Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of experience do ReAct Peer Facilitators have?

Peer Facilitators have a wealth of community and education experience in areas such as anti-oppression, peer education, popular education, labour organizing, body image, law, healthy sexuality, counseling, cultural and spiritual community building, and anti-racist environmental activism. Aside from their work at METRAC, many Facilitators work with youth in various other capacities.

What kind of training did your Facilitators receive?

Peer Facilitators receive on-going training to build on their already impressive skills. This includes training about:

• The law and violence against women
• Accessibility for ESL (English as a Second Language) Learners
• Deaf culture and ASL (American Sign Language
• Peer facilitation with youth
• Power, privilege and oppression
• Safer sex negotiation and AIDS prevention
• Community organizations and resources in Toronto
• Issues in the youth legal system
• Gang violence

Do you do youth workshops with mixed groups (boys and girls)?

Yes, we do. We also welcome invitations to conduct workshops in non-mixed classrooms. Some schools have invited us to facilitate workshops for girls only. Although a young woman-only workshop often lends itself to more frank and open discussions, we also feel that young men need to be part of violence against women prevention. If a school or youth group does decide to separate young women and men, it is very important that both groups participate in our workshops.

Do you conduct workshops, trainings, or speaking engagements outside of Toronto?

Due to our limited resources, we ask for additional transportation fees to be able to honour requests outside of Toronto.

How are you funded?

ReAct does not receive ongoing funding. Financial support for the program must be raised through METRAC fundraising initiatives. In the past, the program has received one-time grants from the United Way's Freedom from Violence Grants Program and The Canadian Women's Foundation.

Can we book a workshop for school assemblies?

Our workshops are conducted with a maximum of 30 participants. However, we do offer speakers for panels, large group presentations, assemblies, and events.

Our workshops are aimed at youth between the ages of 13 to 24 years of age. However, we can adapt our workshops for slightly younger or older groups. Our trainings and speaking engagements can be tailored to any age group.

Do Peer Facilitators receive payment for their work at METRAC?

METRAC is committed to recognizing youth for their work and expertise. Peer Facilitators receive honoraria for the important work they do in the ReAct program.

Can ReAct conduct workshops with ESL learners?

We have training and experience that allows us to work with students at various levels of English proficiency. Such workshops involve more preparation time from us and the host teacher/youth workers involved. Please book far in advance.

Do you provide youth, teachers, and youth workers with any resources after a workshop or training?

For most ReAct workshops and trainings, written resources can be provided to youth, teachers, and youth workers to help further the learning after the workshop is done.

How do you monitor the effectiveness of your program?

We ask participants (teacher/youth worker, youth participants, and Peer Facilitators themselves) to fill out feedback forms. These are essential in tracking our progress and ensuring that our program is relevant and responsive to peoples' needs.

Peer Facilitators also attend general meetings, during which we discuss challenges and successes, de-brief about our work, and undergo training.