Building a 

future-ready 

workforce.

Workforce Preparation  •  Career Exploration  •  Employee Development

We are dedicated to transforming the way we work, live and lead—through mentors and training—we grow compassionate, emotionally-engaged, inclusive, and productive workplaces and communities.

What is Heartspeak?

Heartspeak is a mentoring program to support workplace preparation, career exploration, and employee development with a focus on social emotional and inclusive skill development. 


Work has been in a state of flux for years. Employees, students and families are increasingly isolated, disconnected, and disengaged. The pandemic has escalated these challenges. Emotional engagement matters. 


Knowing how to communicate effectively and strengthen relationships is at the forefront of the re-imagined workforce and those preparing to enter it.


As disruption in the workplace continues, the value of social-emotional skills and compassionate leadership capacity for self and others endures and grows. This is key to unlocking productivity and well-being.


Research confirms empathy matters. (quote)


Research confirms compassion matters. (quote)


Heartspeak can help. We have a mission to help solve these challenges.

Social-emotional skill development is like strengthening a muscle: it is an ongoing process and can be learned.

How Heartspeak Works

Heartspeak content is flexible and can be accessed as complete presentations or arranged to fit a customized program. Resources include:

  • Digital Story Library mentors share lived experiences with lessons they learned (profiles, mini-docs; longer documentary-style presentations, and interviews with Shelley Steele, Heartspeak host and founder).
  • put here? featuring a diverse range of topics:
    addiction, anti-racism, anxiety/depression, climate, disabilities, gender diversity and 2SLGBTQ, Indigenous reconciliation, relationship violence (bullying/abuse/sexual assault), homelessness, poverty, and more
  • Training Modules (access to video training modules and courses with companion activities, learning guides)
  • Virtual and In-Person/Panel Sessions, featuring presentations with an accredited mentors and/or experts [(e.g., expertise in social emotional development; inclusive leadership; mental health and wellbeing; and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)]

Who Needs Heartspeak?

No matter who you are, or where you work, learn, and live, everyone can make connections and learn about themselves and others in a healthy way with Heartspeak.

Organizations engaged in the business of workforce preparation, career exploration, and employee development:

  • Businesses and Organizations (private and public)
  • Post-Secondary Institutions (colleges and universities)
  • Schools (private and public)
  • Community Organizations and Associations


Outcomes


“Heartspeak improves employee relationships, strengthens organizational culture, opens up discussion around difficult and sensitive topics. “

—HR Manager, Furniture Bank


“This is the most profound professional learning session I have ever had.”

—Guidance Counsellor, Peel District School Board


Heartspeak builds and strengthens:


  • Employee engagement and retention
  • Personal and team productivity Productivity (individual and team)
  • Mental health and well-being 
  • Social emotional skills
  • Entrepreneurial mindset
  • Motivation, creativity, curiosity 
  • Inclusive leadership skills 
  • Positive relationships 
  • Effective decision-making
  • Managing challenging situations


  • Compassionate Leadership?

    ✔︎  Improves employee engagement and retention 

    ✔︎  Fosters positive emotions, which…

    • boosts productivity 
    • lowers heart rate and blood pressure
    • strengthens the immune system
    • results in positive customer service interactions

    Deloitte, “Building the future-ready workforce”, 2021

Who are Heartspeak Mentors?

Heartspeak mentors share lived experiences and lessons that include aspirations, life challenges, career paths, turnarounds, and what has made all the difference.

Heartspeak mentors are volunteers who may be youth, young adults, senior executives with top national and international corporations from all walks of life. Others are entrepreneurs who run their own organizations or hold careers in the trades. Still others are firefighters, lawyers, artists, faith leaders, police officers, social service workers, athletes, or politicians. We welcome expertise from every field of endeavour.


We collaborate and partner with organizations engaged in workplace preparation, career exploration, and employee development


Inquire

Organizations engaged in the business of workforce preparation:

  • Businesses and Organizations (e.g., healthcare, policing)
  • Post-Secondary Institutions (colleges and universities)
  • Schools (private and public)
  • Community Organizations and Associations

What's Next?

We seek to collaborate and partner with organizations engaged in workplace preparation, career exploration, and employee development,

Financial support will enable the launch of the NEW subscription-based learning and mentoring platform.


Members will search and access the:

  • Heartspeak Digital Story Library of lived experiences and lessons learned (mentors are profiled in mini-docs, video-clips, and longer documentaries)
  • Training Modules (video training modules and courses with companion activities, learning guides)
  • Virtual and in-person sessions, hosted by Heartspeak facilitators with a panel of mentors and/or experts (with accredited mentors and experts [e.g., expertise in social emotional development; inclusive leadership; mental health and wellbeing; and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)


Insert image of platform




Heartspeak is a platform for today

with a vision for the future.