Accelerated Learning Day
Monday, 10th November 2025,
Delta Hotel, Montreal
New for 2025, we are proud to introduce the IPAAC Accelerated Learning Day. The philosophy behind this springs from the successful workshops we have been running for the past two years at IPAAC conferences, and it is clear that the demand is there for specialised day-long workshops in key areas concerning peer support.
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So registration for the day allows you to choose between any of the three workshops and the UND Mental Health Symposium, or all four if you are feeling energetic! Details of the sessions are below. Tickets can either be purchased for this day alone or bundled as part of a discounted package.
UND Aviation Mental Health Symposium
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We are delighted to welcome the annual Mental Health Symposium hosted by the University of North Dakota to IPAAC’s Accelerated Learning Day. This year’s Symposium will continue to foster collaboration among collegiate aviation programs, mental health professionals, industry leaders, and the FAA in reducing the stigma surrounding help-seeking in aviation. The symposium will feature a range of panels, including those focused on peer support programs, mental health professionals working in aviation training organizations, research roundtables, and strategies for mental health promotion during the early stages of flight training. These sessions aim to bridge the gap in understanding and enhance support systems across the aviation community.
Drugs and Alcohol Support Workshop Conference
There is now a proliferation of different types of drugs & alcohol support programmes available for safety-critical workers in aviation. The challenges regarding recertification of the Class 1 medical for pilots are particularly complex and will vary according to the specific requirements of the regulatory authority.
IPAAC has built its success on an open sharing of best practice and knowledge in the peer support world. It makes sense to apply this same formula to the field of drugs and alcohol programmes. This day-long conference will be the first of its kind and is a must for anyone connected with addiction support in aviation. Speakers from programmes across the world will share notes, including world experts from HIMS in the US, Anti-Skid in Germany and the Monitored Return Support Programme (MRSP) in the UK.
Additionally, there will be panels discussing key topics in the field, such as the use of medicinal therapy in addiction support, and the scientific rationale for the length of time a pilot is grounded for whilst recovering. Different countries have different requirements – anywhere between three months and two years – but why and shouldn’t there be a common standard?
Join us for what will be a significant milestone in improving the provision for drugs and alcohol support in global aviation.
Peer Excellence Workshop: Selection, Training, and Skills.
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Presented by ALPA-I Pilot Peer Support Program (USA) and British Airways Speedbird PAN (UK). This workshop, led by leaders from the largest PSP in the world and one of the longest running and most innovative, offers a deep dive into how to recruit, train, and care for Peers.
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From essential recruitment strategies to advanced skills in difficult conversations, confidentiality, and self-care—this workshop is designed to elevate your program’s impact and resilience.
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“Your Peer Support Program (PSP) is only as strong as the Peers who serve it.”
Their ability to consistently demonstrate a unique skill set determines the program’s credibility, effectiveness, and long-term success. They are the heart of any PSP, and their ability to listen, empathize, assess, and signpost corelates directly with the willingness of clients to trust and use the program.
Facilitators:
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British Airways Speedbird PAN (UK)
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ALPA-I Pilot Peer Support Program (USA)
Workshop Objectives:
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Define essential Peer qualities & recruitment strategies.
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Explore initial & recurrent Peer training frameworks.
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Develop advanced Peer communication & support skills.
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Enhance Peer self-care and resilience techniques.
Peer Support 101 and 201
Building on the successful ‘Peer Support from Ground Zero’ at last year’s IPAAC conference in Osaka, this day-long conference workshop is aimed at those organisations who wish to build a Peer Support Program but don’t know where to start, and those who are encountering barriers developing and growing their existing program.
The morning session will concentrate on the basic requirements for setting up a program: the pitfalls, the areas that are an absolute necessity and those which can be added at a later stage. A PSP that is properly designed from the beginning according to the local culture and customs stands a much better chance of success.
The afternoon session will the look at how a program can develop over the first few years after it has been established. There are usually different phases PSPs go through, and the workshop will identify common obstacles that arise and how to overcome them.
Run by established innovators who are highly experienced in setting up PSPs across the world, this workshop day is a must for those PSP leaders who are new or relatively new to the peer support area and wish to know more from the experts about how to set up and develop their peer support program.
