SPONSORED BY
About the Conference
UNE’s College of Professional Studies and its partner Educate Maine are pleased to host the 4th Annual Social Services and Education Professionals Symposium, made possible through the generous support of our sponsor Unum.
This is a full-day conference for professionals focused on the social and emotional well-being of young people. We look forward to hosting 150 social workers, educators, school counselors, and all others working in this space from across Maine and the region.
The Symposium offers attendees interactive workshops led by industry professionals with depth of expertise in topics ranging from science of reading and writing, outdoor education, alternative education, youth mental health – to name just a few. Attendees will have the opportunity to network with the speakers and colleagues throughout the day and will leave with a breadth of activities, strategies, and actions they’ll be able to use in their professional settings.
For questions regarding the conference, please email ceonline@une.edu.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Dr. Regina Phillips
Co-Founder, Cross Cultural Community Services (CCCS)
Conference Agenda
Registration and Networking (Pre-Event Space)
8:00 - 8:30 AM
Welcome Remarks (Main Hall)
8:30 - 8:40 AM
8:40 - 10:10 AM
Workshop Session 1 (Choose one)
Break
10:10 - 10:20 AM
Workshop Session 2 (Choose one)
10:20 - 11:50 AM
11:50 AM - 1:20 PM
11:50 AM - 1:20 PM
Break and Buffet Lunch
Keynote Speaker (during lunch)
12:30 - 1:20 PM
1:20 - 2:50 PM
Workshop Session 3 (Choose one)
2:50 - 3:00 PM
Break
3:00 - 3:30 PM
Report Out and Closing
Workshops
Meeting Ourselves and Others on the Page (PDF)
Building Relationships and Community Through Crew (.PPTX)
Keeping Our Expectations High (PDF)
Building a Connected School Culture (PDF)
Prior Conference Materials For Download
SPONSORED BY
CONFERENCE PARTNERS
Social Services and Education Professionals Symposium
2026 Fourth Annual Conference
DATE
August 18, 2026
8:00am to 3:30pm
Innovation Hall
716 Stevens Ave. Portland
IN-PERSON AT
UNE Portland
COST
$40.00
Meals are included in cost of registration
HOURS EARNED
CEUs Earned
7 Contact Hours (Attendee Certificate)
Two Getaway Packages to the Samoset Resort and White Barn Inn will be raffled!
Early Registration Raffle!
Register by August 14 for a chance to win a $100 Amazon Gift Card.
Responding to the Complex Needs of Students (PDF)
Who's Doing the Talking? Creating Rich Learning Environments Through Guided Student Discourse (.PPTX)
Here Now: The Transformative Power of Mindfulness (.PPTX)
Here Now: Handout (Word Document)
Trauma Stewardship (PDF)
Dr. Regina Phillips is the co-founder/consultant for CCCS. Previously, Mrs. Phillips worked for the Westbrook School Department as the Equity Resource Coordinator and Grants and Community Engagement Coordinator. For nineteen years, Mrs. Phillips worked at the City of Portland Social Services Division as the Program Manager of Refugee Services and Family Shelter Programs. Dr. Phillips was also an adjunct professor at the University of New England and Southern Maine. Mrs. Phillips served on the boards of Coastal Enterprises, Inc., and United Way of Greater Portland and was a longtime member of the Greater Portland NAACP branch. Mrs. Phillips is a ninth-generation black Mainer. She has a Master of Social Work from UNE and a Doctor of Social Work from Tulane University.