At the end of this month, Respectful Relationships will return to SD #64 for its 12th consecutive year of delivery! We are excited for another year of classroom delivery as well as training both new and returning youth facilitators who will then join us in the classroom for R+R workshops with younger students. Having worked with SWOVA for 8 years, it is always great to return to the halls and classrooms of the schools which feel familiar and inspiring as a community educational environment.
Having recently watched “The Interrupters,” a 2011 documentary film that tells the story of three violence interrupters who try to protect their Chicago communities from the violence they once employed, I am certain that it is through education and relationship skill building that we are able to create change in our communities whether urban or rural. Well worth watching, the film is an intense and realistic story of communities grappling with racism, poverty and violence. Whether in a US city or here on our small BC Island, it is hopeful to see the passion and commitment of individuals and communities to end violence in all its forms.
By Christina Antonick – R+R Adult Facilitator and Trainer