Youth Take the Lead: Healthy Relationships For Youth Forum
On February 27-28 we held the Youth Take The Lead: Healthy Relationships For Youth Forum. It was a truly successful conference that created a platform to showcase some of the amazing initiatives that our Nova Scotia Youth are taking part in.
There were several presentations including Laura Swaine, Program Coordinator of the Healthy Relationships for Youth program. I think that all of us present would agree that Laura blew us out of the water with her knowledge and practical examples of many benefits of this program. There were graduates of the Healthy Relationships for Youth Program who shared their positive experiences and how the program encouraged leadership and empowerment.
For all photos of this event please visit the: Youth Take The Lead Album
Caroline MacRae, coordinator of The Resisting Violence Project: Rural Women and Girls Take Action, also gave an amazing presentation discussing the youth leaders who were involved with this project from six different rural areas including Canso, Sherbrooke, Port Hawkesbury, Paqtnkek, St. Francis Xavier University, and Antigonish. Each group created community action plan that addressed various issues around violence against women and how their communities can get involved to create change and awareness.
Caroline MacRae also introduced four videos that featured Nova Scotia youth identifying and speaking candidly on the forms of violence against women that they see and experience were screened. (To view videos please visit The Resisting Violence YouTube Channel). The topics addressed included hypersexualization, substance use in dating relationships, sexual violence, and media pressure. Each video was collaboration between youth leaders, community members, and documentary film maker, and assistant coordinator of The Resisting Violence Project, Cara Jones.
