December 2 - Holiday Crafting&lt;/h3&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Could you use a night out once a month just to relax and have some fun with other grown-ups (and no children)?&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Join us on the first Wednesday of every month for our Caregiver Club! We'll plan something a little different for each month - your ideas and suggestions are always welcome.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Light refreshments will be provided. Come out and enjoy a little R&amp;amp;R and make some new friends!&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6798159</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6798159</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Tue, 08 Dec 2026 14:30:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>CARES: Supporting Caregiver Wellbeing (Tuesday, December 08, 2026)</title>
      <description>&lt;h2&gt;&lt;img src="https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/resources/Pictures/CARES%20logo.png" alt="CARES program logo" title="CARES program logo" border="0" width="533" height="273" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;CARES: Supporting Caregiver Wellbeing&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p data-pm-slice="1 1 []"&gt;Take time to focus on you! CARES is an eight-week, peer-led program designed to help caregivers of loved ones with complex needs build practical skills, strengthen their well-being and connect with others who share similar experiences.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Through weekly group sessions, caregivers will have the opportunity to share experiences, learn strategies to support their mental health and build confidence in navigating everyday challenges.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;The program includes six interactive modules covering caregiver burnout, assertive communication, helpful thinking, managing stress, problem-solving and rewriting our stories.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;CARES is about caring for the caregiver.&lt;/strong&gt; Join a welcoming, supportive space to connect, learn and develop tools that support your well-being, both for yourself and your family.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Learn more about CARES. &lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyGFAc_d8MI" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;u&gt;Click here to watch a short orientation video&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;a href="https://thecaresprogram.org/" target="_blank"&gt;Click here to view the CARES program website&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;
  &lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6876798</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6876798</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Tue, 08 Dec 2026 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>Helping Teens Cope with Depression (Tuesday, December 08, 2026)</title>
      <description>&lt;img src="https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/resources/Pictures/pexels-andrea-piacquadio-3769995.jpg" alt="Parent helping child with homework" title="Parent helping child with homework" border="0" width="567" height="378"&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;Helping Teens Cope with Depression&amp;nbsp;&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p&gt;A psycho-educational workshop designed for parents and caregivers of teenagers who are struggling with depression and/or depressive symptoms.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;This workshop will explore depression from a mental health perspective, highlighting the differences between depression and other emotions such as sadness or grief, as well as the criteria that indicate a potential clinical diagnosis of a depressive disorder or episode.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Some basic coping strategies for depression will be shared, as well as providing some general tips for caregivers who are supporting a teen with depression.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6796838</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6796838</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Tue, 08 Dec 2026 22:30:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>Magical Family Sign Along (Tuesday, December 08, 2026)</title>
      <description>&lt;h2&gt;&lt;img src="https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/resources/pexels-thatguycraig000-3411132.jpg" alt="" title="" border="0"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;Magical Family Sing Along&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Join us for a fun, inclusive family event designed to bring children, youth, caregivers and families together through music and movement. The event will feature a mix of familiar Disney songs, winter themed favourites and a small selection of holiday songs. The whole family is welcome&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6888438</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6888438</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Wed, 09 Dec 2026 23:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>PEERS | 14-17 years (Wednesday, December 09, 2026)</title>
      <description>&lt;h2&gt;&lt;img src="https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/resources/Pictures/Peer%20Mentor%20-%20unplash.jpg" alt="Photo of teens - children and youth PEER event" title="Photo of teens - children and youth PEER event" border="0" width="567" height="378"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;PEERS&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;h3&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 24px;"&gt;Ages 14-17 years&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;

&lt;p&gt;PEERS is an evidence based social skills intervention for motivated teens currently in high school who are interested in making and keeping friends and/or handling conflict. Teens and parents attend 14-weekly group sessions for 90 minutes per week.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Teens are taught social skills through didactic lessons and role-play demonstrations, and practice these skills during group socialization activities. Parents attend separate sessions simultaneously and are taught how to assist their teens in making and keeping friends. Parent participation required.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;u&gt;A Group Meet and Greet will take place at the Niagara Family Centre on August 19 at 6:00pm - 7:00pm&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6766297</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6766297</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Wed, 09 Dec 2026 23:30:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>Surviving the Holidays (Wednesday, December 09, 2026)</title>
      <description>&lt;img src="https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/resources/Pictures/2024-12-03%20Teens%20Dancing.jpg" alt="youth in festive hats celebrating" title="youth in festive hats celebrating" border="0" width="567" height="487"&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;Surviving the Holidays&amp;nbsp;&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Caregivers will learn strategies to prepare their child for being off of school and having a different routine during the holidays. Caregivers will also be provided an activity guide with ideas to keep their children busy during the holidays&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6797673</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6797673</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Tue, 15 Dec 2026 14:30:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>CARES: Supporting Caregiver Wellbeing (Tuesday, December 15, 2026)</title>
      <description>&lt;h2&gt;&lt;img src="https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/resources/Pictures/CARES%20logo.png" alt="CARES program logo" title="CARES program logo" border="0" width="533" height="273" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;CARES: Supporting Caregiver Wellbeing&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p data-pm-slice="1 1 []"&gt;Take time to focus on you! CARES is an eight-week, peer-led program designed to help caregivers of loved ones with complex needs build practical skills, strengthen their well-being and connect with others who share similar experiences.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Through weekly group sessions, caregivers will have the opportunity to share experiences, learn strategies to support their mental health and build confidence in navigating everyday challenges.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;The program includes six interactive modules covering caregiver burnout, assertive communication, helpful thinking, managing stress, problem-solving and rewriting our stories.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;CARES is about caring for the caregiver.&lt;/strong&gt; Join a welcoming, supportive space to connect, learn and develop tools that support your well-being, both for yourself and your family.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Learn more about CARES. &lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyGFAc_d8MI" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;u&gt;Click here to watch a short orientation video&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;a href="https://thecaresprogram.org/" target="_blank"&gt;Click here to view the CARES program website&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;
  &lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6876798</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6876798</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Mon, 21 Dec 2026 14:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>Holiday Group Registration | Ages 4-6 years (Monday, December 21, 2026)</title>
      <description>&lt;h2&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;Holiday Group Registration&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;h3&gt;Ages 4-6 years&lt;br&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;

&lt;p class="contStyleCaption"&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;One registration form for all groups in this age range.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;em style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;We’ve made registration easier for families. Complete one form for all recreational programs listed below, and choose your first, second, and third choices.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;Our team will review each registration carefully and consider your child’s selections, needs, group fit and available space. Programs are not filled on a first-come, first-served basis.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;&lt;u&gt;Holiday Groups&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;PJ's and Create&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;Monday, December 21&lt;/font&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;9:00am - 11:00am&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Cocoa and Games&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/font&gt; &lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;Wednesday, December 23&lt;/font&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;9:00am - 11:00am&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;PJ's and Movie&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;Thursday, December 24&lt;/font&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;9:00am - 11:30am&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;Chill Hangout&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;Tuesday, December 29&lt;/font&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;9:00am - 11:00am&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;Dance and Movement&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;Wednesday, December 30&lt;/font&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;9:00am - 11:00am&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6885990</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6885990</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Mon, 21 Dec 2026 14:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>Holiday Group Registration | Ages 7-9 years (Monday, December 21, 2026)</title>
      <description>&lt;h2&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;Holiday Group Registration&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;h3&gt;Ages 7-9 years&lt;/h3&gt;

&lt;p class="contStyleCaption"&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;One registration form for all groups in this age range.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;em style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;We’ve made registration easier for families. Complete one form for all recreational programs listed below, and choose your first, second, and third choices.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;Our team will review each registration carefully and consider your child’s selections, needs, group fit and available space. Programs are not filled on a first-come, first-served basis.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;&lt;u&gt;Holiday Groups&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;PJ's and Create&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;Monday, December 21&lt;/font&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;9:30am - 12:00pm&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Cocoa and Games&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/font&gt; &lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;Wednesday, December 23&lt;/font&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;9:30am - 12:00pm&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;PJ's and Movie&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;Thursday, December 24&lt;/font&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;9:00am - 11:30am&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;Chill Hangout&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;Tuesday, December 29&lt;/font&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;9:30am - 12:00pm&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;Dance and Movement&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;Wednesday, December 30&lt;/font&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;9:30am - 12:00pm&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;NYE Pre-Party&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;Thursday, December 31&lt;/font&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;9:00am - 11:00am&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6886012</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6886012</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Mon, 21 Dec 2026 18:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>Holiday Group Registration | Ages 10-13 years (Monday, December 21, 2026)</title>
      <description>&lt;h2&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;Holiday Group Registration&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;h3&gt;Ages 10-13 years&lt;/h3&gt;

&lt;p class="contStyleCaption"&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;One registration form for all groups in this age range.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;em style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;We’ve made registration easier for families. Complete one form for all recreational programs listed below, and choose your first, second, and third choices.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;Our team will review each registration carefully and consider your child’s selections, needs, group fit and available space. Programs are not filled on a first-come, first-served basis.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;&lt;u&gt;Holiday Groups&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;PJ's and Games&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;Monday, December 21&lt;/font&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;1:00pm - 3:30pm&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Cookie Decorating&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/font&gt; &lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;Tuesday, December 22&lt;/font&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;1:00pm - 3:30pm&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Chill Hangout&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;Tuesday, December 29&lt;/font&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;1:00pm - 3:30pm&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;Sound Lounge&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;Wednesday, December 30&lt;/font&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;1:00pm - 3:30pm&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;NYE Pre-Party&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;Thursday, December 31&lt;/font&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;9:00am - 11:00am&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6886936</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6886936</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Mon, 21 Dec 2026 18:30:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>Holiday Group Registration | Ages 14-17 years (Monday, December 21, 2026)</title>
      <description>&lt;h2&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;Holiday Group Registration&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;h3&gt;Ages 14-17 years&lt;/h3&gt;

&lt;p class="contStyleCaption"&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;One registration form for all groups in this age range.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;em style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;We’ve made registration easier for families. Complete one form for all recreational programs listed below, and choose your first, second, and third choices.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;Our team will review each registration carefully and consider your child’s selections, needs, group fit and available space. Programs are not filled on a first-come, first-served basis.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;&lt;u&gt;Holiday Groups&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;PJ's and Games&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;Monday, December 21&lt;/font&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;1:30pm - 4:00pm&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Cookie Decorating&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/font&gt; &lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;Tuesday, December 22&lt;/font&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;1:30pm - 4:00pm&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Chill Hangout&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;Tuesday, December 29&lt;/font&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;1:30pm - 4:00pm&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;Sound Lounge&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;Wednesday, December 30&lt;/font&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;1:30pm - 4:00pm&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;&lt;font&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 14px;"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6888430</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6888430</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Tue, 22 Dec 2026 15:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>Movies: Hexed (Tuesday, December 22, 2026)</title>
      <description>&lt;h2&gt;&lt;img src="https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/resources/pexels-thatguycraig000-3411132.jpg" alt="" title="" border="0"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;Movies: Hexed&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Watch Hexed at Landmark Cinemas with us. The whole family is welcome!&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Tuesday, December 22nd&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Movie starts at 10 am, doors open at 9:30.&lt;br&gt;
Popcorn and snacks are available for purchase.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6888453</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6888453</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Wed, 23 Dec 2026 18:30:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>Family Skate (Wednesday, December 23, 2026)</title>
      <description>&lt;h2&gt;&lt;img src="https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/resources/pexels-thatguycraig000-3411132.jpg" alt="" title="" border="0"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;Family Skate&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Your whole family is invited to the Brock Canada Games facility, strap on your skates and go. All children under the age of 14 must wear a helmet on the ice.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;*Please note that skates and helmets are not provided.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6888442</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6888442</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Thu, 14 Jan 2027 14:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>Mental Health First Aid - Certification Training (Thursday, January 14, 2027)</title>
      <description>&lt;h1&gt;&lt;img src="https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/resources/Pictures/Certification%20-%20pexels-pavel-danilyuk-7942430.jpg" alt="" title="" border="0"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/h1&gt;

&lt;h1&gt;Mental Health First Aid -&amp;nbsp; Certification Training&lt;/h1&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Mental Health First Aid: Certification a new addition to the training portfolio, provides participants with a robust program leading to a nationally recognized Mental Health First Aid certification valid for three years. Through the course, participants increase mental health awareness, build confidence to provide support, reduce stigma, and enhance their own mental well-being. The course is delivered in a two-day, scenario-based format.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) provides the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for participants to recognize changes in mental health, respond supportively, and apply practical actions for declining mental health and crisis situations. It helps participants build confidence, reduce stigma, and enhance their own mental health.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Objectives&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;The MHFA course helps participants:&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;
  &lt;ul&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Increase their awareness of mental health&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

    &lt;li style="list-style: none; display: inline"&gt;
      &lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;
        &lt;ul&gt;
          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Distinguish between mental health, mental illness, and mental health conditions&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Recognize indicators of mental health across the continuum (optimal, declining, poor)&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
        &lt;/ul&gt;
      &lt;/div&gt;
    &lt;/li&gt;

    &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Improve their confidence to provide help&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

    &lt;li style="list-style: none; display: inline"&gt;
      &lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;
        &lt;ul&gt;
          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Apply the ALGES framework in scenarios of declining mental health and crisis&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Demonstrate empathy and effective listening skills in supportive interactions&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Communicate non-judgmentally using verbal and non-verbal skills&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Provide reassurance and appropriate information in supportive conversations&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Explain recovery-oriented approaches to providing support&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
        &lt;/ul&gt;
      &lt;/div&gt;
    &lt;/li&gt;

    &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Decrease their mental health-related stigma&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

    &lt;li style="list-style: none; display: inline"&gt;
      &lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;
        &lt;ul&gt;
          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Recognize stigmatizing language and practice respectful alternatives&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Reflect on personal attitudes and biases that contribute to stigma&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Understand risks and limitations associated with diagnostic labeling&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
        &lt;/ul&gt;
      &lt;/div&gt;
    &lt;/li&gt;

    &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Enhance their mental health&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

    &lt;li style="list-style: none; display: inline"&gt;
      &lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;
        &lt;ul style="margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px !important;"&gt;
          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Identify personal self-care strategies using the Three Pillars of Self-Care:&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li style="list-style: none; display: inline"&gt;
            &lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;
              &lt;ul style="margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px !important;"&gt;
                &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Reflective, Purposeful, and Boundaries&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
              &lt;/ul&gt;
            &lt;/div&gt;
          &lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Recognize when self-care is needed as a Mental Health First Aiders and how to integrate it into daily life&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Commit to intentional self-care actions to maintain personal well-being as a Mental Health First Aider&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
        &lt;/ul&gt;
      &lt;/div&gt;
    &lt;/li&gt;
  &lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;p style="margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Event Details:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0px !important;"&gt;When: Wednesday, January 14 &amp;amp; Thursday, January 15, 2027&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="line-height: 26px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important;"&gt;Time: 9:00am-4:00pm&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="line-height: 26px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px;"&gt;Where: 3280 Schmon Parkway, 2nd Floor Boardroom, Thorold, ON&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="line-height: 26px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important;"&gt;Cost: $150&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px !important;"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="margin-top: 0px !important;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Note:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Sign up early to secure your spot! Registration deadline is &lt;strong&gt;Thursday, December 31, 2026.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;For more information, contact Leah Jeffery at &lt;a href="mailto:ljeffery@bethesdaservices.com" target="_blank"&gt;ljeffery@bethesdaservices.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6784533</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6784533</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
    <item>
      <pubDate>Fri, 15 Jan 2027 14:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <title>Mental Health First Aid - Certification Training (Friday, January 15, 2027)</title>
      <description>&lt;h1&gt;&lt;img src="https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/resources/Pictures/Certification%20-%20pexels-pavel-danilyuk-7942430.jpg" alt="" title="" border="0"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/h1&gt;

&lt;h1&gt;Mental Health First Aid -&amp;nbsp; Certification Training&lt;/h1&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Mental Health First Aid: Certification a new addition to the training portfolio, provides participants with a robust program leading to a nationally recognized Mental Health First Aid certification valid for three years. Through the course, participants increase mental health awareness, build confidence to provide support, reduce stigma, and enhance their own mental well-being. The course is delivered in a two-day, scenario-based format.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) provides the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for participants to recognize changes in mental health, respond supportively, and apply practical actions for declining mental health and crisis situations. It helps participants build confidence, reduce stigma, and enhance their own mental health.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Objectives&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;The MHFA course helps participants:&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;
  &lt;ul&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Increase their awareness of mental health&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

    &lt;li style="list-style: none; display: inline"&gt;
      &lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;
        &lt;ul&gt;
          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Distinguish between mental health, mental illness, and mental health conditions&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Recognize indicators of mental health across the continuum (optimal, declining, poor)&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
        &lt;/ul&gt;
      &lt;/div&gt;
    &lt;/li&gt;

    &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Improve their confidence to provide help&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

    &lt;li style="list-style: none; display: inline"&gt;
      &lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;
        &lt;ul&gt;
          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Apply the ALGES framework in scenarios of declining mental health and crisis&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Demonstrate empathy and effective listening skills in supportive interactions&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Communicate non-judgmentally using verbal and non-verbal skills&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Provide reassurance and appropriate information in supportive conversations&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Explain recovery-oriented approaches to providing support&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
        &lt;/ul&gt;
      &lt;/div&gt;
    &lt;/li&gt;

    &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Decrease their mental health-related stigma&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

    &lt;li style="list-style: none; display: inline"&gt;
      &lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;
        &lt;ul&gt;
          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Recognize stigmatizing language and practice respectful alternatives&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Reflect on personal attitudes and biases that contribute to stigma&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Understand risks and limitations associated with diagnostic labeling&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
        &lt;/ul&gt;
      &lt;/div&gt;
    &lt;/li&gt;

    &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Enhance their mental health&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

    &lt;li style="list-style: none; display: inline"&gt;
      &lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;
        &lt;ul style="margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px !important;"&gt;
          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Identify personal self-care strategies using the Three Pillars of Self-Care:&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li style="list-style: none; display: inline"&gt;
            &lt;div style="margin-left: 2em"&gt;
              &lt;ul style="margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px !important;"&gt;
                &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Reflective, Purposeful, and Boundaries&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
              &lt;/ul&gt;
            &lt;/div&gt;
          &lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Recognize when self-care is needed as a Mental Health First Aiders and how to integrate it into daily life&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;

          &lt;li&gt;&lt;font style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Commit to intentional self-care actions to maintain personal well-being as a Mental Health First Aider&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
        &lt;/ul&gt;
      &lt;/div&gt;
    &lt;/li&gt;
  &lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;p style="margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Event Details:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0px !important;"&gt;When: Wednesday, January 14 &amp;amp; Thursday, January 15, 2027&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="line-height: 26px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important;"&gt;Time: 9:00am-4:00pm&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="line-height: 26px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px;"&gt;Where: 3280 Schmon Parkway, 2nd Floor Boardroom, Thorold, ON&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="line-height: 26px; margin-top: 0px !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important;"&gt;Cost: $150&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px !important;"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p style="margin-top: 0px !important;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Note:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Sign up early to secure your spot! Registration deadline is &lt;strong&gt;Thursday, December 31, 2026.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;For more information, contact Leah Jeffery at &lt;a href="mailto:ljeffery@bethesdaservices.com" target="_blank"&gt;ljeffery@bethesdaservices.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <link>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6784533</link>
      <guid>https://portal.bethesdaservices.com/event-6784533</guid>
      <dc:creator />
    </item>
  </channel>
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