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Mental health is a prominent issue. Creating safe spaces where people can be heard helps to eliminate the stigma around mental health issues.
Sample follow-up question(s):
- What does being a safe person to someone who has mental health issues look like? What does it sound like?
- What is active listening?
Individuals advocating for themselves and for others to alter a wrong agenda and let their voices be heard.
Sample follow-up question(s):
- Are there any issues you would protest?
- Do you know your protesting rights? If so, what are they?
- How might protesting be effective?
Donating toys to those in need is a way of creating equality for those who have less.
Sample follow-up question(s):
- Donating toys is a great way to create equality for those who have less, but it is also great for the environment. How might donating your toys or buying second hand items be good for the environment?
The older adults experience an increased likelihood of spending retirement alone with no family and friends..
Sample follow-up question(s):
- Is loneliness serious?
- How can we include seniors in community events?
LGBTQ+ visible support helps in promoting human rights and equality.
Sample follow-up question(s):
- Do you have to be part of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community to wear a rainbow pin? How is visibility and representation connected to an increase in acceptance?
Donating clothes prevents waste, and creates the opportunity for people to buy clothes at lower cost.
Sample follow-up question(s):
- How does donating clothes prevent waste?
Understanding about people’s disabilities and how these affect them can help you learn how to support them better.
Sample follow-up question(s):
- Do we ever push someone’s wheelchair without asking them? Why or why not?
- (You could discuss the concept of people with disabilities having autonomy over how they are being supported. Also, for safety, it’s best to check with someone before you push their wheelchair so that they can pull their hands out of the way.)
Homeless shelters are often in critical need of volunteers and support. Helping out at a shelter helps ease the crisis of homelessness.
Sample follow-up question(s):
- What are some of the things you might do if you are a volunteer at a homeless shelter?
- (For example, cooking and serving food, preparing rooms so they are clean, providing conversation and activity.)
Service dogs are helpful in assisting people with disabilities and guiding them to their activities of daily living.
Sample follow-up question(s):
- Can we pet a service dog or service animal without permission?
- (Petting a service dog can distract them from their important work or interrupt their training. Some service animals are lifesaving and so this can be dangerous.)
Some individuals have financial difficulty to the extent where they skip meals. Being considerate and generous is a great act of kindness.
Sample follow-up question(s):
- If you notice someone skipping meals, what is the appropriate way to support them so they can get help?
- (For example, you could talk to them privately, quietly, and with a trusted adult like a teacher.)
It is a challenge to envision a world where everyone and everything is ideal. For example, there is no hatred, wars, and poverty.
Sample follow-up question(s):
- There are things within our control that we can change to help make a more perfect world. What are the things within your reach that you can change?
Canada is on treaty land. It is key to our nation and the advancement of indigenous rights to honour and tell Indigenous stories. Turtle island is a creationist story shared across many Indigenous peoples, and the Indigenous name for Canada, or Earth.
Sample follow-up question(s):
- Have you ever heard someone refer to Canada as Turtle Island? In the story of Turtle Island, a turtle gave its shell for the earth to be built on. Why is it important to Indigenous people to care for and protect animals, considering how they believe the earth was created?
This is a key feminist issue. Women work the same jobs as men, but make less. Striving for equality is always social justice.
Sample follow-up question(s):
- Do you think that all people who work the same jobs are paid equally?
As a result of the continuous increased prices on groceries, it has become more difficult to afford a healthy diet.
Sample follow-up question(s):
- What is food insecurity?
- (According to the Government of Canada website, food insecurity is the inability to acquire or consume an adequate diet quality or sufficient quantity of food in socially acceptable ways, or the uncertainty that one will be able to do so).
Ask the class what they think social justice is. It is important to acknowledge that everyone should strive to achieve equitable access to resources and all kinds of opportunities.
Sample follow-up question(s):
- What are some social justice issues?
- (Some answers that you can explain briefly or give an example of: Sexism, genderism, stereotyping, racism, colourism, environmental change and sustainability, immigration, voting rights, hunger, healthcare, refugee crisis, ageism, ableism)
Walkers provide accessibility to the elderly. Independence, and accessibility create opportunities for the elderly.
Sample follow-up question(s):
- Are walkers only used by the elderly?
- (There are all sorts of different people who use a walking aid for various physical disabilities)
- What other mobility aids have you seen?
The elderly are commonly underestimated that they are physically restricted because of their age. It is important to understand that not all older adults have mobility issues and have varying levels of strength.
Sample follow-up question(s):
- Why is it wrong to assume someone’s physical abilities based on their age?
- What is it called when we stereotype someone based on their age?
- (Answer: Ageism)
Hate is a broad, encompassing term. To be anti-hate, is to fight oppression and injustice across many social justice sectors.
Sample follow-up question(s):
- Is it enough to say that we are ‘anti-hate’ or post about it, or do we always have to follow this statement up with action to make it real?
Sports for people with disabilities are important to their health and confidence. These sports help break down the stigma of disabilities as well.
Sample follow-up question(s):
- Why is it important to have sports that the differently abled can play?
- What's a sport that you feel represented in? How does that make you feel?
Education breaks down barriers and creates opportunity. Education is important to the health of a community. By providing education to everyone it creates equality.
Sample follow-up question(s):
- Does education always have to look the same around the world and in different cultures?
Standing up for others helps people to feel strong, empowered, and take the opportunity to be an ally for others who are unable to stand up for themselves. It is a courageous and heroic action.
Sample follow-up question(s):
- What are some ways to stand up for others?
- How would you want others to stand up for you?
Voting is an essential part of democracy. Everyone has the right to vote to create a more representative society. Many minorities were historically excluded from voting.
Sample follow-up question(s):
- Do you think that voting is an effective way to initiate (start) change in Canada? Why or why not? Why is it important to vote?
Many seniors have mobility issues, and snow removal can prove to be a difficult task. Seniors falling is a public health issue. It is the leading cause of injury to seniors.
Sample follow-up question(s):
- Can you come up with a few ideas of things you can do to keep the sidewalks safe in your neighbourhood?
Bullying has negative long-term effects on a victim, such as depression, self-isolation, and lower self-esteem. It is important for individuals to think twice about what they say and what they do. Reflect if there was a time you felt hurt because of what someone said to you.
Sample follow-up question(s):
- If bullying stopped overnight, what sorts of issues do you think would disappear in the world?
- What would you say to a bully who wants to change their behaviour?
Accessibility is important to ensure that everyone is not limited to any kind of barriers. Everyone can play an active role in the community and not feel restricted.
Sample follow-up question(s):
- What are some points of accessibility or accessibility infrastructure that you have seen in your neighbourhoods?
- (Some examples are bumps at the corner end of a sidewalk, beeping when crossing the street, ramps at the end and beginning of sidewalks, ramps to get into stores)
Volunteering at a seniors home helps seniors ease life strains, and provides benefits to seniors by combating loneliness.
Sample follow-up question(s):
- What are some supports that seniors need?
- Do you help your grandparents at home?
Safe spaces can accommodate many marginalized and minority communities to allow them to feel secure. They are inclusive spaces where anyone can take a minute to decompress or talk about issues they are facing.
Sample follow-up question(s):
- What does a safe space look like? Is it a place where nothing difficult or uncomfortable is spoken about?
- (A safe space does not ban difficult conversations, but prioritizes the respect, acceptance and valuing of people)
By allowing everyone in society to speak their mind, and have a say, creates a more equitable and inclusive society.
Sample follow-up question(s):
- Just because we have freedom of expression and freedom of speech, does it mean that all types of speech are permitted?
- (Hate-speech in Canada is not permitted. People are free to say what they want, but not everything said is ethical. Words are powerful and can organize and encourage real life violence)
Newcomers fly to Canada for many reasons such as to take refuge or to immigrate to attain a better lifestyle. It is challenging to move to a country with an unfamiliar culture and environment hence it is important to welcome newcomers and help them feel supported.
Sample follow-up question(s):
- What are some ways that we can be welcoming to newcomers?
- (For example, we can speak slowly and clearly if they are learning English, we can walk with them to a destination in our neighbourhood if they need directions, and we can respect their traditions and cultural values)
There is a stigma that poor mental health does not exist and individuals’ perspectives on their mental health are often invalidated. Change can start when people educate themselves, become more conscious of their words, and acknowledge the state of
Sample follow-up question(s):
- What are some ways we can distress as a group?
- What simple things make you happy?
Inclusivity is important to the social justice movement.
Sample follow-up question(s):
- How is acceptance different from tolerance?
- How does it take the idea of inclusivity further?
- (Tolerance is the right for someone to exist around you, but there does not have to be an effort made to understand, empathize with, or reach out to members of society who are different from you)
Labelling others is dangerous. It can create barriers and stigma. It is best to not label others, and not judge others based on perceived notions about them.
Sample follow-up question(s):
- How is it harmful to label others?
- Has anyone ever put a label on you that you did not like?
Call out injustice, and speak up for others.
Sample follow-up question(s):
- Speaking up is important. However, sometimes people speak up about issues that are based in hate. Do you think everyone should be able to “speak up” for what they believe or should some ideas not be allowed?
Canada is one of the most diverse countries in the world. It is a strength and a sense of pride for many Canadians.
Sample follow-up question(s):
- What does diversity mean to you?
- How can we honour cultural diversity in our personal lives?
- (We can make friends with people who are different from us in their race, religion, culture, ability etc. To sustain those relationships, we can enter their worlds, instead of asking them to meet us in ours, such as asking them meaningful questions, and asking to join their cultural events or participate in their traditions when it is respectful)
- What is the difference between cultural appropriation and celebrating diversity?
Gender is a construct, and Gender identity is allowing people to have a personal sense of their own gender. A person’s individual/internal experience with their gender might lead them to sharing their preferred gender pronouns. Using a person’s preferred pronouns validates (confirms) their experience with gender, and shows that you accept them.
Sample follow-up question(s):
- Do you know the different gender identities?
Acknowledging the Indigenous land and territories that we reside (live) on, to recognize and give respect to Indigenous people whose presence and relationship to the land is still ongoing.
Sample follow-up question(s):
- Why do we say land acknowledgements?
- Have you read a land acknowledgement before?
The term for this is active listening. This means that you are attentive, respectful, and taking (physical/mental) notes of what they say if feedback is needed.
Sample follow-up question(s):
- What is active listening?
- What are some signs of someone who is actively listening?
- (Examples are repetition, mirroring, curiosity before judgement, open mindedness, silence instead of interruption, calm behaviour, open body language, eye contact, “mmhm-ing”, acknowledging the emotion behind someone’s words)
- Can you think of a scenario where it would demonstrate allyship when listening to understand?
This is an Indigenous sacred symbol that represents the balance in physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of an individual’s life.
Sample follow-up question(s):
- A medicine wheel has four quadrants (sections) that are each a different colour. What are the four colours?
- (They are White, Yellow, Red, and Black).
- What do the 4 colours represent?
- (Spiritual (red), Mental (white), Physical (black) and Emotional (yellow))
Many Canadians speak English as a second language. It is important to respect our differences, and not expect that everyone has the same language skills as them.
Sample follow-up question(s):
- What are the benefits of speaking two or more languages?
- What is a language you would like to learn?
Housing is a right under international law, and is recognized by the Canadian federal government since 2019. Adequate housing is integral to the dignity and well-being of Canadians.
Sample follow-up question(s):
- What does affordable housing mean to you?
- Why is it important to have housing for everyone??