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The institutional responsibility to provide a safe learning and working environment for all students and employees is inextricable from the responsibility to address gender-based violence, and requires strong leadership from senior administrators. Check out Possibility Seeds’ essential "starter pack" of evidence-based tools and toolkits to support those in senior leadership positions to take action to protect both the institution and the people who are part of it.
In experiential learning settings, sexual harassment remains a significant yet often misunderstood issue. Since 2022, Possibility Seeds has delved into this underexplored area, engaging in research, consultations, and dialogues with hundreds of stakeholders. We’ve unearthed misconceptions that hinder understanding and pose barriers to addressing this critical problem. Let's debunk these together.
Responding to non-academic misconduct at post-secondary institutions can be complex, especially in the context of addressing sexual and gender-based violence. Recognizing these tensions and complexities, Possibility Seeds compiled the following tools and toolkits to support those working on student conduct in cases of gender-based violence.
The following is a community-curated list of free books, articles, blog posts, poems, podcasts and art about anti-Black racism for gender justice advocates. We know that liberation from gender-based violence (GBV) cannot take place without an end to white supremacy and anti-Black racism. We invite gender justice advocates at community organizations and post-secondary institutions to read, engage, and strengthen/implement action plans with the help of these resources.
Happy Black History month! This year, the Possibility Seeds team wanted to create a digital care package for Black community members full of self-care resources and art that centres Black joy and wellness. We hope this month is a time of celebration, community connection, and (importantly) rest. Check out the digital care package here.
The critical work of responding to gender-based violence on campuses, with its many challenges and complexities, can seem heavy and daunting. For those new to this work especially, it can also feel overwhelming. To help you get started, Possibility Seeds put together this curated “starter pack” of foundational tools and toolkits to provide a basis for your continued work to build safer campuses for us all.
Dr. Jesmen Mendoza reflects on the province-wide pilot he and Sarah Scanlon led this year with PSIs across Nova Scotia, applying Possibility Seeds' set of tools for working with people who've caused harm. Read about the process of applying these tools and the transformative conversations that came along the way.
As we wind down Courage to Act in its current form, we wanted to speak with activists dedicated to addressing campus gender-based violence in their countries, to spark connections that continue this work worldwide. Read our conversation with Marcela Linková (Czech Republic), Furaha Joy Sekai Saungweme (Southern Africa), and Dr. Allison Henry (Australia).
Sexual harassment in the workplace is all too common, and knowing how to respond when someone tells you they were subjected to sexual harassment or violence can be hard, especially when you need to consider your professional responsibilities around confidentiality. We created the ARC model to help. Watch the ARC video and learn more about it here!
Strong communication is so important in coordinating prevention and response efforts around gender-based violence (GBV). Possibility Seeds put this curated list of resources together to help you strengthen the channels of communication regarding GBV within your post-secondary institution amongst your staff, faculty, students, community and other stakeholders.
The results of the recent province-wide campus climate survey, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Alberta Post-Secondary Education, are gut-wrenching. A key finding was that 50% of post-secondary students in Alberta, of the 13,000 who responded, have been subjected to some form of sexual or gender-based violence. The Council of Alberta University Students and Possibility Seeds present this statement with calls to action.
We're so excited to be releasing the first GBV Community Risk Assessment tool designed specifically for the post-secondary context on September 25th! Dr. Jesmen Mendoza and Dr. Sandy Jung give a final update and discuss the process they undertook in creating the tool, in consultation with their expert panel. Read it here!
Youth are the most effective advocates for our own experiences. But advocating as a student leader can be intimidating, whether it’s institutional advocacy or government relations. Our stakeholder relations specialist Aubrianna Snow has gathered some easily accessible resources from Courage to Act and beyond to help guide you. Read our advocacy resources and tips here!
Our ELP team has been hard at work writing up their findings and we're so excited to be sharing resources with you starting next month from Canada's first-ever national research project on this issue, in both English and French! Project lead Britney De Costa gives an update and tells you how and where you can access them.
Mark your calendars - this year’s #ConsentAwarenessWeek will be held September 18th-22nd, 2023! This year, we’re hoping to get Consent Awareness Week declared by as many provinces, territories, and municipalities as possible, as well as seeing it declared nationally. And we need your help! We’ve laid out everything you need to know about requesting a proclamation at all levels of government, and provided a sample letter template you can use.
