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Healthy Relationships
for Youth (HRY) Program / Relations Saines pour les Jeunes (RSJ)

We are grateful to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), the Honourable Jill Balser, MLA, Nova Scotia Minister responsible for the Status of Women, and the Nova Scotia Advisory Council on the Status of Women who have committed additional funding to the HRY program over the next five years. The combined $2.5 million will help: increase the number of student facilitators and participants; expand program delivery to reach the approximately 80 high schools with grade nine students across the province, engage a youth advisory committee, further enhance the curriculum, and pursue partnerships to achieve program sustainability.

Thanks to PHAC and Status of Women funding,
there is no charge to schools, facilitators, or participants.

REad press release – ENGLISH
REad press release – FRENCH

email: taeya@awrcsasa.ca, emily@awrcsasa.ca, olivia@awrcsasa.ca, sarah@awrcsasa.ca

or call 902-863-6221

websites: healthyrelationshipsforyouth.wordpress.com

                          https://relationssainespourlesjeunes.home.blog/

Provincial Coordinators

Taeya Jones

HRY Provincial Coordinator

Sarah Thomas

HRY Provincial Expansion Coordinator

Regional Coordinators

Emily Trudeau

HRY CSAP Coordinator

Olivia Hart

HRY SRCE Coordinator

Kayla Milley

HRY Regional Coordinator

Catherine Boucher

HRY Regional Coordinator

The Healthy Relationships for Youth (HRY) Program is a school-based, peer-facilitated, violence prevention program offered in partnership with schools across Nova Scotia.

About the Program

The HRY Program uses a strengths-based approach that encourages students to deepen their understanding of diversity and to recognize and challenge sexism, racism, ableism, homophobia, and transphobia as forms of violence that impact personal and social relationships. It centers on youth as peer educators in their classrooms, schools, and communities. Youth-to-youth teaching is foundational to the HRY Program.

What
we Do

Our HRY team trains and supports students in grades 11 and 12 to facilitate a series of twelve sessions to grade 9 students with Healthy Living 9 classroom teachers. The youth facilitators learn about leadership, facilitation, and communication; skills they build on in years to come. They build their confidence in public speaking and leading, increase their knowledge of issues affecting youth, improve their personal relationships, and become more involved in social action. Participants in grade 9 learn not only about healthy relationships but are also provided with role models in their older peers.

 

Our participatory sessions are designed to reduce the risk of violence for youth through developing their skills and knowledge about creating and maintaining healthy relationships. Our sessions include the following:

  • Session 1: Healthy Relationships for Youth
  • Session 2: Relationship with Yourself
  • Session 3: Interpersonal Relationships
  • Session 4: Consent and Personal Boundaries
  • Session 5: Communication and Conflict Resolution
  • Session 6: Diversity, Inclusion, and Privilege
  • Session 7: Self-Identity and Self-Expression
  • Session 8: Gender Norms and Stereotypes
  • Session 9: Social Media and Relationships
  • Session 10: Drugs, Alcohol and Decisions
  • Session 11: Power and Violence
  • Session 12: Where we are Now

     

Our HRY team has worked with over 20 schools around Nova Scotia, 10 in the Strait Region since 2006. Since the creation of the HRY over 2000 Youth Facilitators (grade 11 and 12 students) have been trained and supported to facilitate the Program to about 10,000 grade 9 students. Thanks to funding from Status of Women and PHAC the HRY program is expanding to schools across the province starting in the 2024-2025 school year.

How we Work

We believe in:

  • youth-facilitated learning and being youth-centered
  • focusing on diversity for violence prevention
  • building key skills for healthy relationships
  • taking a gender analysis to program design
  • using a trauma-informed approach
  • collaborating between community organizations and schools
  • linking to Healthy Living 9 curriculum outcomes

Our HRY team develops the program by including youth voice>, teacher feedback, and emerging issues through a yearly evaluation.

Youth Voice

Youth voice is gathered in several ways:

  • Our Youth Advisory Committee meets regularly with our HRY team to share their thoughts on how the program can be improved
  • Spark the Change, our yearly youth retreat, includes focus groups and interviews to understand the different aspects of the program
  • Our HRY team often works with students in employment, volunteer, internship, and placement opportunities to update the program

What Youth Say About the Program

“HRY brings support to those who may not have any and also brings students closer together. Without HRY I think our school might seem intimidating to our younger students”
Youth Facilitator
Youth Facilitator2023
“It puts Facilitators in an opportunity to be a role model for the students and it kind of makes you more aware of the different things that people in your school are going through and how to be a better support system for them. So I find it really strengthens the community within the school.”
Youth Facilitator
Youth Facilitator
“I found the part where the HRY facilitators communicated with us was the most meaningful. Sometimes people just need someone to talk to.”
Youth Facilitator
Youth Facilitator
“Peer education approach breaks down barriers, creates connection between younger and older students.”
Teacher
TeacherHealthy Living 9
“J'étais enseigné par des personnes environ plus à mon âge, qui comprennent un peu plus comment est ma vie. Je l’ai aimé.”
CSAP Grade 9
CSAP Grade 92023
“A plusieurs instances j’ai utilisé les connaissances que j’ai appris pendant l’enseignement de RSJ pour ma propre vie pour avoir de meilleures relations avec les autres ou avec moi-même.”
Youth Facilitator
Youth Facilitator2023
“Honestly, this is one of the things that is useful to every student no matter where they go. I think it’s important we have programs that prepare students for life outside graduation.”
Youth Facilitator
Youth Facilitator2020
“J'ai une amie dans une relation mal saine avec une autre personne et j'ai apris comment mieux l'aider avec sa situation.”
Grade 9 student
Grade 9 student2021
“Il faut respecter les autres et leur choix. Écouter ce qu'ils vous disent. De parler a quelqu'un si on a besoin d'aide.”
Grade 9 Student
Grade 9 Student2021
"I've learned so much and become the best version of myself. I respect people more and judge people less."
Youth Facilitator
Youth Facilitator2021
"I found the cycle of violence most meaningful, I feel that it's important to recognize those signs and be able to see what that looks like if I were to find myself in one. This way I could remove myself from the violent relationship"
Grade 9 Student
Grade 9 Student2021

Awards and Honours

Best Practice Program

Featured as a Best Practice Program at the Canadian Women’s Foundation’s National Skills Institute in 2012 and a participating program in the National Teen Healthy Relationships Working Group from 2013 to 2017

Canadian Best Practice Portal

Highlighted as a Promising Practice by the Public Health Agency of Canada on their Canadian Best Practice Portal

Leadership in Crime Prevention

Received the 2013 Minister’s Award in Leadership in Crime Prevention from the Nova Scotia Department of Justice

Promising Practice

Highlighted as a Promising Practice by the Nova Scotia Child and Youth Strategy in 2014

HRY Funders: