Meghan Toal (she/her)
Kelowna
Summary
Living & working on the traditional & unceded territory of the Syilx Okanagan Peoples, I am an experienced and skilled engagement professional and human rights educator with over 18 years of experience in strategic engagement, team leadership & mentorship, program management, workshop development, group facilitation, event planning, community outreach and human service work. I have subject matter expertise in the areas of the B.C. Human Rights Code & B.C.’s human rights system, Indigenous engagement, anti-oppression & anti-racism education, mental health promotion, gender-based violence prevention education, disability rights, LGBTQ2SIA+ equity education, and human rights promotion.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Engagement Advisor
BC's OFFICE OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSIONER
03.2021 - Current
- Supported the development of the BCOHRC public engagement strategy in the early years of the organization as well as annual strategic engagement planning. This has included the development of a strategic engagement strategy for cross sectoral public engagement, sectoral and community mapping, evaluation metrics as well as tools and materials to carry out outreach and public engagement on behalf of the Office with the goal of promoting human rights and preventing discrimination, inequity and injustice.
- Participated in the development of the organization's Indigenous engagement strategy, including relationship building and outreach with Indigenous communities, and playing a leadership role in the development and roll out of the Indigenous Code Learning Session project
- Provided engagement consultation and leadership for internal BCOHRC teams and projects, including key institutional projects like the Baseline Project, Rights in Focus report, Employment Equity Toolkit, and Beyond the Headlines Commissioner Speaker Series
- Designed and carried out an engagement strategy for the Interior region of British Columbia resulting in the establishment of key organizational relationships with diverse equity deserving community groups, Indigenous communities and organizations, and large regional institutions in health care, post secondary and municipal governments.
- Supported the development of BCOHRC's education products and workshops as a key member of the workshops facilitation team, delivering between 10-20 workshops each year across the province, both virtually and in person on the BC Human Rights Code, systemic discrimination and employment equity.
- Responded to hundreds of emails and phone calls from the public inquiring about human rights in British Columbia by providing trauma informed referral and response. In the last year, lead the transition of public communication to a new staff and provided ongoing internal mentorship, training and support for this role.
- Represented the Office and the Commissioner and promoted the work of the office at regional and province wide events and conferences, liaising with community groups and subject matter experts resulting in the establishment of new relationships with key stakeholders, and deepening relationships with existing community partners
Program Creator & Coordinator
KELOWNA WOMEN'S SHELTER
01.2018 - 01.2020
- Responsible for the creation, delivery and evaluation of violence prevention group education for approximately 960 children and youth ages 10-19 in 48 schools and community psycho educational groups throughout the Central Okanagan region.
- Created 7 adjustable, but universal, youth violence prevention curricula to be delivered to students in grades 5-12 over a 6 or 8 week period. This included parent information and student workbook materials.
- Responsible for early intervention/safety planning, and responding purposefully & appropriately to disclosures of violence, abuse, self-harm, and other high risk behaviors.
- Wrote and successfully delivered a month-long training program on multiple occasions to develop Inside Out Program Facilitators
- Acted as a Field Supervisor to 6 Masters of Social work students for 2 consecutive years. Successfully managed and provided leadership, logistical support, and intensive learning opportunities to facilitate their learning and professional growth.
Training Associate
CANADIAN RED CROSS RESPECT EDUCATION
01.2015 - 01.2018
- Worked in partnership with schools, Indigenous communities, youth serving organizations and youth sport organizations to assess their violence prevention education needs, determined appropriate programming for diverse learners, and coordinated and delivered approximately 200+ workshops and trainings throughout BC.
- Deliver training and education in diverse community settings on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, sexual violence and child abuse prevention, dating violence, and bullying & harassment.
- Worked in collaboration with Indigenous communities to deliver “Trainer Training” to community leaders, who would then deliver violence prevention education in their communities.
- Performed as a Master Trainer on 2 National Respect Education curriculum revision committees, providing curriculum and training expertise to ensure programming included the most up to date information and best practices in prevention education.
Program Coordinator
CHILDREN OF THE STREET SOCIETY
01.2010 - 01.2012
- Coordinated, managed, and oversaw the creation and delivery of over 600 child sexual exploitation prevention workshops throughout BC for both children and adults.
- Worked in partnerships with schools, Indigenous communities, youth serving organizations, youth custody centers and youth treatment facilities to establish group learning needs, and appropriate areas of learning for exploitation prevention education sessions.
- Supported 8 youth Workshop Facilitators in becoming content experts, and developing innovative experiential learning workshops for diverse learners.
- Developed and delivered a 6 week training program for incoming youth Workshop Facilitators that supported their content learning in the areas of exploitation, childhood sexual abuse, impacts of colonization on Indigenous peoples, survival sex work, gender based & sexual violence, as well as group facilitation skill building.
7th Grade Teacher
CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS, TARKINGTON SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE
01.2009 - 01.2010
- Selected as one of 4,000 out of 36,000 applicants to serve in an American service corps committed to teaching in under-resourced communities in an effort to expand opportunities for all children.
- Successfully taught 4 classes of 30 seventh grade students American History and reading a Chicago Public Schools elementary school.
- Created and delivered innovative, and effective daily lesson plans to meet the needs of 120 diverse learners that aligned with both the social studies and reading learning outcomes for the state of Illinois, while also tracking academic growth.
- Developed and instituted classroom rules and procedures in order to manage student behaviour and interpersonal conflict in and outside the classroom and maintain safety for all.
- Developed strong relationships with families, administrators and other school staff in order to best serve and advocate for student needs.
Workshop Facilitator
CHILDREN OF THE STREET SOCIETY
01.2007 - 01.2009
- Traveled throughout the province of British Columbia delivering child sexual exploitation prevention programming to children and adults in diverse communities.
- Responsible for researching, creating and delivering innovative, engaging workshops for participants ages 11-18 in schools and other youth settings
- Delivered approximately1000 workshops for over 40,000 children and youth in urban and rural and remote communities throughout the province.
Education
B.A. - Sociology
UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
01.2007
B.A. - Sociology
RED DEER COLLEGE
01.2005
Skills
- Strategic engagement planning based on IAP2 Spectrum principles and practices
- Decolonization & rights-based driven public engagement
- Program management and evaluation
- Staff mentorship and coaching
- Group facilitation & public speaking
- Workshop development
- Experience with diverse sectors, communities, peoples and traditions
- Community mapping, outreach and relationship building
- Demonstrated skills in trauma informed care & rights-based education
- Complex event planning and execution
- Ability to work independently with limited supervision
Websites
Languages
English
Certification
PARTICIPATORY EVALUATION
Tamarack Institute, 2025
ENGAGEMENT COACHING
Engage Delaney Consultancy, 2024
FOUNDATIONS OF TRAUMA INFORMED CARE
The Justice Institute of British Columbia, 2022
ANTI OPPRESSION AND CULTURAL SAFETY TRAINING
Support Network for Indigenous Women and Women of Colour, 2022
SANYAS INDIGENOUS CULTURAL SAFETY TRAINING
Sanyas, 2022
WHEN LOVE HURTS FACILITATOR TRAINING
Jill Cory, Oct 2019
MAKING SENSE OF TRAUMA
MB Trauma Informed Education Centre, Oct 2018
PHYSCHOSOCIAL FIRSTAID
Canadian Red Cross, June 2018
MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID
Canadian Mental Health Association, Jan 2017
RESPECT EDUCATION MASTER TRAINER CERTIFICATION
Canadian Red Cross, March 2015-Nov 2016
HUMANITARIAN LAW
Canadian Red Cross, May 2014
CONFLICT RESOLUTION TRAINING,
UBC Saunder School, Nov 2010
THE HISTORY & IMPACT OF INDIAN RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS IN CANADA
Indian Residential School Survivor Society, Aug 2007
Timeline
Engagement Advisor
BC's OFFICE OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSIONER
03.2021 - Current
Program Creator & Coordinator
KELOWNA WOMEN'S SHELTER
01.2018 - 01.2020
Training Associate
CANADIAN RED CROSS RESPECT EDUCATION
01.2015 - 01.2018
Program Coordinator
CHILDREN OF THE STREET SOCIETY
01.2010 - 01.2012
7th Grade Teacher
CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS, TARKINGTON SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE
01.2009 - 01.2010
Workshop Facilitator
CHILDREN OF THE STREET SOCIETY
01.2007 - 01.2009
B.A. - Sociology
RED DEER COLLEGE
B.A. - Sociology
UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
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