What we offer
Education Program
Healthy Relationships & Consent Workshop
- Ages: (14-18) Grades 9-12
- Time: 1 session at 60 minutes
- Number of Participants: up to 30 students
- Cost: Free of charge
Using interactive activities, discussion and media tools, youth learn about consent, why boundaries are critical to healthy relationships, and how to support themselves and others when their boundaries are crossed. Also discussed are the role of social power in relationships, tools for self-regulation and techniques for bystander intervention, all facilitated with a trauma-informed and consent focus. Workshops are delivered during school hours for classes grades 9-12 of up to 30 students, at no cost.
Safer Spaces Training
- Ages: Adults (Educators, School Administration, Youth Service Providers, etc.)
- Time: 1 session at 120 minutes
- Number of Participants: up to 100 adults
- Cost: Free of charge
Evidence shows that the most significant factors for effective, long-term sexual violence prevention in youth are the confidence and skills of the adults they interact with every day. Using discussion, interactive activities and multimedia resources, our Safer Spaces workshop creates a comfortable space for adults who work with youth to build their confidence and develop their skills in modeling effective consent practices and supporting survivors of sexual assault, using trauma-informed and evidence-based approaches. Emphasis is placed on practicing self-care, creating space to ask questions and an opportunity to collaboratively problem solve unique challenges. Workshops are 120-minutes, are offered at a time convenient for the school and at no cost.
Holding Space Training
- Ages: Adults (Any)
- Time: 1 session at 120 minutes
- Number of Participants: up to 100 adults
- Cost: Recommended donation $500
Designed for anyone who wants to learn consent-informed practice and skills for supporting survivors of sexual violence and how to receive disclosures of assault, Holding Space uses interactive discussions and conversational practice to ensure each session is relevant to the experiences of its participants. With a focus on creating a comfortable and non-judgmental learning environment, Holding Space presents trauma-informed and evidence-based approaches to setting boundaries, understanding the relevance of culture in dynamics of power, and step-by-step skills to supporting anyone who has experienced a sexual assault. Emphasis is placed on practicing self-care, creating space to ask questions and an opportunity to collaboratively problem solve unique challenges. Workshops are 120-minutes, come with reference material and resource booklets for all participants, and can be booked with a recommended donation of $500.
VSAC is committed to supporting community organizations of all sizes, and smaller local organizations who may find the recommended donation prohibitive are welcome to enquire about alternative donations, based on organizational size and capacity.
Community Youth Program
Black Youth Empowerment (program has ended as of March 2024)
The purpose of Black Youth Empowerment (BYE) is to bring together Black youth to actively take part in conversations and actions around anti-violence, anti-racism and consent work, while sharing their experiences of racialized violence. BYE is youth-led, and is supported by One Love Consulting and Girls & Femmes with Afro-textured Hair. BYE projects include curricula development, facilitation of Bystander Intervention and Safer-Braver Spaces, and will be looking to plan a conference in 2023. To learn more follow us on Instagram @b.y.e.victoria or email us directly at .
Bystander Intervention Workshop
- Ages: (12-18) / Grades: 7-12
- Time: 1 session at 120 minutes
- Number of Participants: up to 30 students
- Delivered online
The Bystander Intervention workshop is facilitated by Black Youth Empowerment, and it engages Black youth to define the role of a bystander in situations involving discrimination and bullying and explore ways to respond that are supportive to those impacted, and is grounded in stepping into one’s power. If you’d like to bring this workshop to your school or community you must have a group of black youth interested in receiving this workshop. To learn more follow us on Instagram @b.y.e.victoria or if you have any questions email us at .
Safer-Braver Spaces Workshop
- Ages: Adults (Educators, School Administration, Youth Service Providers, etc.)
- Time: 1 session at 120 minutes
- Number of Participants: 70-80
- Delivered online
Safer-Braver Spaces is culturally relevant training facilitated by Black Youth Empowerment, for adults who want to learn how to support youth who are impacted by racism and gender-based violence, and gain tools to promote a culture of consent in their work environment through practice of intervention and desire to shift practices and policies. BYE hosts up to two Safer-Braver Spaces workshops a year. To learn more about up coming workshops follow us on Instagram @b.y.e.victoria or email us directly at .
Youth Council (program ended September 2023)
The purpose of the youth council is to empower youth by supporting their personal and collective visions for a future without sexualized violence. Some potential projects may include: developing a new logo for Project Respect, developing social media content to share about consent and resources, creating merchandise for the council, and planning the Youth Social Action Camp! Since this program is youth-led, it will be up each cohort to decide which direction to take. Project Respect is committed to creating an environment where all voices are heard. Our goal is to work in an anti-oppressive way, meaning that we view sexualized violence as connected to many different structures that exclude certain voices. Some of these structures are: colonialism, racism, gender-based violence, and ableism. To learn more follow us on Instagram @projectrespect_