Ontario Dress Purple Day – You Are Not Alone: Ask for Help

Youth have a right to safety and well-being in all the spaces they occupy. When youth are in distress or experiencing maltreatment the most important thing for them to do is to get help. In this lesson students learn about the role of trusted adults in supporting them when they need help, the barriers that may get in the way of help, and strategies and resources for getting help for themselves and their peers. Lesson includes teacher background, discussion questions, and class activities with grade-specific variations for Grades 7-12.

Lesson Activities for Grades 9-12

Self-Esteem

A strong and positive sense of self esteem can help youth cope with stress, seek out healthier relationships, and maintain boundaries. Youth with strong self-esteem are also more likely to reach out for help when their safety and well-being is at risk.

This lesson looks at the different factors that can impact a youth’s self-esteem, including self-talk and relationships.  This lesson also looks at how intolerance and prejudice can impact self-esteem. Lesson includes teacher background, discussion questions, and class activities with grade-specific variations for Grades 7-12.

Lesson Activities for Grades 9-12

Healthy and Unhealthy Relationships

Relationships can be complex and confusing to navigate, and so the ability to establish clear boundaries and recognize when relationships are becoming unhealthy is an important skill. In this lesson, youth learn about the differences between healthy and unhealthy relationships, as well as strategies for maintaining healthy relationships, ending unhealthy relationships, and navigating the power dynamics within relationships. In this lesson respect for all people, regardless of their race, gender, sexual identity, culture, language, or religion, is shown to be key to healthy relationships.

Lesson includes teacher background, discussion questions, and class activities with grade-specific variations for Grades 7-12.

Lesson Activities for Grades 9-12

Reasons to Ask for Help: Neglect, and Physical, Emotional, and Sexual Abuse

There are many kinds of maltreatment that can impact the safety and well-being of youth. This maltreatment can be perpetrated by adults in the home and community, and also by peers. This lesson focuses on the reasons why youth may need to reach out for help, including neglect, and different kinds of abuse. The lesson includes intolerance and prejudice as forms of emotional abuse.

Lesson includes teacher background, discussion questions, and class activities with grade-specific variations for Grades 7-12.

Lesson Activities for Grades 9-12