Shaping Our World

Colin and Judith McCartney are urban ministry veterans who have also co-authored several books on social justice and faith. Both are sought after for their knowledge and insight into innovative and tested ways of raising leaders in their own communities. The pair stopped by the Shaping Our World podcast recently to discuss the importance of community, personal growth and ways that parents can foster a connection and inspire action with the young adults in their lives.

Aly Pain is a parenting expert who is passionate about empowering parents to build healthy, respectful relationships with their teens. Aly stopped by the Shaping Our World podcast to discuss ways that parents can end painful disconnection and emotional blow ups with their teens to create honest, fulfilling relationships.

Jackie Robertson is a Registered Psychotherapist, clinical case consultant, college professor, and a certified child and youth counsellor with extensive experience working with parents, children and youth dealing with various life experiences, personal and familial issues. Jackie is passionate about helping families become healthier. She stopped by the Shaping Our World podcast to chat about down-to-earth coaching strategies for parents, child and adolescent mental health challenges, how to navigate online issues with your kids, and more.  

Dr. Rob Meeder is a pediatrician with a practice focused on behaviour and mental health issues in children and youth. He visits the Shaping Our World podcast to chat with host Chris Tompkins about some of the common stressors facing children today, along with coping and communication strategies for parents and kids alike.

For 25 years, Plan to Protect has provided the highest standard of abuse prevention and protection for organizations serving children, youth and persons with disabilities. Melodie Bissell, president and CEO of Plan to Protect, stopped by the podcast to chat with host Chris Tompkins about the program's history, its methods, and the ways we can all do our part to safeguard the most vulnerable among us. Muskoka Woods is proud to be partnered with Plan to Protect — one of the many ways we make our summer camp a safe and fun experience for everyone.

Dr. William Quinn, Professor and Coordinator of Youth Development Programs at the College of Health, Education, and Human Development at Clemson University & Executive Director of Families4Change, Inc., stopped by the Shaping Our World podcast to talk about the importance of not just communicating with youth, but facilitating experiences and programs that allow them to thrive.

Building confidence in young people in an authentic way requires a degree of intentionality that may not have been as common in previous generations. It's the result of a combination of the shallowness in connection social media provides and the desire for young people to want to be heard and recognized without having the ability to articulate those desires. Mano is the visionary leader of PGC Basketball, which has become the largest education basketball camp in the world with over 150 camps in 30+ US states and Canada. You can learn more about Mano and PGC Basketball at https://pgcbasketball.com/.

Loneliness is something we typically find adults suffering with, but as we adopt more and more online ways of relating and socializing, it's introducing areas where our kids experience loneliness. Youth expert, Brett Ullman dives into this issue on today's episode and how we, as parents and youth workers can help battle this.

It's a time when kids are seeking more independence and starting to define who they are choosing to influence them through their formative teen years. There aren't many experts who look at this unique time in young people's lives, but today's guest, Rachel Naud, has made a career of sourcing great resources and thought leadership for parents and youth workers for this age group.

Shauna Barnes has had decades of experience working with young people in educational settings and in particular where she has served as a high school guidance counsellor. 

She speaks about the numbness young people today feel as they experience life through social media apps and how you can find moments of influence for the young people in your life. 

Orlando Bowen is a former professional athlete, community advocate and inspirational speaker. His heart specifically lies in working with young people. He speaks holistically about helping young people truly engage with their community - including their peers and those who are both older and younger than them.  

It's no secret youth development doesn't have a one-size-fits-all solution. But what about kids that have autism? On today's episode, Chris speaks with Erin Butler, a behaviour therapist and specialist in working with students with autism with the Toronto District School Board. 

You’re a parent or maybe you work with young people in your job - but either way, you have a desire to inspire the young people in your life. Hi, my name is Chris Tompkins, a 20 plus years veteran of youth development. Both on the front lines and leading the youth development organization, Muskoka Woods. I’m also a dad. 

Shaping Our World is a podcast that invites you into a conversation that will leave you more confident in inspiring and understanding the young people in your life.

A 25 year veteran of working with young people both with teens and business leaders, on today's episode Dr. Karyn Gordon discuses how families are struggling to keep up with culture change. 

As the CEO of Growing Leaders, an organization specializing in youth leadership programs and skills training. His most recent book, The Pandemic Population: 8 Strategies to Help Generation Z Recognize Hope, seeks to help our youngest generation come out well from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

On this episode, Tim and Chris Tompkins discuss learning and leading young people. 

Damon Ealey is a principal in the Greater Toronto Area and what he's seen in the ways different students have taken to online learning leads him to believe that remote learning and new ways of teaching will be here to stay. 

Chris Tompkins and Damon discuss how the pandemic of 2020 and 2021 has impacted education and what it means for the future of learning.