“If we are to create peace in our world, we must begin with our children.” – Mahatma Gandhi
Peace Kids is SWOVA’s exciting new pilot project to take Respectful Relationships education into the elementary school. The Peace Kids curricula will provide engaging skill building sessions that increase dialogue about peace and conflict at the personal and community level. Peace Kids is both culturally relevant and has the capacity to empower youth to think critically about social responsibilities.
SWOVA has received repeated concerns from youth, teachers, parents and school administrators, of a need to provide education and resources for children at the elementary school level to address bullying and systemic violence occurring with younger students. We know that peace based education is integral to the healthy development of youth and now we are bringing that education to students in grades 4, 5, and 6.
Topics covered in the sessions include:
- Empathy
- Accepting difference
- Belonging and connectedness
- Care, kindness, tolerance and appreciation of self and others
- Qualities of leadership
- Conflict resolution
- Critical thinking
- Actively listening
- Self-expression/dealing with emotions
- Cooperation
- Awareness of gender equality
- Awareness about violence and the various forms of bullying
Thanks to the generous support of The Salt Spring Island Foundation and Vancouver Foundation, the Peace Kids curricula is being developed as we speak and sessions are due to begin later in the school year.
