Agenda 1) Overview 2) Youth Ambassador experiences 3) Sample activities

Diversity Who needs to be included in your community? How have you included people in your community?

Building Welcoming & Inclusive Neighbourhoods Multiple Neighbourhood Houses are involved Explores their leadership role in building community capacity to be welcoming to all Aims to address racism and social exclusion in creative and responsive ways Activities include welcome events for newcomers, Safe Harbour training, dialogue circles, community lunches and celebrations

Safe Harbour (AMSSA) “Respect for All” Community Organizers train businesses or other organizations to be Safe Harbours To be a Safe Harbour, a location commits to provide equitable treatment for all clients/customers provides a temporary safe place for community members who have been mistreated prepares employees to provide these

Safe Harbour Youth Ambassadors Model developed by Skeena Diversity Society (Terrace) Piloted by Cowichan Intercultural Society and Cambell River Multicultural and Immigrant Services Association Program has run in about 14 communities in BC

What is it? Provincial program that engages youth in creating welcoming environments for diversity in their schools and communities Trained youth in grades facilitate three 45- min Children Safe Harbour Workshops for students in grades 4-7

Goals To provide training to high school students so that they become enthusiastic role models for understanding and respecting diversity To support the YA's to facilitate workshops for children To have youth demonstrate leadership in ati- racism and anti-hate advocacy and education on multiculturalism and diversity

Here is a diagram that shows how to turn bully/victim/by- stander triangles into a circle of safety and respect: Instead of a bully, here is a person who is not thinking. Instead of a victim here is person who has the potential to become a diversity educator Instead of a bystander, here is a person who is learning to stand up for all differences. Safe Harbour - Here is a safe place where children can learn and practice their rights and responsibilities to include and be included.

Training model

Youth Ambassador training 1)Experiencing the Children Safe Harbour workshop 2)Integrating training with experience Discussing own experiences Facilitation skills development 3)Preparing materials Graphic facilitation practice 4)Dress rehearsal

Diversity workshops for children 1)Dare to Be Different 1)2) Standing Up for Inclusion 1)3) Finding a Safe Place or Safe Adult