OTF and le Centre ontarien de prévention des agressions (COPA) have worked together to build a multi-faceted bullying prevention and equity inclusion initiative designed to benefit teachers and their fellow school staff members, along with parents, school communities, and, most of all, students.
The Safe@School project also addresses the issues of equity and inclusion in schools, focussing specifically on racism, homophobia and gender-based violence. One of the main aims of the program is to bring about systemic change for teachers, students, and the education system overall. Safe@School is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Education.
The Safe@School website offers useful training components designed to assist teachers in addressing bullying as well as promoting equity and inclusive education. Specifically, the site includes three Professional Learning Modules:
Safe@School also offers a self-directed online course on bullying prevention.
Safe@School also includes a unique website for students in Grades 6 – 12, called Change Our World. Teachers working with students in these grades can find an excellent resource page and glossary on the website, along with polls for students and opportunities for submission of creative expressions related to the issue of bullying prevention and equity and inclusion.
Change Our World also offers a unique online course for youth on bullying and equity and inclusion. The site and the course have many ideas for starting a class or school project, with samples of student engagement projects, artistic expressions and interviews offered for inspiration. Students in Ontario can take COW Cred and receive community service credits.
For more about COW Cred and Change Our World and for a short video to motivate students to participate, click here.
Change Our World also provides ideas for starting a class or school project, with samples of student engagement projects, artistic expressions and interviews offered for inspiration.
For more about Change Our World and for a tool to get students engaged and participating, click here to see a short video.