The planning for the 2020 Strengthening Colorado Families and Communities Virtual Conference is well under way and we couldn’t be more excited! This conference is an important opportunity to highlight ways to build protective factors that prevent child maltreatment and bring together learners from diverse backgrounds and professions from across Colorado, including professionals with varied levels of content knowledge.

As we continue to finalize details for the conference, we are still seeking session proposals to address the following areas: Innovation Space, Working Together to Maximize Resources, Getting to Anti-Racist Practice, Supporting Workforce Care, and Best Practices. Each session has the flexibility to range from 15 to 75 minutes. There is also the option to do prerecorded sessions, which will be available on the conference website.
If you, or someone you know, is interested in presenting virtually or submitting a prerecorded presentation at the 2020 SCFCC, please fill out this brief form. This is currently an ongoing submission, but we are asking you fill it out sooner, rather than later. Please feel free to share this form with colleagues.
Below, you will find descriptions for each topic track. If you are submitting a proposal for more than one track, you will need to make two submissions.

Innovation Space – As agencies and organizations had to shift how they were conducting business prior to COVID-19, there have been a tremendous amount of lessons learned and innovative solutions to adjusting to the world post-COVID. Communities and organizations have begun collaborating in new ways to meet the needs of families. Do you know of an example where agencies, organization and/or communities innovated in their work with children and families as a result of COVID? What are the lessons learned? What are you planning to continue, and why? What shifts in practice took place?

Working Together to Maximize Resources – How does collaboration in your relationships with partners to maximize resources in your work. This could include concrete resource sharing, funding, or receiving referrals? Examples could include shifts in practice or new collaborative partnerships.

Getting to Anti-Racist Practice – How do we actively prioritize anti-racism in our relationships, communities, workplaces and systems? How do we sustain and institutionalize that change? What conversations need to happen to recognize the things that make us uncomfortable and how are we actively seeking change?

Supporting Workforce Care – Recognizing that self-care can look very different from one individual to the next, this bucket will address how self-care is important all of the time, but especially in light of COVID, and certainly vital in light of an anti-racist movement. These sessions can provide an opportunity to practice self-care; discuss techniques or activities for individuals, families, and workplace environments; as well as other opportunities for taking care of ourselves.

Best Practices – Since the last time we met in 2018, there have been many new best practices established. Examples could include any work in the field that has advanced the strengthening of families and promotion of the protective factors.
If you would like to submit a proposal please fill out this form.
Questions? Contact Karen Acosta-Corona at kacostacorona@illuminatecolorado.org.
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