Perhaps you’ve walked in a mall or sat on a sky train next to a young person. You hear a faint clicking sound as they rapidly text on their phone, or see the reflective glow on their faces from using a laptop or iPad. This generation has been introduced to, and embraced, online social media and personal electronic devices in a way no other age group has. 2009’s Nielsen study on “How Teens Use Media” reports that the average teen spends 3.2 hours a day watching television, uses the internet for 75 minutes, sends 96 text messages, and spends 25 minutes using a console game. And this is just the usage for one day!
It’s more than clear that this is a screen generation. Not to discount other forms of communication, but youth seem to have a familiarity, preference, and ability to easily use most media devices. Is this a negative trend? Nielsen suggests that although it is a departure from classical modes of interaction in the past, there is still a high quality of retention, communication, and relationships being formed through these different avenues of communication.
As we were creating our TCO2 (Taking Care of Ourselves, Taking Care of Others) workshops this year, we were actively thinking of how to engage the screen generation, without losing our flair for dramatic role plays and monologues. Last year, we introduced the use of some video, and received overwhelming feedback that this was effective and well received from both students and teachers.
This year, we decided to take a risk to reach out to the screen generation. Our team of young adult facilitators wrote, directed, starred in, and edited 12 videos- 6 for elementary and 6 for high school. These videos follow two characters, Carter and Julia, and are used to provide tangible stories of different ways sexual exploitation can happen, and the complex dynamics involved. In between the use of these short, 3-5 minute videos, our team generates discussion, uses PowerPoint, and even peppers in live role plays.
In less than two months, we have seen an incredible amount of engagement and overall class participation. It seems that the use of screen media paired with our tried and tested live dramatic model is just what the doctor ordered. Students are captivated- as a video plays, a hush falls over the room. We see visible reactions cross their faces, and the questions and comments they ask after show us that we are hitting the mark right where we need to. We are encouraged and challenged to continue to track with students, to understand where they are at, and the best ways we can communicate to them. Those who stay relevant stay prevalent.
The next time you see a youth seemingly disengaged while clicking through their phone, keep in mind that we as a community can reach them when we cross the technological bridge to their world.
Resource Referenced:
http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/reports/nielsen_howteensusemedia_june09.pdf
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Introducing…. Ian Jung!
1. What interested you most in being a TCO2 workshop facilitator?
What interests me the most about being a TCO2 workshop facilitator is that I have the opportunity to make a positive impact on the communities of the lowermainland, and on the lives of the youths who live here. My cofacillitators and I have been providing workshops since the first week of October, and I am just so grateful for the opportunity given to me by Children of the Street Society. Not only have the TCO2 workshops positively affected the lives of youths thus far, but the nature of being a workshop facilitator for COS has made a positive difference in me as well. I have learned to grow as an individual, and become more sensitive to the issues surrounding the interactions and dynamics of humans. COS has truly made me a more compassionate person.
2. Can you tell us a little about your previous training and experience?
I’ve tried to live a balanced life since attending post secondary. I have an academic background in psychology and criminology, where I became familiar with the importance of the upbringing of youths, and the social problems that can stem from a maladaptive social and physical development. If there is one thing that disturbs me, its when I hear of the unfair robbery of a youth’s childhood through physical, sexual, or emotional abuse. Through exposure to the importance of development via my education, I was drawn to volunteering in daycares and summercamps, and through my willingness to be involved in the community, I found myself volunteering for the RCMP community policing program and working at Simon Fraser University with the Student Campus Safety Program. Since graduating from SFU in the Spring of 2011, I was very fortunate to have found the job posting at Children of the Street Society, where I could fulfill my drive to be involved in the communities of the lowermainland, and to make a difference in the lives of youths.
3. What do you see as an important focus point to preventing the sexual exploitation of youth?
I believe that awareness and empathy building are vital components to preventing the sexual exploitation of youths. As humans, we need to learn to show compassion and empathy when we are aware that other people are different, whether that difference be of age, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, wealth and so forth. When we discriminate or use our power negatively upon observing that other people are different, we create vulnerabilities where people are at risk of being harmed. Such harm can include sexual exploitation. We need to also become aware of our own vulnerabilities, and do what is required to protect ourselves from being taken advantage of, whether that be by standing up for ourselves, telling someone, or raising awareness.
4. What excites you most about the format of this year’s TCO2 workshop?
I am excited that we get to provide a workshop that allows youths to learn in a variety of ways. We send a positive and empowering message through videos, role plays, dialogue, and powerpoint visuals. I believe that presenting the workshop in such an eclectic way will allow youths who might not learn so well in certain formats (e.g. dialogue), to still get the message by other means (e.g. video and roleplays).
5. What’s your favourite part of being a workshop facilitator?
Without a doubt, my favourite part of being a workshop facilitator is to know that we as a team are making a positive difference in the community and in the lives of youths. Even if our message only made a difference in the life of one youth out of a class of thirty, I will be happy knowing that we helped someone.
6. If you could say anything to your fourteen year old self, what would it be and why?
I would tell myself to act upon my values, and to stand up for what I believe in. Everyone deserves to be treated with fairness and respect. We should not bystand when we observe someone being treated poorly and we should stand up for ourselves if we find ourselves in a place where we are being taken advantaged of.
7. What are you most passionate about?
Besides being involved in the community via TCO2 and other means, I am passionate about my family, the friends that I have made throughout my life, staying healthy, and my involvement in kickboxing 
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Introducing… Larissa Maxwell
1. What interested you most in being a TCO2 workshop facilitator?
I love speaking and interacting with young people. In their ideas and voices I see hope and a new generation of change and opportunity. Having the privilege to present with our team is energizing, challenging, and gives me a sense that together we are changing the world, one life at a time.
2. What do you see as an important focus point to preventing the sexual exploitation of youth?
Connecting students to the reality that sexual exploitation is happening in our communities. Often it feels like it could happen to someone else, happens in another school, another city. Creatively engaging students so they recognize that sexual exploitation could happen to anyone is one my top priorities. The average age of entry into the sex trade in Canada is 14 years old. Our youth are being targeted, and we have a responsibility to warn them and provide practical tools to stay safe.
3. What’s your favourite part of being a workshop facilitator?
I love the wild card aspect of our work- each classroom, group, school, and organization are different. Even though we have a set workshop, it is designed to be a conversation that has an element of student direction. We bounce off their responses, questions, or areas of interest, so every day and every workshop is different.
4. If you could say anything to your fourteen year old self, what would it be and why?
I would say that appearances don’t matter as much as we think they do. I spent much of my high school battling with the media’s image of what a woman should look and act like. I struggled- with my untamed hair, pale skin, and passionate ideas around social justice, I didn’t fit the mould. I can see now I didn’t fit because none of us do. We are unique and it’s our differences and subtle quirks that make us who we are- not how much we mimic the media images around us.
5. What are you most passionate about?
I am passionate to see our world change. I often find myself frustrated by the evening news- another tragedy, another stolen life, another lost dream. It’s easy to give in to despair and hopelessness, but I am committed to be the change I want to see in the world. I want to grow as a person and devote my abilities and time to rolling up my sleeves and entering some of the toughest arenas of human pain and suffering. I am only one person and can only accomplish so much, but that is all I have to bring to the table at the end of the day, so I’ll bring what I’ve got.
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Introducing… Jaedyn Starr!
1. What interested you most in being a TCO2 workshop facilitator?
I am thrilled about being a workshop facilitator because having a conversation about sexual exploitation, power, oppression, and our vulnerabilities with youth on a daily basis is a privilege. Through our workshops we have the awesome responsibility of bringing awareness to sexual exploitation as it relates to the many ways we might be making one another vulnerable.
2. Can you tell us a little about your previous training and experience?
My life experience as a queer is integral to understanding power systems and oppressions as they are embedded in our society. Life experience can result in more growth and learning than provided by any degree or diploma. I have volunteered with YouthCO’s Theatre Troupe which uses the Theatre of the Oppressed to empower youth in an anti-oppressive, youth-driven framework. I have extensive experience with youth as a softball coach, ski instructor, swim instructor, lifeguard, and umpire. I am proud to have volunteered with Pride at the University of Ottawa. As a Teaching Assistant at the University of British Columbia, I held tutorials on economic theory. I completed a Master’s of Arts in Economics from the University of British Columbia. Academically, I also focused on Leisure Studies at the University of Ottawa which delves into recreation, tourism, and play.
3. What do you see as an important focus point to preventing the sexual exploitation of youth?
One integral step in preventing sexual exploitation is breaking the silence about things that are often not discussed in our society. These are the issues that we may know are going on around us but are afraid to speak up and acknowledge their existence. The silence stigmatizes the people who are being oppressed and exploited. Unfortunately, sometimes we unintentionally maintain the silence around physical abuse, bullying, rape, or sexual exploitation in our communities. These silences disempower those of us who are exploited and makes us more vulnerable to abuses of power such as sexual exploitation. The silence makes it more challenging for all of us to speak up against the violence, which is one reason why I am so enthusiastic about increasing awareness and breaking the silence in our TCO2 workshops.
4. What excites you most about the format of this year’s TCO2 workshop?
I am thrilled about the workshop structure, discussing vulnerabilities, power, barriers, and choices as they relate to sexual exploitation. We discuss how we all have vulnerabilities, whether it be not liking the way we look, not feeling like we belong, or life experience (such as physical or sexual abuse, or the misuse of drugs). During our power section, we explain how we all have power and we can use it to overpower others, as in sexual exploitation, or we can choose to use it in positive ways to empower others through listening and respecting the people around us, regardless of our differences. We also discuss the discrimination that exists in our society based on ethnicity, gender, ability, class, and sexuality. Unfortunately this is not an exhaustive list of the ways we can be disrespected. We discuss how when we disrespect the people around us we make each other more vulnerable to being overpowered in sexually exploitative ways. Often the reason we disrespect people who are different from us it is because we are in some sense threatened by their differences.
The mistreatment essentially comes from our own insecurities.
5. If you could say anything to your fourteen year old self, what would it be and why?
I would tell this youth that they do not need to live up to anyone else’s expectations of what someone else thinks they should do. I would tell this youth that when they try and be someone they are not to satisfy someone else it is at the expense of being authentic, of living their life to the fullest. These expectations can be subtle as they surround us all the time and may seem invisible to some of us.
For example, the heterosexism in our society tells us that the right way to live our lives is the straight or heterosexual life, that all other options are inferior. Often straight people are unaware of this reality, but ask anyone who has had to ‘come out’ because they were assumed to be straight, and they are familiar with this sexual oppression and the pain of not fitting the straight expectations. I bought into the heterosexist societal norm for many years while repressing my true self because of what other people expected of me.
Eventually, I could not keep the pain of hiding my true self inside.
I live my life as a queer person with pride because of the struggle that is felt to not only to come out to others but to come out to myself. The heterosexism in our culture inevitably creates homophobia. This homophobia is evident as I hear the word ‘Fag’ used as a slur daily throughout the schools of the Lower Mainland as young men attempt to attack one another’s masculinity.
6. What are you most passionate about?
I am passionate about gender and sexual diversity. We are all expected to fit into neat and tidy gender boxes of man or woman. These boxes are supposed to determine the way we look, act, and treat one another. I do not want to live a life determined by these rigid gender expectations and I am passionate about the multitude of ways that we can live our lives outside of these tiny gender boxes. Ultimately, none of us can truly live up to these gender expectations, whether it be our hair, clothes, body, occupation, sexuality, our cooking tendencies or any of the hundreds of other expectations that we associate with particular genders.
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Introducing… Emily Huynh
1. What interested you most in being a TCO2 workshop facilitator?
When I first discovered the job here at COS, I was most interested in the opportunity to use aspects of creative and performance arts as a tool to empower and educate youth.
2. Can you tell us a little about your previous training and experience?
I graduated from UBC in 2010 with a BA degree in Psychology and a minor in Theatre. I concentrated my degree on developmental and social psychology, with an additional focus in women’s studies. Beyond my university classes, my theatre background ranges from musical theatre to social activism theatre and drama therapy. I am interested in combining the performance arts with youth empowerment programming and initiatives.
3. What do you see as an important focus point to preventing the sexual exploitation of youth?
I believe we need to focus on building empathy, respect and compassion in this generation – particularly in a world where they are bombarded with sex and violence from such a young age. Ultimately, this issue translates to the ways we treat and value one another. Hence, TCO2: Taking Care of Ourselves/Taking Care of Others!
4. What excites you most about the format of this year’s TCO2 workshop?
What I like the most is how we’ve broadened the conversation to be centred around more inclusive themes of recognizing and respecting vulnerability, and the ways we use power. This really allows us to connect and relate sexual exploitation to all sorts of other topics, such as LGBTQ issues, forms of discrimination, gender representations in the media, and school bullying.
5. What’s your favourite part of being a workshop facilitator?
I feel incredibly lucky to get to have thought-provoking and insightful dialogue with youth on a daily basis! It is eye-opening and energizing to see what youth have to say about our subject, and I love being there to facilitate those conversations.
6. If you could say anything to your fourteen year old self, what would it be and why?
My fourteen year old self would think I’m a dork for using a quote here, but I’m older and wiser than she is, so I don’t care. I would tell her this:
“Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure… We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?” – Marianne Williamson
My fourteen year old self spent a lot of time feeling concerned with how she looked and whether she fit in. Being back in schools, I remember the reasons why this felt so important at that age. But with a decade of perspective in my pocket, I realize now how futile these concerns really are, and ultimately how much they can limit us from getting on with exploring the amazing potential we all have in the world.
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Coming Soon…
Starting next week, we will be introducing our new team of TCO2 facilitators for the 2011/12 school year- Emily Huynh, Ian Jung, Andrea Krakan, Jaedyn Starr, and Larissa Maxwell. We will be sharing a bit about their personal goals and aspirations, and share their insights about topics and issues arising in the schools and communities we present in. Stay tuned!
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Local Small Businesses Making a Big Difference in the Community
As with most charities and non-profits, Children of the Street Society depends on the generosity of countless individuals, groups, and funders. While we work hard on a consistent and ongoing basis to secure funding and keep our much-needed programs thriving, sometimes when its least expected, we receive a generous contribution from a passionate person. As a fundraiser, I can’t tell you know exciting that is. It means a lot more than just money – knowing you have a community of people behind what you are doing also provides hope and motivation to continue moving towards our vision. Over the past few months, we have formed several partnerships with local small businesses, which we are grateful for. However, it is the people behind these businesses that make the relationship special. I still remember what my fundraising instructor in college said on the first day of class, “Fundraising is really about friend-raising”. All of his students (including myself) laughed because you have to admit it sounds pretty corny, right? But now, I couldn’t agree more. So, today’s post is to honor five of Children of the Street Society’s awesome new friends:
1.) Hilde Stevenson of Taco Del Mar, Coquitlam – From May 5th-12th 2011, Taco Del Mar in Coquitlam hosted a 5-Pound Burrito Challenge in celebration of Cinco De May and donated 10% of proceeds from sales that week to Children of the Street! The challenge was a fun way to engage new customers, as well as the BC Lions who also participated. Hilde also personally volunteered her time (and nachos!) to assist with our Youth Engagement Art Project this past June. Check out Hilde making an incredible 5-pound burrito here:
Photo from Left: Diane Sowden, COS Executive Director; James Coleridge, Bella Gelateria; Stephanie Owen, COS Program Manager
2.) Anthony Walker of the US Consulate and James Coleridge of Bella Gelateria – Over the past few months we have had the pleasure of getting to know Anthony Walker, Resident Agent in Charge at the US Consulate Office and Taushia Walker, Community Liaison Office Coordinator, both of whom are eager to learn how sexual exploitation is affecting young people in this community, and what they can do about it. On June 15th, they held a Gelato Social fundraiser in partnership with James Coleridge, Maestro Gelatier of Bella Gelateria on Cordova Street inVancouver to benefit the Society. James generously donated delicious mango, chocolate, and espresso gelato for this fun and social event, and $2 from each scoop purchased was donated to the Society.
3.) Suzanne Laurin-Seale of Nature’s Creations Aromatherapy has made a generous donation to our educational prevention workshops and has been a supporter for more than a year. Suzanne is an outstanding example of how small business can have a big impact by giving back to the community and making a positive difference in the lives of children and youth. She hopes others will follow her lead by taking action and doing something about sexual exploitation, an ugly reality happening in our own backyards. She is also a big supporter of World Vision and a portion of sales goes toward helping those who have not had the opportunities that most of us enjoy every day. Nature’s Creations is a leader in offering 100% natural botanical aromatherapy products and services. For more information, please visit <www.naturalbeautyskincare.ca>.
4.) Jennifer McCormack and Team C-Squared – We are grateful for the initiative taken by Jennifer McCormack, manager of The Body Shop at Coquitlam Centre and the passion she demonstrates for preventing sexual exploitation at the local level. Jennifer, along with “Team C-Squared” have chosen to support us in a number of valuable ways: hosted a mini-makeover event and donated proceeds; promote and distribute our fuschia ribbons and bracelets to customers; encourage customers to make donations and become members of; made personal donations to the silent auction at our recent fundraising event. The Body Shop is also dedicated on a corporate level to stopping human trafficking internationally, and is making major strides in doing so. For more information on how The Body Shop is stopping human trafficking or to sign their petition, please click here <http://bit.ly/qv5Vmn>.
5.) Bryan Janzen of Sun Hang Do – On Saturday, June 25th we participated in the Austin Heights’ Daisy Day event, which featured a free pancake breakfast, family entertainment, and lots of prizes and kids activities. Bryan Janzen, owner and instructor of Sun Hang Do, set up a martial-arts style “Board Breaking Challenge”, where people of all ages and skill-levels paid to attempt to break a board. Janzen and Sun Hang Do generously donated the proceeds of this event to the Society.
Thank you to everyone mentioned here as well as all of our other valued supporters – we look forward to continuing to build partnerships with you in the future!
Catherine Cachia, Fund Development Coordinator
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Today’s guest post was written by one of our new volunteers, Christopher Libby, who brings a wealth of experience, insight, and passion to his work with the Society. His own blog can be found at: http://forgetfulman.wordpress.com/
I’m doing some volunteer work for Children of the Street Society, which fights child exploitation by educating children, parents, police, teachers and others. So I got to thinking, what I could do at home, every day, to reinforce these teachings. So I made this list after giving it a little bit of thought. It’s your job as a father to make sure your little girl doesn’t get exploited.
Here’s 10 things you can teach your daughter that’ll reduce the risk of exploitation:
1.) Father is a verb. I will ‘father’ you by loving you unconditionally and forever.
2.) You are smart. I will teach you all I can, and help you learn from your mistakes.
3.) You are beautiful. Just the way you are. Full stop. Period. No Exceptions.
4.) You are capable. Women before you built a launch pad for your unlimited adventures.
5.) You are priceless. What makes you “you” cannot be bought for any price.
6.) You have authority. The security of your body is not debatable. No means No.
7.) There is right and wrong. I will teach you the difference, and how to respond.
8.) You are responsible. Don’t let alcohol or drugs reduce your ability to act responsibly.
9.) Life is a journey. Don’t rush or you’ll miss important things.
10.) Family is forever. You are an extension of me, so I am always with you.
And Dads, please remember not to be scared. You might not have had a daughter before, but she’s never been one before either. You don’t have to be perfect, just persistent. She might not always like you for it, but in the long run she’ll love you for it.
Are you a father, or mother? Do you agree with this list, or is there anything you would add?
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When I started my training as a TCO2 Facilitator, I was surprised to learn about the adolescent social trend of LG parties that were happening across the lower mainland. LG (or “Little Girl”) is a label used by teenagers to stereotype young women (between the ages of 11-15) for wearing revealing clothing or perceived promiscuity. Over the past few years a number of young men from various communities have been suspended or expelled from their schools for hosting LG parties, where young girls were invited to parties by boys in older grades, provided alcohol and pressured to engage in sexual activities. Although it was disappointing to learn about how widespread this trend is, I wasn’t particularly surprised that older guys were giving younger girls alcohol and taking advantage of them. This exploitative ritual has been around a long time and is not uncommon in bars, dance clubs and other social environments where people party. What surprised me is that the term “LG” has emerged to make this alcohol-fuelled exchange of sexual activity for popularity/acceptance seem normal for such young people.
The “LG” or “Little Girl” Phenomenon
As we began presenting workshops in schools acrossNorth Vancouver, Surrey, Coquitlam and communities outside the Lower Mainland, we quickly learned that the LG phenomenon was known and accepted in every school we went to. We even noticed that our “LG discussion” was getting the most dramatic response from the students, and it was shocking to discover that this term is often used to degrade young women while blaming them for “provoking” sexual assault. From the beginning of the year, we knew it was our job to help young people realize this term is demeaning to young women and these parties are exploitative. We also learned during our early workshops that it was important for us to address victim-blaming and remind the youth that no one goes to a party expecting to get assaulted or exploited.
Through these discussions, the youth told us that young girls attend LG parties because they are innocently seeking popularity, belonging and validation from older students in their school. On the other hand, we were told that older guys host/attend these parties to take power over younger girls and manipulate them for sexual purposes. Over time, we made it part of our workshop to constantly remind students that a guy who aims to take advantage of an intoxicated, younger female is not looking for a healthy or equal relationship but is acting out his sexual desperation in a harmful way. The exchange that happens at LG parties is sexual exploitation, and we make sure the youth leave our workshop knowing this.
Why men pay for sex
When speaking with older students in grades 10 – 12, we also knew it was our mission to prevent young men from becoming consumers of paid sexual services. Through trial and error, we figured out that an effective way to address this issue was to start a dialogue regarding why men pay for sex. Interestingly, we noticed that many of the reasons men pay for sex are similar to the reasons why adolescent boys attend LG parties. Desperation, need for power, low self-esteem and inability to maintain healthy or equal relationships were common themes that the students brought up in every session.
Uprooting the seeds of exploitation.
During these more mature workshops, we acknowledge that no young guy grows up thinking he will one day pay for sex, just like no young girl grows up thinking she will one day become a prostitute. However, participating in LG parties and other forms of “sex entertainment” can establish attitudes towards masculinity that make the male demand for paid sex seem normal or acceptable. It is important to reflect on why this happens because there are so many people who contract STI’s, obtain criminal records, encounter violence and devastate their families after getting involved in the sex trade. By teaching young men and women the connection between LG parties and exploitation while emphasizing the value of relationships based on equality and mutual respect, we can uproot the seeds of exploitation.
Example of LG parties in the media: http://www.chilliwacktimes.com/story.html?id=3082029
Amar Ghelani MSW, RSW
2010/2011 TCO2 Workshop Facilitator
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Hi, my name is Catherine and I am the Fund Development Coordinator with Children of the Street Society. I am so happy to be officially welcoming you to our blog. You may be here because you follow us on Twitter, “like” us on Facebook, receive our newsletters or email updates, or have been involved with the organization for years – whatever the reason, we are so happy you are here!
Children of the Street Society staff from left: Calvin Comfort, Gillian Angrove, Ada Tsang (Workshop Facilitators), Esther Asirvatham (Administrative Officer), Stephanie Owen (Program Manager), Meghan Toal (Program Coordinator), Catherine Cachia (Fund Development Coordinator), Amar Ghelani (Workshop Facilitator), Diane Sowden (Executive Director)
“Between 100,000 and 300,000 youth are sexually exploited in North America every year”.
I open with this statistic because the buying and selling of children and youth for sex and profit is not just cause for alarm – it is an emergency that affects every B.C. community and requires widespread, critical dialogue and awareness. Sexual exploitation takes many forms and with continual advancements in technology and accessibility to the Internet, also comes continual changes in the way it impacts lives.
What is this blog all about?
The purpose of this blog is to go beyond the information shared on Facebook, Twitter, and in our newsletter to examine this issue more closely and to facilitate much-needed critical dialogue within the broader community. Blog posts will be a collection of voices: primarily our staff (see picture above), but also Board Members, funders and other individuals who are passionate about this issue. If you are interested in being a guest contributor, please let us know. The range of topics will be as varied as the issue is, and be a reflection of the conversations we have in the office and classroom every day. More specifically, the purpose of this blog is to:
1.) Demystify sexual exploitation.
Sexual exploitation is no doubt a complex issue. While the traditional binary of pimp and commercially exploited youth still exists, the reality is that the landscape of exploitation is much more complicated than that today. “Sexting”, “LG parties” (more on this in our next blog post), and exploitation at parties and in other social settings is not necessarily easy to identify as exploitive among youth. The “why” and “how” of sexual exploitation are also not easy to explain, as there are a range of issues and systems that contribute to it, normalize it, and perpetuate it – poverty, the media, racism, abuse, gender stereotypes, addictions, and stigma are just a few.
2.) To share the challenges and hope we feel.
When you work on this issue day in and day out, it is inevitable you will feel overwhelmed at times and hopeful at other times. Our staff do incredibly valuable work with children, youth, teachers, service providers, and communities. I always love to hear our Workshop Facilitators tell stories about talking to kids in the classroom. Sometimes it’s funny, sometimes it’s troubling, and other times it is simply inspiring. I think that those “lightbulb moments” when something so important “clicks” for a young person during our workshop is too valuable not to be shared.
3.) Incite change.
Every year, we facilitate more than 500 workshops with 25,000 children, youth, parents, service providers and other audiences specifically on the topic of sexual exploitation. Wow! The only “safety” presentations I recall growing up in school were about drinking and driving or wearing my bicycle helmet. I think we have come pretty far in terms of making a relatively taboo subject easier to discuss, yet when we acknowledge that between 100,000-300,000 youth continue to be sexually exploited in North America, I think it is fair to say that we still have a long way to go.
Please join us as we continue to tackle and talk about this issue, which we consider a prerequisite for real change and long-term solutions.
- Catherine Cachia
P.S. We would love to hear your comments and get a conversation rollin …
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