Introducing: Social Justice for Beginners Workshops

Have you ever wondered...

• Why people share or ask to share their pronouns?
• What's the difference between being anti-racist and not racist?
• Why community events sometimes acknowledge which Indigenous territory they take place on?
• How can you, a young person, make a real difference in the world?

It’s sometimes scary to hear everything that’s wrong in our society. But many young people (Autumn Peltier, Mari Copeny, Leah Namugerwa, Greta Thunberg, Malala Yousafzai etc.) are taking a stand.

But you do not need to be famous to make a difference! Any young person with a passion can make a big impact on their community.

Being a youth leader can be exciting but also overwhelming. Big confusing words, complex social issues, and our own prejudices can make the learning process a difficult and lonely one.

What are LOVE BC workshops?

LOVE (Leave Out Violence) BC wants to make things easier for young leaders like you! A youth-driven media arts and leadership organization in the Lower Mainland, we run workshops where young people can learn and talk about the issues that matter to them in a safer space.

We also include art-making activities so youth can express themselves in a fun and creative way.

LOVE supports youth to thrive through programs and healthy relationships that build emotional intelligence and help overcome the challenges they face. We use a broad, youth-driven definition of “violence” that includes, but is not limited to:

• Physical violence (assault, war, etc.)
• Emotional violence, including bullying and cyber-bullying
• Sexual violence
• Intimate partner violence
• Forms of exclusion including racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, Islamophobia etc.

Here are some sample topics for past and upcoming workshops:

• Anti-bullying
• Gender-based violence
• Self-care and harm reduction
• Cultural sensitivity

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, our workshops are online. This means anyone, anywhere can join us on Zoom. No experience is required, and workshops are 100% free.

Join us by signing up here, or scroll down for more details.

FAQ

Who are LOVE BC workshops for?

Our workshops are designed for youth ages 13-17. Workshops are open to all young people, but we especially encourage folks with certain lived experiences to join:

• If you are a witness to, victim of, or have participated in violence and/or oppression
• If you identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, or person of colour)
• If you identify as LGBT2QIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, two spirit, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual, etc.)
• If you live with a disability, illness, mental health issue, and/or substance use issue
• If you use government supports such as foster care, welfare, social housing etc.
• If you have difficulty finding housing

We encourage you to join us because your lived experience is immensely valuable. But please note that you are under no pressure to share your personal information or experience unless you feel comfortable!

What will I learn?

Each workshop is 1.5-2 hours long with a focus on one theme, such as:

• Healthy relationships
• Mental health
• Media literacy and cyberbullying
• Anti-oppression and inclusion

By participating in our workshops, you’ll learn concepts and skills that will empower you to make change in your own community. For example, you may learn how to:

• Make a meaningful land acknowledgement
• Spot and stop bullying or cyber-bullying
• Find mental health support for you or someone you care about
  
• Explain to someone the benefits of sharing personal pronouns

What is a safer space?

We do our best to make our workshops safer spaces where everyone feels comfortable, but there is no such thing as a 100% safe space.

All sessions begin with brainstorming community guidelines as a group. Our goal is to hold space that allows folks to be honest and vulnerable.

If a topic makes you feel uncomfortable, this is totally normal. It’s actually good to feel discomfort sometimes because it means you are learning something new! You are always welcome to take a break, step away, or talk to a staff member privately if you need to.

What activities will we do? Will there be art?

As a media arts organization, we try to integrate creative elements into our sessions! This may include collage-making, drawing, origami, poetry writing, and other forms of art we can do in a virtual environment.

We also play lots of games! These are workshops, not lectures, so you can expect lots of fun, hands-on activities :)

I’m interested in your workshops but I’m not a youth.

We sometimes have space for adult allies to join us, so contact us if you’re interested!

If you’re a schoolteacher, community leader, or youth worker who works with young people, you can also request a custom workshop from our organization. Our outreach programs operate on a sliding scale.