Duncan
AI Unlocked: Everyday Tips and Tricks for Non-Techies
Demystify AI and LLMs! This 3-hour course empowers you to confidently use these tools to enhance your productivity and creativity in everyday life. Learn practical tips and tricks to unlock the power of AI – even with no technical background. Through hands-on practice with tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude, you'll make AI your personal ally.
Instructor: Eric Byres (PEng, ISA Fellow) is an internationally recognized expert on cybersecurity for critical infrastructures - the systems that are essential to our safety and way of life, like power, water and transportation. He has advised government intelligence agencies and major energy companies around the world, testified before the US Congress and is the recipient of numerous international awards, including the IEEE Outstanding Industry Applications Article Prize and the ISA Donald P. Eckman Education Award. Eric was made a fellow of the International Society of Automation (ISA) in 2009 and given their highest honour, the ISA Excellence in Leadership, in 2013.
Price: $30.00 Taxes not included
Schedule: Tuesday, October 27, 2026; 1:00 - 4:00 PM
Location: Vancouver Island Regional Library - Cowichan Branch: 2687 James St, Duncan, BC V9L 2X5
Mindful Stitch
The speed of life in the 21st century can be overwhelming, but taking a calmer, more measured approach to the creative process can help you to find new joy in the experience of making...” from Slow Stitch - Mindful and Contemplative Textile Art by Claire Wellesley-Smith. Using a thoughtful process, we will learn and practice simple stitching as a way to engage our bodies and minds in a contemplative, creative practice. This session is open to new participants and those who have done the Introductory session - some new stitches, readings and embodiment techniques will be explored.
Instructor: Nora Ready, she/her, is a fiber artist living in Saanich, traditional territory of the Lekwungen and W SÁNEC people. Her creative practice focuses on slow stitch, botanical printing and dyeing, mindful practice, and collaborative art. She is an active member of both the Fibre Art Network (FAN), a cooperative network of Western Canadian fibre artists, and the Vancouver Island Surface Design Association. In 2024, her work was exhibited in Palimpsest, a juried exhibition in Metchosin, B.C., and she will have textile work in the Current Threads and Small Works contemporary textile art exhibits in Duncan, B.C. this June and July. She has a passion for community engagement, facilitation and sharing creative time and inspiration with others.
Supply Fee: All materials are provided for a $10 fee, payable to the instructor. Participants are also welcome to bring their own supplies if they prefer (e.g., scissors, sewing needles, or favourite threads).
Price: $25.00 Taxes not included
Schedule: Saturday, September 5, 2026; 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Location: Vancouver Island Regional Library - Cowichan Branch: 2687 James St, Duncan, BC V9L 2X5
Probate Bypass & Estate Planning Strategies
This course provides a practical introduction to estate planning, with a particular focus on strategies for avoiding probate. It will also touch on key investment considerations that relate to effective financial and estate planning. Designed specifically for Elder College students, the course explores the essential principles of estate planning, a basic introduction to the probate process, and some strategies to help minimize the costs, delays, and challenges often associated with probate.
Instructor: Nathan Paisley is co-owner of Nathina Financial Services and holds both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in business, with a particular focus on financial and estate planning. With over five years of experience working alongside his father and business partner, Len Paisley, Nathan brings a balance of academic knowledge and practical insight to his teaching. Born and raised on Vancouver Island, Nathan combines an understanding of local needs with broader financial planning strategies. His teaching style incorporates real-life examples, practical exercises, and useful tools to help students gain a clear understanding of probate bypass strategies and wealth preservation techniques.
Price: $20.00 Taxes not included
Schedule: Friday, October 30, 2026; 1:00 - 3:00 PM
Location: Vancouver Island Regional Library - Cowichan Branch: 2687 James St, Duncan, BC V9L 2X5
Reframing JUSTICE: Healing, Restoration, Earthcare and Transformation
The dominant justice systems of the Western world have traditionally focused on crime, punishment and the enforcement of laws. But what if justice could do more? Could it also contribute to healing, restoration, reconciliation, environmental stewardship and the creation of a more flourishing society?
This six-session course explores alternative and emerging approaches to justice that seek not only to address harm, but also to cultivate stronger communities, healthier relationships and a more sustainable world. Drawing on Indigenous wisdom, restorative practices and contemporary social movements, participants will examine how justice can support personal transformation, collective healing and ecological well-being.
Pan-Indigenous Justice: Exploring humanity's earliest and most enduring traditions of communal healing, accountability and peacemaking.
Salish-Stóō Justice: Examining regional First Nations approaches to justice, environmental stewardship and social harmony.
Restorative Justice: Exploring Indigenous-inspired practices of restoration, mediation and relationship-building that complement conventional legal systems.
Transitional Justice: Investigating national and international efforts to acknowledge historical oppression and promote reconciliation.
Environmental Justice: Considering emerging approaches that recognize the rights and well-being of ecosystems, species and future generations.
Transformative Justice: Exploring justice frameworks that seek to foster human flourishing, ethical character and a more compassionate global community.
Join us for a thought-provoking exploration of how justice can move beyond punishment toward healing, reconciliation and a more sustainable future.
Instructor: Harold Rosen is a community interfaith educator with Master's degrees in philosophy, education & religion; has taught over 200 community courses during the last 25 years; and is the author of "Founders of Faith" and "Eye to the Ages".
DUNCAN
Price: $50.00 Taxes not included
Schedule: Thursdays, November 12, 2026 until December 17, 2026; 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Location: Vancouver Island Regional Library - Cowichan Branch | 2687 James Street, Duncan, BC, V9L 2X5
LADYSMITH
Price: $50.00 Taxes not included
Schedule: Fridays, October 2, 2026 until November 6, 2026; 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Location: Cedar Woods Studio | 13545 Cedar Road, Cowichan Valley H, BC, V9G 1H5