book a workshop

Where does our food come from and why does it matter?  This workshop addresses the globalization of the food industry and how food-related policies affect the lives of both food producers and us as consumers! Participants will learn how to take steps towards creating food justice in their communities. Learn more

Curricular Connections:

BC FIRST PEOPLES 12/CONTEMPORARY INDIGENOUS STUDIES 12

Big Ideas:
– The identities, worldviews, and languages of Indigenous peoples are renewed, sustained, and transformed through their connection to the land
– Indigenous peoples continuing to advocate and assert rights to self-determination

Curricular Competencies:
– Treaties, including fishing and hunting rights
– Impact of exchange of goods, technology, economy, knowledge
– Impacts of trade networks, routes, land fur trades
– Use of natural resources (e.g., forestry, fisheries) and the use of lands and resources
– Cultural resilience and culturally relevant systems (e.g., restorative justice model)

Food Studies 10 – 12 

Big Ideas:
– Social, ethical, and sustainability considerations impact design
– Services and products can be designed through consultation and collaboration
– Tools and technologies can be adapted for specific purposes

Curricular Competencies:
– Critically evaluate the success of meals, and explain how design ideas contribute to the individual, family, community, and environment
– Evaluate the influences of land, natural resources, and culture on the development and use of tools and technologies
– Food security: access to safe and nutritionally sound food
– Cultural appropriation: using or sharing a cultural motif, theme, “voice,” image, knowledge, story, recipe, or practice without permission or without appropriate context, or in a way that may misrepresent the real experience of the people from whose culture it is drawn
– Critically evaluate how competing social, ethical, economic, and sustainability considerations impact choices of food products, techniques and equipment

Human Geography 12

Big Ideas:
– Demographic patterns and population distribution are influenced by physical features and natural resources
– Human activities alter landscapes in a variety of ways
– A geographic region can encompass a variety of physical features and/or human interactions

Curricular Competencies:
– Buying local versus imported produce
– Environmental impacts of living in cities versus living in rural areas
– Researching specific foods / products and where they are sourced/ grown/ manufactured/ sold
– Analyzing the importance of human communities along coastlines
– Global agricultural practices
– Relationships between Indigenous communities and the environment

Science for Citizens 11

Big Ideas:
– Scientific understanding enables humans to respond and adept to changes locally and globally
– How do the substances you ingest or use on your body affect your health?
– How do home technologies contribute to our health and safety?

Curricular Competencies:
– Applying Indigenous perspectives and knowledge, and alternative ways of knowing
– Personal / public health issues that can affect your or your family (e.g., food sensitivities, drug interactions, diabetes)
– Scientific evidence behind genetically modified organisms (GMO)
– Analyzing data from food packaging (e.g., nutrients, ingredients, prices)
– Designing experiments to test scientific claims about allergies and to test foods for various nutrients

Social Justice 12

Big Ideas:
– Social justice issues are interconnected
– Social justice initiatives can transform individuals and systems
– Causes of social injustice are complex and have lasting impacts on society

Curricular Competencies:
– Food security and food sovereignty
– Equity and equality
– Environmental and ecological justice
– Privilege and power, and its connection to poverty, race, and access to social services and justice (e.g., restitution, restorative justice)

In 2013, we saw a rush of action – and victories – on migrant justice in Canada. In direct response to youth calling for education on this issue, No One Is Illegal and Check Your Head have partnered to be able to offer a popular education workshop on migrant justice delivered for youth, by youth. Featuring arts-based activities, experiential learning from migrants and activists, and interactive histories, this workshop seeks to engage, activate, and empower young people by helping them to better understand immigration in Canada and by giving them the tools to break down anti-migrant racism and colonial stereotypes, resulting in safer schools and communities. Learn more

Curricular Connections:

Asian Studies 12

Big Ideas:
– Colonialism, imperialism, and resource disparity have been the primary reasons for conflict and movement of peoples in Asia
– Ethnic, regional, and national identities, shaped in part by geography and migration, exert significant political and cultural influence in Asia.

Curricular Competencies:
– Migration within and away from Asia
– Urbanization and the rise of megacities
– Role of the state and markets in affecting migration patterns
– Standards of living (rural versus urban, and between regions and countries)
– Industrialization, globalization, economic systems, and distribution of wealth

BC First Peoples 12 / Contemporary Indigenous Studies 12

Big Ideas:
– The impact of contact and colonialism continues to affect the political, social, and economic lives of Indigenous peoples
– The identities, world-views and languages of Indigenous peoples are renewed, and transformed through their connection to the land
– Reconciliation requires all colonial societies to work together to foster healing and address injustices

Curricular Competencies:
– Role and significance of media in challenging and supporting the continuity of culture, language, and self-determination of Indigenous peoples
– Responses to inequities in the relationships of Indigenous peoples with governments in Canada and around the world
– Culturally relevant systems (e.g., restorative justice model), and cultural resilience (e.g., language, art, music and dance as healing)

Career-Life Education / Career-Life Connections 10-12

Big Ideas:
– Navigating social, familial and cultural expectations as one pursues their preferred career-life pathways
– Career-life decisions influenced by internal and external factors, including local and global trends

Curricular Competencies:
– Philosophies/ conceptions of the world and how they interact with Indigenous folks, new immigrants, refugees, and rural/ urban communities
– The role of family expectations, personal awareness, culture, religion, gender, socio-economics in regards to career-life explorations
– Knowledge of diverse cultures and cultural awareness, organizations, institutions
– Acceptance of differences, social norms, histories

Law 12

Big Ideas:
– How a society’s laws and legal framework affect many aspects of people’s daily lives
– Laws are interpreted, and these interpretations may evolve over time as a society’s values and worldviews change
– Laws can maintain the status quo and can also be a force for change

Curricular Competencies:
– Analyzing legal principles such as fairness, justice, equality, the presumption of innocence, and the rule of law by examining a variety of legal issues and controversial cases
– Analyzing the role of global dispute resolution institutions and agencies in international human rights and economic development issues
– Significance of the Constitution Act 1982, and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to human rights in Canada

Social Justice 12

Big Ideas:
– The causes of social injustice are complex and have lasting impacts on society
– Social justice initiatives can transform individuals and systems
– Individual worldviews shaping and informing our understanding of social justice issues

Curricular Competencies:
– Diverse belief systems and worldviews of minority groups
– Traditional and unceded territories of indigenous peoples
– Inclusive and non-inclusive language
– The roles on international laws, migrant rights, and Indigenous rights in Canada/ globally

Social Studies 10

Big Ideas:
– Historical and contemporary injustices challenging the narrative and identity of Canada as an inclusive, multicultural society
– The development of political institutions is influenced by economic, social, ideological, and geographic factors

Curricular Competencies:
– Immigration and multiculturalism
– Refugee policies and practices
– Bilingualism and biculturalism (Official Languages Act)
– Multiculturalism policy (Canadian Multiculturalism Act)
– The cultural identities of subsequent generations
– Indigenousarts, traditions, languages, and place-based identities / sense of belonging

Canada’s official wealth is growing, but so is the rate of poverty. Why do the rich keep getting richer and the poor keep getting poorer? Is income inequality bad for everyone, or just some people? How can we build a society where everyone prospers, and what does it look like? From minimum wage to corporate power, learn about the roots of poverty and how it affects us in BC. We explore practical ideas and realistic solutions for poverty elimination. Learn more

Curricular Connections:

Asian Studies 12

Big Ideas:
– The breadth and diversity of Asia’s physical and human resources have contributed to the development of distinct and disparate political, cultural, and economic regions in the late 20^thcentury

Curricular Competencies:
– Economic systems and distribution of wealth
– Growth, poverty and inequality
– Different standards of living and economic activities in Asian countries and regions
– Labour conditions and economic development
– Uneven development, urbanization and growing inequality within and between countries
– Urbanization and rise of megacities

BC First Peoples 12 / Contemporary Indigenous Studies 12

Big Ideas: 
– Impact of colonialism on social, economic and political lives on Indigenous peoples
– Indigenous communities challenging/ resisting ongoing colonialism in Canada
– Indigenous peoples continuing to advocate and assert rights to self-determination

Curricular Competencies:
– Provincial and Federal government policies and practices that continue to affect the responses of Indigenous peoples to colonialism
– Commonalities and differences between governance systems of traditional and contemporary Indigenous practices
– Responses to inequities in the relationships of Indigenous peoples with governments in Canada and around the world

Family and Society 10 / Interpersonal and Family Relationships 11

Big Ideas:
– People’s needs and wants inform effective problem solving
– Social, ethical, and sustainability considerations impact service design for individuals, families, and groups
– Tools and technologies can influence communications and relationships

Curricular Competencies:
– Impacts: environmental, financial, or social
– Product or service: physical product or supportive process, assistance, and environment
– Constraints: limiting factors such as the nature of family dynamics and interpersonal communications, expense, and environmental impact
– Influences of community and culture in relation to poverty/ income inequality: regulations and laws, family roles, wedding customs, kinship relationships

Career-Life Education / Career-Life Connections 10-12

Big Ideas:
– Career-life decisions influence and are influenced by internal and external factors, including local and global trends
– Sustainability and economic trends
– Influence of place, such as urban, suburban, small town, rural, remote
– Shifts in societal norms, such as family roles and structures, living arrangements

Curricular Competencies:
– How worldviews/perspectives interact with the world and careers according to gender, race, sexual orientation, dis/ability, new immigrants, refugees
– Career-life contexts, such as social groups, school community, local community, cultural communities, digital spaces
– Occupational health and safety rights and responsibilities

Social Justice 12

Big Ideas:
– Social justice issues are interconnected
– Individual worldviews shape and inform our understanding of social justice issues
– Social justice initiatives can transform individuals and systems

Curricular Competencies:
– Equity and equality
– Privilege and power
– Poverty in global and local contexts
– Intersections of privilege, power, equality, equity, and poverty in regards to Indigenous peoples and immigrants and/or refugees.

Social Studies 10

Big Ideas:
– The development of political institutions is influenced by economic, social, ideological, and geographic factors
– Historical and contemporary injustices challenge the narrative and identity of Canada as an inclusive, multicultural society

Curricular Competencies:
– Analyzing the extent of influence Indigenous communities have had on the development of economic and political policy in Canada
– Causes and consequences of Canada’s multiculturalism policies
– How different political parties address historical or contemporary problems
– Employment and inclusion rights

What does it mean to be healthy? Who decides who is healthy? How do social factors affect our health? In our Social Ingredients of Health Workshop, we explore how factors like where we go to school and live, how connected we feel to our culture, our access to money and nature, and media that shapes our relationship with our bodies are all ingredients in complex systems of power and privilege that deeply affect our well-being. Youth are invited to deepen their understanding of the social ingredients in their own health, and are empowered to take action on social determinants of health to effect systemic change for healthier communities! Learn more

Curricular Connections:

Anatomy and Physiology 12 

Big Ideas:
– Homeostasis is maintained through physiological processes
– Gene expression is an interaction between genes and the environment
– Organ systems have complex interrelationships to maintain homeostasis

Curricular Competencies:
– Lifestyle differences and their effects on human health
– Holistic approaches to health
– Assessing risks and addressing ethical, cultural, and/or environmental issues associated with their proposed methods
– Assessing risks in the contexts of personal safety and social responsibility

Career-Life Education / Career-Life Connections 10-12 

Big Ideas:
– Engaging in networks and reciprocal relationships can guide and broaden career-life awareness and options
– A sense of purpose and career-life balance support well-being
– Lifelong learning and active citizenship foster career-life opportunities for people and communities

Curricular Competencies:
– Exploring and evaluating personal strategies, including social, physical and financial, to maintain well-being
– Strategies for personal well-being and work-life balance
– Demonstrating and reflecting on inclusive, respectful, and safe interactions in multiple career-life context

Physical and Health Education 10

Big Ideas:
– Healthy choices influence, and are influenced by, our physical, emotional, and mental well-being
– Personal fitness can be maintained and improved through regular participation in physical activities
– Understanding our strengths, weaknesses, and personal preferences helps us plan and achieve our goals

Curricular Competencies:
– Healthy sexual decision making
– Potential short and long-term consequences of health decisions, including those involving physical activity, healthy eating, sleep routines, technology
– Analyzing and explaining how health messages might influence health and well-being
– Proposing strategies for avoiding and responding to potentially unsafe, abusive, or exploitative situations
– Developing skills for maintaining health relationships, and analyzing potential effects of socials influences on health

Physical Health Education – Active Living 11-12 

Big Ideas:
– Finding enjoyable recreational activities can motivate people to participate more regularly in physical activity
– Physical activity is an important part of overall health and well-being

Curricular Competencies:
– The role of nutrition and how it can affect health and performance
– Potential short- and long-term consequences of health decisions
– Importance of maintaining personal health
– Applying principles of first aid
– Awareness of proper diet, fitness routines, and sustainable activities

Social Justice 12

Big Ideas:
– Social justice initiatives can transform individuals and systems
– The causes of social injustice are complex and have lasting impacts on society

Curricular Competencies:
– Analyzing the factors that lead to changes that affect groups of people differently
– Explaining why we should consider the historical, political, and social contexts when making ethical judgments
– Demonstrating leaderships by planning, implementing, and assessing strategies to address a problem or an issue

Working on your action project for your Social Justice class? We can help! In this workshop we invite youth to dig deep into the issues they care about, why they’re important, and how to plan effective, meaningful, and actionable projects addressing these issues. How do we make sure our solutions are equitable instead of perpetuating inequalities? Why is it important to focus on justice as much as charity? How do we take local action on global issues? We explore privilege and power and our capacity to effect change! We connect youth to existing social justice movements and inspire action! Learn more