SHSM Sector Partner Experience
Created by HeadsupCAN & the NOvEL Lab at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital
HeadsupCAN and the NOvEL Lab at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital are partnering to deliver a full-day, certified Sector Partner Experience (SPE) designed exclusively for Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) students in the Health & Wellness and Sport sectors. This immersive, in-person program hosted at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, blends concussion and brain injury education and research through an interdisciplinary health care lens, hands-on demonstrations, and an innovation challenge that empowers students to apply their learning and perspectives on how best to approach youth engagement in research.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this Sector Partner Experience, students will:
Understand the fundamentals of concussion and brain injury.
Gain direct exposure to interdisciplinary healthcare and research professionals involved in pediatric brain injury care and rehabilitation.
Participate in hands-on demonstrations of rehabilitation technologies and research tools.
Examine how youth engagement in research strengthens clinical practice and knowledge translation.
Collaborate in an Innovation Challenge guided by the ICE Learning Framework.
Session Information
Date: April 10th, 2026
Session Cost: $80.00 per student (min. 60 students, max 70 students) – sessions can draw from multiple schools to ensure attendance requirements are met.
Session Duration: 6 hours
Session Timing: 9:00am-3:00pm
Location: 150 Kilgour Rd, Toronto, ON M4G 1R8, Canada
Food: Yes, lunch and snacks will be provided
Why This Program Matters
Students gain a deeper understanding of concussion and pediatric brain injury, building foundational knowledge relevant to careers in healthcare, rehabilitation, sport, and research.
Students experience firsthand how interdisciplinary healthcare teams collaborate, helping them better understand potential career pathways and professional roles within pediatric care.
Students strengthen their clinical awareness and research literacy, learning how evidence informs real-world healthcare practice.
Students develop a patient-centred mindset, recognizing how youth voice and lived experience improve care and research outcomes.
Students build transferable skills in critical thinking, collaboration, and applied problem-solving, supporting their future studies, certifications, and careers in health and wellness sectors.
Program Leads
Dr. Shannon Scratch
Dr. Shannon Scratch is a Senior Clinician Scientist at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital and Associate Professor in the Department of Paediatrics and Rehabilitation Sciences Institute at the University of Toronto. Dr. Scratch is a practicing Clinical Neuropsychologist and the director of the Neurorehab Outcomes via Education & Learning (NOvEL) Lab.
Andrea Hickling
Andie Hickling is a registered Occupational Therapist and a Research Manager in the Neurorehab Outcomes via Education & Learning (NOvEL) Lab at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital.
Dr. Michael Jorgensen
Michael is a Postdoctoral Researcher at Tanenbaum Institute for Science in Sport, University of Toronto, and HeadsupCAN’s Research Director.
Seth Mendelsohn
Seth is the Co-Founder of HeadsupCAN and our Creative Director. He owns and operates Mendelsohn Media as a Videographer, Video Editor and Graphic Designer. He has extensive educational expertise and is passionate about creative avenues for storytelling.
Ryan Sutton, MA
Ryan is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of HeadsupCAN, the Head of Product and Growth at Rhea Health and the Project Manager for Peterborough Athletics Concussion Awareness.