Building The Net Project
Posted on June 7, 2015
« View all newsWe are pleased to announce the launch of Building the Net, an arts based after school program for queer, trans and questioning youth. Building the Net is a pilot project running from March 2015 to September 2015.
The program will provide an opportunity for LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, two-spirit, queer and questioning spectrum) youth ages 13 – 21 to attend 12 weeks of confidential art and community building workshops. For 12 weekly 2 hour sessions, youth will practice and gain skills in various art media including writing dialogue, improv, spoken word, photography, video and movement. In addition, youth will engage in dialogue to build awareness around various social pressures, practice active listening and non-judgmental behaviours, and construct empowering narratives of resistance while supporting each other. The curriculum will be flexible and youth-led, and youth will be able to bring in up to 3 guest facilitators to deliver content, in addition to the Project Coordinator and youth Co-Facilitators who will coordinate the program. The program will engage up to 18 youth in 3 different locations of the GTA. In addition, youth who attended Building the Net workshops will have the opportunity to attend a Summer Leadership Institute where they will develop facilitation skills and receive training in peer support and active listening to support them to start and facilitate their own peer support groups in the coming years. Registration is ongoing. Workshops start March 2015 and continue into the summer. Funding for this program has been generously donated by The Canada Post Community Foundation.About the Program:
- Free, all supplies provided + food + TTC tokens or bus tickets
- Confidential
- Youth can gain up to 24 community service hours
- 12 sessions, once a week, for 2 hours after school
- 3 locations in the GTA – Scarborough, North York and Etobicoke
- workshops March – June
- Learn art skills such as spoken word, improv, photography, movement
- Practice community building exercises and engage in dialogue
- Flexible youth-led curriculum
- Access to guest facilitators
- Summer Leadership Institute opportunity in July
Eligible Participants:
- 13-21 years old
- Self identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, two-spirit, queer and questioning
- Interested in the arts and want a space to spend time with other LGBTQ+ youth
Contact Project Coordinator, Pasha:
E-mail: buildingthenet@youthline.ca, Call, text or [message on Viber & WhatsApp]: 647-609-3008
Facebook: www.facebook.com/buildingthenet, Twitter: @BTNproject, Vine, Kik, Skype, Instagram & Snapchat: BTNproject, BBM: 5467081A