Programs | Outreach

Resource highlights:

Program highlights:

2001: established Respect in Action (ReAct), a youth peer-to-peer education program to address violence against women and youth
2007-2008: launched RePlay: Finding Zoe/ReJouer: Où est Zoé?, an online video game for youth and winner of the Adobe Max 2009 award, Adobe-TechSoup’s Show Your Impact award and Changemakers’ Why Games Matter award
2008: ReAct's program model recognized as a promising practice in The Road to Health: A Final Report on School Safety report (the "Falconer report")
2010: launched What It Is., a mobile and online game that challenges sexual violence
2011: co-authored "Power to the People: Anti-Oppressive Game Design", published in Designing Games for Ethics: Models, Techniques and Frameworks (IGI Global, 2011)
2011: created content for the United Nation's Say NO – UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign's online quiz about global violence against women

ReAct Facebook page

What It Is. Facebook page

What It Is. digital game project

What It Is. A digital game challenging sexual violence

Play What It Is. now

Funded by TELUS and Department of Justice Canada, What It Is. is a Canada-wide digital game in English and French that raises awareness about sexual violence and supports young people aged 12 to 25 dealing with issues of sexual violence. The game will be available for play online and on java-enabled mobile phones. It was created in partnership with diverse youth and will be launched on November 25, 2010 in honour of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

Project supporters include Assaulted Women's Helpline, Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres, Ontario Network of Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Treatment Centres, Saskatoon Sexual Assault and Information Centre, Sexual Assault Centre (Hamilton and Area) and Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region.

What It Is. information sheet: PDF (88 KB)
What It Is. media advisory: PDF (30 KB)
YouTube trailer

iPhone Project to Challenge Sexual Harassment

Through this project, an iPhone application will be created and distributed to raise awareness about and challenge sexual harassment. It will support women and young women in “everyday” instances of sexual harassment at work and in public spaces; provide key information about legislation and community services and supports that are relevant to victims of harassment; and increase the public’s general awareness about sexual harassment at work and in public in a media-savvy manner.

Content for this app is being developed through the direct input of community members through a survey on how they would respond to sexual harassment. This survey was distributed and collected through the partnership support of Hollaback!, a movement dedicated to ending street harassment using mobile technology.

Research Summary: Survey on Responses to Sexual Harassment: PDF (380 KB)

It's On: Challenging Violence through Digital Video Project

The Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto (LIFT) is partnering with METRAC's ReAct Program to initiate the It's On: Challenging Violence through Digital Video Project in 2010 to 2011. Funded by Canada Council for the Arts, Toronto-based filmmakers will mentor youth and build their video production skills, empowering them to express opinions through artistic practices. ReAct Youth Peer Facilitators will support artists and youth participants by increasing their understanding of issues of violence and will provide a "lens" from which the youth will create their own digital videos.

Youth Alliance Project

The Youth Alliance is a youth-led collective. Originally funded by the Canadian Women's Foundation, the alliance advocated for changes to violence prevention strategies in the city to better support young women. In 2010, the Youth Alliance was funded by Laidlaw Foundation to reconvene and address policing, sexual assault and gender-based violence against youth in Toronto.

Literature review, survey findings and youth demands: PDF (56 KB)
Youth Alliance poster: PDF (391 KB)
“Don’t Make me Repeat Myself” advocacy training for youth: PDF (164 KB)
Youth Friendliness of Non-Profit Boards Checklist: PDF (59 KB)

Take Action Project

Funded by United Way Toronto, this participatory research project was undertaken to create a policy brief about violence against women and its connection to poverty in Ontario.

“No Cherries Grow on Our Trees” policy research paper: PDF (379 KB)

Girl EmPower Project

Girl Guides of Canada-Guides du Canada (GGC) received funding from the Government of Ontario to partner with METRAC and create the Girl EmPower Badge Kit for girls and leaders across Ontario and Canada.

Girl EmPower Project press release: PDF (32 KB)

ReAct: celebrating 10 years of youth preventing violence

Respect in Action: Youth Preventing Violence (ReAct) is a unique peer education program made of dynamic, diverse and skilled youth who facilitate interactive peer-to-peer workshops, trainings and speaking engagements on violence against women and youth. ReAct raises awareness, fosters discussion and introduces community resources to challenge and inspire youth. Since its inception in 2001, ReAct has delivered services to thousands of youth, educators and service providers. In 2008, ReAct's model was recognized as a promising practice in The Road to Health: A Final Report on School Safety report and reproduced with a group of South Asian youth through a partnership with Social Services Network in York Region. In 2009, ReAct curricula was adapted for The Achievers Project, a gang violence prevention and intervention initiative of San Romanoway Revitalization Association.

ReAct brochure: PDF (168 KB)
Note for teachers and educators bringing ReAct into the classroom: PDF (146 KB)
Frequently asked questions about ReAct: PDF (120 KB)

Contact ReAct Coordinator: 416-397-0258 | react@metrac.org

Contact ReAct Peer Youth Facilitators: youth@metrac.org

Youth workshops

ReAct offers youth-friendly, interactive workshops that complement school curriculum and youth programming. They are conducted with groups of up to 30 participants.

Mini workshops (1.5 hours): $100 fee
Full workshops (3 hours): $200 fee

Note: workshops outside the City of Toronto include additional fees. Please contact us for details.

School assemblies

ReAct offers engaging school assemblies for a maximum of 250 students. They are 45 minutes to 1.5 hours long. Fees for assemblies are $300.

Note: workshops outside the City of Toronto may require additional fees to cover travel costs.

Trainings

ReAct offers trainings for youth workers, service providers, educators and community workers. Sessions are at least 3 hours long and include a maximum of 30 participants. Trainings include a pre-training survey process for participants; interactive activities; definitions and warning signs; a gender-based, anti-oppressive framework; solutions and strategies; practical de-escalation tips; take-away resources for participants; minuted group discussions; and a post-training survey, results of which can be shared with training organizers. Formats and fees are tailored to each request.

Speaking engagements

ReAct offers youth speakers for other engagements such as panels and conferences. Speakers address issues related to violence, youth and anti-oppression. Formats and fees are tailored to each request.

ReAct topics

The Bully Factor Addresses different types of bullying (sexual, gender-based and physical) and how youth can resist and challenge it in their lives.	Available for assemblies, workshops and trainings. Can be delivered to young children (ages 6 to 11).
Don't Make Me Repeat Myself Advocacy training on gender-based violence. Grounded in an anti-oppression framework, it focuses on how youth can advocate for change. It is geared to youth in Toronto but can be adapted to other locations. It is most appropriate for youth over 15 years of age with some level of leadership, anti-violence, and/or anti-oppression skills and training, whether formal or informal.	Available for trainings.
Ending the Silence: Violence at Home Explores violence that occurs at home (physical, emotional, sexual and financial abuse). Discusses how youth can resist violence at home, how they can get help and strategies to help peers. Available for junior high youth, secondary school youth, young moms and newcomer youth.	Available for workshops and trainings.
Feeding or Starving the Hype: Youth At-Risk and Violence Links violence against women with issues marginalized youth can face, such as harassment, racism, bullying, involvement with the law and gang violence.	Available for workshops and trainings.
Gender-Based Violence 101 Introduces issues related to gender-based violence against girls and women within an anti-oppression framework.	Available for workshops and trainings. Can be delivered to young children (ages 6 to 11).
Going Beyond the Massacre: December 6th Remembrance Explores connections between sexism, violence against women and the 1989 December 6th Montreal massacre. Includes media literacy activities and encourages critical thinking in all portrayals of violence against women.	Available for assemblies, workshops and trainings.
Love or Obsession? Stalking Explores the difference between romance and courtship and persistent, unwanted attention. Helps youth identify and work towards healthy relationships.	Available for workshops and trainings.
Only Yes Means Yes! Sexual Assault Addresses issues such as rape, pressure to be sexually active and the use of date rape drugs. Explores the impact of gender stereotypes and peer pressure on relationships.	Available for workshops and trainings.
Our Power, Our Privilege: Intro 2 Anti-Oppression Introduces anti-oppression and explains multiple forms of oppression. Interactive activities, media and art demonstrate how oppression effects youth uniquely with respect to gender, race, class, immigration status, sexuality, ability and religion. Includes self-reflective activities to help participants recognize oppression, power and privilege.	Available for full workshops and trainings.
Speak Your Truth: Empowerment for Young Mothers For girl-only groups. Helps young mothers identify and build on healthy relationships and looks at physical, spiritual, financial, sexual, and emotional boundaries.	Available for workshops and trainings.
Speak Your Truth: Empowerment for Young Women For girl-only groups. Helps young women learn about empowerment and deal with pressures that can hinder empowerment. Looks at physical, spiritual, financial, sexual, and emotional boundaries.	Available for assemblies, workshops and trainings. Can be delivered to young children (ages 6 to 11).
Tough Guise: Masculinity For boy-only groups. Addresses male stereotypes and links them to gender violence. Includes a media literacy component on masculinity in popular culture and how men can build healthy relationships, become allies, and support women experiencing violence.	Available for assemblies, workshops and trainings.
What's Love Got to do with it? Dating Violence Examines violence in dating relationships, including sexual assault, coercive sexuality, physical abuse, emotional abuse, and stalking. Discusses healthy and unhealthily relationships and how youth can be allies to their peers.	Available for assemblies, workshops and trainings. Can be delivered to young children (ages 6 to 11).
What's Love Got to do with it? Dating Violence for LGBTQ Youth Examines violence in lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer youth dating relationships (sexual assault, coercive sexuality, physical abuse, emotional abuse, and stalking). Discusses healthy and unhealthily relationships and how youth can be allies to their peers.	Available for workshops and trainings.
Why the Looks? Bullying Between Young Women For girl-only groups. Explores verbal, emotional and physical violence between young women outside of same-sex dating relationships. Identifies anger and aggression and explores underlying causes. Emphasis on developing healthy ways of relating and ending bullying.	Available for assemblies, workshops and trainings.
You Can Lean On Me: Supporting Friends Most effective as a follow-up to a workshop on violence. Focusses on how young people can support each other and explores what we usually want from friends, what to say and the challenges of supporting a friend. Participants practice skills of supportive listening and non-judgment. Participants and facilitators share what they know about community resources that support youth and strategize how to connect friends to resources.	Available for workshops.
"You want me to talk to who?!" Community Services and Supporting Youth Explores how community services can build trust as young people are often hesistant to ask for support. Participants will share experiences with disclosures about violence; learn about pros and cons of reporting; and build knowledge about violence youth face, especially marginalized youth. Based on youth feedback, participants will learn what young people are looking for from services and how those who work with youth can be allies and support them in their process of healing.	Available for trainings.
Young People Surviving and Thriving: Self-Care Most effective as a follow-up to a workshop on violence. Looks at what youth already do to deal with violence in their lives and explores whether or not it really helps; options people who have survived violence have; barriers to accessing support; and why it is important to find a path to healing. Participants and facilitators share what they know about community resources that support youth.	Available for workshops.
Youth Safety Audits Helps youth discuss and take action on safety in their neighbourhoods, schools, community centres and buildings. Participants share experiences, explore how power imbalances lead to unsafety and learn how to use METRAC's Community Safety Audit. A certificate of completion is provided to participants. As follow-up, participants can conduct an audit themselves or request support to do an audit up to 4 weeks after being trained. Audit results are then returned and a report on findings and safety recommendations is provided.	Available for trainings.

ReAct's impact

Of 896 youth workshop participants surveyed in 2010:

56% said they learned "a lot" of new things and 38% said they learned "some" new things
87% said ReAct Peer Facilitators did "great" and 12% said ReAct Peer Facilitators did "okay"
86% rated the workshop "great" and 12% rated the workshop "okay"

Of the youth workshop participants surveyed, 41% were 15 to 19 years old and 47% were aged 5 to 14 years old.

Of 33 educators and youth workers surveyed in 2010:

youth participants' response to workshops was rated at an average of 8.7 out of 10
ReAct Peer Facilitator performance was rated at an average of 9.3 out of 10
100% said they would bring ReAct back
100% said they would recommend ReAct
an average rating of 8.9 out of 10 was given to the question, "How well were your needs met?"
an average rating of 9.1 out of 10 was given to workshops overall

In 2009, ReAct delivered 87 workshops, trainings and speaking engagements. Workshops and trainings were delivered to 1338 children and youth aged 5 to 19; 136 youth aged 20 to 24; and 274 adults. Speaking engagements and other community events were delivered to 1610 youth and adults, and 5554 materials on violence prevention were distributed. 94% of participants said they learned "a lot" or "something" during youth workshops; 99% of participants expressed that Peer Facilitators did "great" or "okay"; and 99% of participants gave workshops an overall rating of "great" or "okay".

In the words of youth:

"I’ve learned if I ever go through any violence with anyone, to always know where to get advice from, and how to handle those kinds of situations."
"I [learned] that there are other women who are fighting against violence."
"I learned that women do have a worth and should all be treated with respect."
"[I learned] why people are in violent relationships. It’s not just about insecurity."
"I [learned about] all the institutes or people you can turn to in a time of need – you’re never alone!"

In the words of teachers and youth workers:

"Relevant, educational, got the attention of students, thought provoking."
"It allowed the young women to voice their opinions and solve their own problems."
"My students were very receptive of the information. The students were well engaged ... all of them were having fun!"

Youth and educator feedback about ReAct: PDF (108 KB)

Request a workshop, training, assembly or speaker

Fill out the request form online or print and return to us.

ReAct request form: online | PDF (48 KB)

Play RePlay/ReJouer now

RePlay: Finding Zoe/ReJouer: Où est Zoé? is METRAC’s award-winning online video game for youth 8 to 14 years of age. It was funded by the Government of Ontario and developed in partnership with Take Action Games. The French version of the game was developed in partnership with Centre ontarien de prévention des aggressions. RePlay/ReJouer materials for youth, teachers and parents and research about games can be found on the resources page.

Contact: 416-392-4760 | outreach@metrac.org

Awards and features

2011-2012: featured at Bronx Council of the Arts' Toys & Games with a Twist Exhibit at Longwood Art Gallery
2011: featured in "Power to the People: Anti-Oppressive Game Design", a chapter published in Designing Games for Ethics: Models, Techniques and Frameworks (IGI Global, 2011)
2010: featured in Euphrat Museum of Art's Learn to Play exhibit
2008: winner of Adobe-TechSoup’s Show Your Impact award
2007: winner of Changemakers’ Why Games Matter award
2007: finalist for Changemakers’ Ending Abuse in Intimate and Family Relations award
2007: presented at the International Emmy World Television Festival

Screenshots and media

RePlay/ReJouer Adobe Max 2009 vingnette clip
RePlay/Rejouer TAKE ACTION Games clip