Vancouver Foundation

For more information about the Out in Schools project visit outinschools.com. To support important projects like this, call Calvin in Donor Services at 604.629.5357 or visit vancouverfoundation.ca/give. 2 0 1 7 I V a n c o u v e r F o u n d a t i o n l p a g e 9 program into their schools. "In the beginning, we were showing queer films and talking about bullying and stereotypes, but I think we've gone beyond that now," says Yan. "We're addressing gender and sexual diversity in such deep and meaningful ways that really connect with all youth." at's no small feat considering OiS has just two full-time staff and 13 part-time facilitators. In addition to screening three to five short films, the group's presentations include discussion questions and dialogue. "Art has the ability to make people feel things and that's really core to what we do," says Yan. "It's eliciting an emotional response from people watching these kinds of experiences on film." In the short film Regalia: Pride in Two Spirits, a First Nations youth talks about his pride in both his queer identity and his culture. During one showing, Yan noticed a student sitting quietly in the back of the room who suddenly came to life. "After the film ended, they raised their hand and just wanted to say, 'I am Nuu-chah-nulth, too!' It was so amazing to see a young person feel validated to see their people on screen. at's what we try to do because everyone deserves to see themselves represented no matter who they are." But while their program continued to gain traction, Yan and his team wanted to go further – to create systemic change. In 2016, they applied for and received a three-year, $109,000 grant from Vancouver Foundation. is funding allowed them to expand in scope and vision. During the 2016-2017 school year, the program delivered almost 190 presentations, up from 137 the previous year. "Our past programming only spoke to the students, which puts the onus of change on them, whereas the adults and decision-makers also have a huge part to play, especially in addressing the root causes of LGBT2Q+ discrimination," says Yan. "So we took it upon ourselves to ask for some help to deal with the issue of looking at education holistically." In addition to their student presentations, OiS began conducting dozens of professional development sessions with educators, staff, administrators, parents and politicians across the province. e success of their efforts is apparent by the standard of an age-old measurement – an increase in demand. "Teachers and educators are the ones who make our work possible," says Yan. "If they didn't like what we're doing we'd definitely see a drop-off in the work, but we're seeing nothing but a huge increase." So far, OiS has visited 46 of the 60 school districts in British Columbia, including some in more remote areas such as Smithers and Nakusp, and the team's goal is to reach every district in the next year. With the help of the Vancouver Foundation grant, OiS has also been able to help bring about some significant changes at the provincial level. In April 2016, the group met with members of the Legislative Assembly in Victoria and brought along Tru Wilson, a young transgender activist who articulated the need for inclusive schools and education. A few months later, the B.C. government amended the Human Rights Code with the addition of "gender identity or expression" as grounds for discrimination. In September 2016, the Ministry of Education ordered all districts and independent schools to have specific references to sexual orientation and gender identity in their codes of conduct. "We cannot take credit for these changes, but we were able to advocate for them directly after receiving the grant," says Yan. But their work is far from done. While OiS started out presenting primarily in high schools, the team has received a rise in requests over the past few years to speak at elementary schools. is poses a number of new challenges for the organization – not only marshalling the resources to meet the increase in bookings, but also determining how presenters should modify their approach to talk about sexuality and gender in a way that younger people can understand. In addition, the team is planning educational outreach to school districts to help them create and craft policies that support and protect LGBT2Q+ youth. ey also hope to continue to provide professional development – for example, reaching out to teachers pursuing their degrees at schools such as Simon Fraser University and University of British Columbia. "We want to give them the necessary information before they begin their teaching careers," says Yan. Looking back on his own high school days, Yan marvels at the changes that have taken place. "When I went to school in Langley, never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that it would become one of the more progressive districts in the province." He notes, for example, that Langley has a district-wide Gay-Straight Alliance club. "So these young LGBT2Q+ youth are being shown that they belong. at wasn't the perception I had when I was going to school."

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