Out in Schools Program Invited to Speak at
National LGBTQI2S+ Conference in Toronto
(Vancouver, BC) ~ Out in Schools is sharing its stories of success at Egale’s inaugural IDENTITY Conference in Toronto on May 23, 2018 at the Hilton Toronto (145 Richmond Street West).
The conference presentation, called ‘A model for success: B.C.’s Out in Schools program’, will be presented by Out On Screen Education Director Brandon Yan and Program Coordinator Gavin Somers.
It has been said that school curriculum should be a window into the experiences of others as well as a mirror of the students’ own reality. “Out in Schools picks up where the education system has failed LGBT2Q+ youth,” says Yan. “We use queer, trans and Two-Spirit films, personal stories, and facilitated discussion to equip all youth with an understanding of sexual and gender diversity and to give educators the resources to create more inclusive classrooms. We’re here to share our model in hopes other places across Canada will benefit.”
Over the last few years, Out in Schools has experienced a dramatic increase in the number of requests for its student programming, including its workshops specifically targeting educators and administrators in B.C.’s education systems. The program has grown from serving 9,700 students in 2015 to 24,000 youth in 2017. This is Out in Schools’ first national conference.
Out in Schools, a program of Vancouver-based Out On Screen, is a unique and award-winning school outreach initiative that has received acclaim from government, school districts, parents, educators, municipalities, and artists across British Columbia since 2004. Out in Schools uses the power of film and dialogue to engage youth in discussions on homophobia, transphobia, and bullying by bringing queer cinema into classrooms to illuminate LGBTQI2S + lived experiences.
This year’s conference theme is Canadian Perspectives on LGBTQI2S Inclusion. In addition to featuring panel discussions on Philanthropy, Activism and the Global Context, the conference workshops will include a range of topics that cover current and relevant areas of LGBTQI2S life in Canada.
WHEN : Wednesday May 23, 2018 at 10:45am
WHERE : Egale IDENTITY Conference, Hilton Toronto 145 Richmond Street West
WHO : Brandon Yan, Out On Screen Education Director
Gavin Somers, Out in Schools Program Coordinator
For more information regarding Egale IDENTITY 2018, visit https://egale.ca/identity/
Out On Screen Media Contacts:
May 22:
Stephanie Goodwin, Executive Director | [email protected] | 1-604-761-6722
May 23 onward:
Brandon Yan, Education Director | [email protected] | 1-604-649-2582
