Cambrian College students show youth how to stand up for social justice
Three students at Cambrian College are leading an initiative called Stand Up for Social Justice.
It’s a workshop series that provides elementary students with tools to bring social justice issues to light.
Organizers with Stand Up for Social Justice said the workshop shows young people how to get their voices heard – something vital to learn at a young age.
“It’s so important for youth to know that their voices are so powerful and that they do have the ability to create massive change in the community,” said Taylor Burnett, with Stand Up for Social Justice.
Burnett said the workshop series is all about educating students about issues in the community, as well as providing them with tools they can use to advocate for change.
“We start with an equality, equity and justice workshop and in that piece we are able to tell them a little bit about the inequities … in our community,” said Burnett.
“Then talking about anti-bullying, environmental justice, food insecurities and then finishing things off with a social movements workshop, where they get to make a poster or through any means of art and bring their voices to light.”
Organizers said the workshop series is targeted at students in Grades 6-8. Several issues have already been mentioned in the classrooms.
“Some of the really big ones we have seen a lot within our workshop has been LGBTQ+, environmental, and of course mental health help within the community and the supports that we have,” said Shanna Burnett, also with Stand Up for Social Justice.
The Stand Up for Social Justice project was developed with support from Cambrian College faculty.
Mary-Liz Warwick, student success and transition navigator at the college's First Steps Centre, said the workshop offers a variety of opportunities for everyone involved.
“My role here at Cambrian with the First Steps Centre is to help students who are facing barriers, especially if they don’t think they can access post-secondary,” said Warwick.
The Stand Up for Social Justice group said it’s looking forward to speaking with more individuals and bringing more awareness to the topic.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors concerned about potential spread of bird flu in Canada
H5N1 or avian flu has been detected at dozens of US dairy farms and Canadian experts are urging surveillance on our side of the border too.
There's a limit to how much interest rates in Canada and U.S. can diverge: Macklem
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says Canadian interest rates don't have to match U.S. or global rates, but there is a limit to how much they can diverge.
Prince William and Kate release photo of daughter Charlotte to mark ninth birthday
Prince William and his wife Kate released a picture of their daughter Charlotte to mark the princess's ninth birthday on Thursday.
This Canadian restaurant just lowered its prices. Here's how it did it
A Canadian restaurant lowered its prices this week, and though news of price tags dropping rather than climbing sounds unusual, the business strategy in this case is not, according to experts in the field.
Should I invest with a human or a robot? Traditional firms vs. robo-advisors
Investors considering where to park their money have a choice: go with a traditional financial adviser or trust in an algorithm. Here are the pros and cons of both.
Five human skeletons, missing hands and feet, found outside house of Nazi leader Hermann Goring
Archeologists have unearthed the skeletons of five people, missing their hands and feet, at a former Nazi military base in Poland.
As Hamas considers ceasefire, question hangs: Will Israel end war without the group's destruction?
Hamas on Thursday was considering the latest proposal for a ceasefire with Israel that the United States and other mediators hope will avert an Israeli attack on the Gaza town of Rafah.
Imagine living in a 4-foot body that doesn't develop chronic diseases
Nathaly Paola Castro Torres has a rare disorder called Laron syndrome that is caused by a genetic mutation. It stunts her growth but also provides a hidden silver lining: Her body is protected from chronic diseases such as cancer that often take life away long before old age.
Concerns about Plexiglas prompt inspections at some Loblaws locations in Ottawa
Inspections are underway at more than one Loblaws location in Ottawa after complaints were filed about tall Plexiglas barriers.