A Message from the Crisis Workers Society of Ontario

After more than 25 years of serving crisis intervention professionals across Ontario, the Crisis Workers Society of Ontario (CWSO) has made the difficult decision to cease operations effective January 1, 2027. Throughout our history, we have been proud to provide education, networking opportunities, and a province-wide community of practice dedicated to advancing excellence in crisis intervention.

When CWSO was founded, accessible training and professional development opportunities were far more limited than they are today. With the growth of virtual learning and online educational platforms, specialized training is now more readily available to individuals and organizations, making the role CWSO was created to fulfill less necessary than it once was.

As we prepare to close this chapter, we invite you to join us for our final webinar in November 2026. We are also pleased to share that our extensive collection of educational resources and webinar recordings has been preserved on our YouTube channel. Simply search "CWSO" on YouTube to continue accessing these materials.

The Board of Directors is incredibly proud of the impact CWSO has had over the years and deeply grateful for the opportunity to connect with so many dedicated professionals. We hope that the knowledge, skills, and relationships fostered through CWSO will continue to support your important work for years to come.

Thank you for being part of our journey. It has been our honour to serve alongside you.

With sincere gratitude,

The Board of Directors

Crisis Workers Society of Ontario

About CWSO

In 1984, a group of crisis workers from across Ontario met in Toronto to discuss areas of common interest and issues faced in the profession.

This meeting led to the creation of the Crisis Workers Society of Ontario, which since its inception has worked to ensure that there is a forum for crisis workers to come together to share knowledge and to enhance the standing of the profession.

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Volunteer

Your valuable time volunteering will be fully spent on maintaining our valuable services.

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Contact Us

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Valuable Resources

  • My Attention Inventory

    Webinar handout

  • Your Attention, Please: Managing Energy and Focus for Healthy Leadership

    Webinar slide deck

  • My Stress Profile

    Presentation handout

  • The Power of PAUSE

    Moving From Knee-Jerk Reaction to Thoughtful Response

  • CE-CERT: Beyond "Self Care"

    Presentation handout

  • Dementia Awareness

    A brief PowerPoint presentation focused on improving dementia awareness and understanding.

  • Motivational Interviewing

    A quick reference to Motivational Interviewing’s key principles and tools for supporting clients through change.

  • Supporting 2SLGBTQ+ Survivors of Violence

    This resource provides information on the unique forms of abuse experienced by 2SLGBTQ+ individuals and offers guidance on safety planning and accessing support services.

  • Assessing Your Safety: A Guide for Individuals Experiencing Abuse

    This guide helps individuals assess their risk of experiencing severe harm or homicide in abusive relationships. It outlines risk factors, provides questions for self-reflection, and suggests resources for seeking help and developing safety plans.

Supporting

Did You Know?

Discover the facts and statistics about crisis work in Ontario and learn more about the important work we do.

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  • thresholds homes and supports logo
  • Your Support Services Network logo
  • Halton Region logo
  • The John Howard Society of Canada logo
  • Halton Regional Police - Victim Services Unit

Your Voice Matters: Advocate for Change as a CWSO Member

Join us and explore valuable resources for crisis workers in Ontario.