Carolyn’s workshops are suitable (and adaptable!) for peace conferences, school classes, religious groups, and writing centres. Former participants have ranged from age 10 to seniors and live in places like Yellowknife, Toronto, Waterloo, Whitehorse, Edmonton, Calling Lakes and Calgary.

All workshops are flexible, depending on the group and their time available. Workshops can also be created around specific themes. Average cost per session $150.00

(See participant feedback)

Author Visit (Grade 4 and up)


Carolyn reads excerpts from her novel Gwen, fables and anthologies and talks about some of the real life experiences, travel and current events that gave these stories wings. She answers questions about writing, editing, and publishing. She offers encouragement for dreaming up stories and provides an exercise in free-fall writing.

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Child Honouring (Adult)

"Child honouring is a vision, an organizing principle, and a way of life - a revolution in values that calls for a profound redesign of every sphere of society." - Raffi Cavoukian

"The number of children living in poverty in Canada has risen 20 per cent since 1989." - Campaign 2000 report card 2005

The Seventh Generation precept of the Great Law of the Haudenosaunee (Six Nations Iroquois Confederacy), requires that chiefs consider the impact of their decisions on the seventh generation. - Teachings of the Elders

This workshop looks at how we are - and how we could be - creating a world fit for children and other living things.

This workshop is inspired by the work and vision of Raffi Cavoukian. See also his book, edited with Sharna Olfman Child Honouring: How to Turn This World Around. Praeger, 2006

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Our Ancestors: Our Future (Grade 4 to Adult)

This workshop connects ancestors of this land with ancestors of newcomers to this land – and us! Based partly on her novel Gwen, Carolyn speaks as the descendent of one of the 100,000 Home Children who came to Canada a century ago to work. She will talk about the famous Mohawk performer, E. Pauline Johnson. She will compare the status of girls in Mohawk society with English society in the 1890s. Students will be given opportunities to write and to touch many 100 year old artifacts such as keys, books and a very heavy iron. We’ll explore how facts can become fiction in our writing.

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Our Words: Our World (Grade 4 to Adult)

How do our words create the world we live in? In this writing workshop, we will explore the power of words to change our lives and our world. We will talk about how Anne Frank, Zlata Filopovic and other young people have done this.  We will also explore what human rights are, and write from our own perspective about The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

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Peace Camp: How To (Teens to Adults)

A Peace Camp offers space for children to celebrate, explore, and wonder aloud about what they observe in the news, in the school yard, at the arena. It connects children to other children in the world who are making peace with themselves (like the Freedom Writers), making peace with Nature (like Severn Cullis-Suzuki who spoke at the Rio Summit at age 12), making peace in communities (like Hannah Taylor who began working on the issue of homelessness at age 9) and making peace in the world (like Craig Kielburger who started working on the issue of child labour at age 12.)

Through the arts, children make connections and find their own power to make a difference. If you’d like to start a peace camp, this workshop is for you.

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Raising the Dead ~ Writing Historical Fiction

Over 3 sessions, Carolyn will lead the group through a series of writing exercises and discussions that will open the path to writing historical fiction based on your own ancestry. Harvest your own family tree for amazing plots and intriguing characters.

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Signs Along the Way: Writing Your Spiritual Autobiography (Adult)

Begin writing your life from the perspective of spirit. Through discussion, free-fall writing exercises and simple drawing exercises, we explore the paths we have walked and the signposts that have been our guides. We will learn from each other’s stories. We will draw on our own deep wells of experience, and from the experiences of published writers.

Participants will mine hidden memories, sift recollections, explore the idea of spirit with an empathetic group. They will create an autobiographical map from which to continue their writing.

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StoryJam (Children aged 4 and up)

Story Jam is a collaboration between actor/clown/puppeteer Fif Fernandes and Carolyn Pogue to create entertainment that matters. RiverChild is their original, interactive presentation, written by Carolyn and performed by Fif. RiverChild is a fable that connects the ecology of rivers, the leadership of children and the magic of story. This one hour presentation, suitable for kindergarten to grade 6, is complete with bells and whistles. Literally. (The sound effects are unique!)

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Write for (a) Change (Children, Teens, Adults)

Is the pen really mightier than the sword? In this workshop, we explore this question and more through free-fall writing exercises, discussion and sharing our stories with one another. We name writing that has made a powerful impression on us. Writing in any genre, and learning about other young writers creating change, participants explore the power of words. We play around with perspective, dialogue and plot.

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Write the Spirit (Adults)

A few years ago, Ojibway Elder Arthur Solomon said, “It is time for women to pick up their medicine and help heal a troubled world.” In this workshop, women will write how the world is, and how the world can be. Using free fall writing, a variety of exercises and working in any genre, we will explore the unlimited possibilities for peace, justice and healing within our ourselves, our country and our planet. We will learn from each other. We will encourage one another. We will relay, create and recreate stories that will enable us to pick up our medicine with courage, passion and laughter.

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What participants have said:

“I really liked the energy that you brought.”
– Teacher at the Calgary Adolescent Treatment Centre

“It was interesting. It opened my eyes about peace.”
- Student at the Calgary Adolescent Treatment Centre

"Your class is awesome. I love the fact that there are others who share my views and concerns about social, economic and political issues."
- Z.K. grade 9

"I liked when we did the 10 minutes of writing. These were awesome and I’m starting an essay from one. I liked that we shared what we wrote, and people listened and didn’t laugh."
– Participant aged 12

"I really liked the unexpected prompts, the lively discussion and the openness of the process. I wish the course had been longer."
- Calgary workshop participant

"Carolyn was supportive, encouraging and accepting. I enjoyed the instruction and the group."
– Edmonton participant Women’s Words: Summer Writing Week

"I like it that discussion was honoured and that the group was small."
– Edmonton participant Women’s Words: Summer Writing Week

"At first I was skeptical, but talking about experiences, then writing, really woke up my mind."
– Calgary participant

"I was surprised by what came out of my pen when I put it on the paper!"
– Whitehorse participant

"Thank you for helping people experience the power of words at the Reconnect Event, and for your passion for bringing peace into this world." – Marg, Saskatchewan

 “Thank you for an absolutely incredible day. The students were very positive and interestingly, my non-academics enjoyed the free fall writing best. You educated and empowered us all.”
– Grade 12 English Teacher, Alberta

“Your visit with the Brownies was so positive - and it was positive for me, too!”
- Brownie leader

“Thank you again, for sharing your gifts with our children!   Unsolicited, my daughter told me that she was really glad she had taken your workshop, as the "free fall" writing exercises were very effective...  she felt so comfortable and free. Also, I so value your commitment to positive change in the world and I know you also tapped into our children's sense of possibility.”
- Home School Parent                         

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