Access our student homelessness trainings.

Building Changes is pleased to offer virtual trainings for homeless student liaisons, school building staff, and community-based organizations in Washington State to help them better support students and families experiencing homelessness.

Upcoming Trainings in 2026:

• Rent Smart: Learning the Basics
  Tuesday, March 31 | 10:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Pacific Time
  Are you a renter in Washington state and want to know more about your rights, general procedures, landlord and tenant responsibilities, making a repair request, or even what to do if you decide you need to break your lease legally? Join us to learn from Solid Ground’s tenant counselors about landlord duties under the Residential Landlord-Tenant Act, tenant responsibilities while living in a residential rental, repair issues and process for requesting repairs, and how to break or end your lease under Washington state laws. 
  Register here
• Supporting Unaccompanied Migrant Youth
  Tuesday, April 21 | 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Pacific Time
  Come join us for a free, virtual training in partnership with Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) to learn about services available for unaccompanied migrant youth in Washington and what advocates can do to support them, especially given the uptick of ICE activity in our communities.
  Register here
• Managing Burnout & Unpacking Moral Injury: Carrying Personal Weight Into Professional Roles (Virtual)
  Wednesday, April 29 | 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Pacific Time
  Direct service work often requires holding the pain, injustice, and ethical tensions that come with supporting people in crisis. This workshop creates space to explore the internal conflict that can arise when systems, policies, or circumstances limit our ability to act in alignment with our values. Participants will reflect on the personal histories, identities, and experiences they bring into their roles and learn practical strategies for sustaining themselves while doing meaningful work. Led by Corazón Norte.
  Register here
• Understanding the Special Education Budget
  Thursday, May 14 | 6:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Pacific Time
  Join us for a training and discussion about how special education funding in Washington works, and how to advocate for a more equitable funding model. The training will be led by Sarah Butcher of Roots of Inclusion, Jacob Vela of League of Education Voters, and Mary Fertakis of Mary Fertakis Consulting.
  Register here
• Rent Smart: Repair Issues & Landlord Duties
  Tuesday, May 19 | 10:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Pacific Time
  Do you need repairs done in your rental home and don’t know if you or your landlord is responsible for fixing them? Are you having a hard time getting your landlord to make repairs? And what exactly are your rights as a tenant? Join us to learn from Solid Ground’s tenant counselors about how to make a formal request for rental repairs, your options if your landlord doesn’t respond to your request, what the Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RLTA) in Washington state says about mold, and landlords’ repair responsibilities under the RLTA.
  Register here
• Providing Trauma-Informed, Culturally Responsive Care in the Context of Immigration Enforcement (Virtual)
  Thursday, May 28 | 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Pacific Time
  In times of heightened immigration enforcement, many immigrant families experience fear and uncertainty about engaging with social services or sharing personal information. This workshop supports case managers in strengthening culturally responsive and trauma-informed approaches that acknowledge these realities. Participants will learn strategies to build trust, communicate clearly about confidentiality and rights, and support clients in managing anxiety related to participating in services they qualify for and need. The session focuses on practical ways to create safer interactions that honor clients’ dignity, experiences, and concerns. Led by Corazón Norte.
  Register here
• Rent Smart: Options for When You Can’t Pay Rent
  Tuesday, September 15 | 10:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Pacific Time
  Has your landlord increased your rent? Are you unable to make your rent this month? Will you be evicted – and if so, how does that work? Do you think you should move out to protect yourself? Join us to learn from Solid Ground’s tenant counselors about current laws on rent increase and housing stabilization, an overview of the legal eviction process, and information on the moving out process and getting your deposit back.
  Register here
• Rent Smart: Mold & Your Rights as a Tenant
  Tuesday, November 17 | 10:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Pacific Time
  Mold is a serious problem in the Pacific Northwest. It poses serious health risks to people who live in rentals with mold – and many tenants don’t know their rights or understand Washington state’s Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RLTA) laws on dealing with mold. Join us to learn from Solid Ground’s tenant counselors about how to recognize when a house has a mold problem, what the RLTA states about mold and tenants’ rights, landlords’ responsibilities to solve mold and repair problems, and what you should and can do as a tenant if mold problems are not remedied.
  Register here

To find recordings of our past trainings, see 2021-2023 Response to Student Homelessness Training Series