Celebrate Courage – Ghosts of Violence

An Innovative Approach to Improving the Lives of Adolescence and Young Adults.

Celebrate Courage is an award-winning national youth educational initiative developed by Atlantic Ballet Atlantique Canada to address epidemic levels of youth dating violence. The program represents a new model for engaging young men and women to build healthy relationships and to understand and participate in reducing dating violence in urban and rural centres in Canada.

The project integrates an original professional multi-media performance on violence against girls and women, entitled Ghosts of Violence, in a collaborative interactive setting in partnership with service providers and includes: the performance; a social marketing community education campaign; unique educational tools/resources for teachers, and youth leaders; and direct access to service providers and community resources. By increasing access to services, fostering dialogue in an interactive and artistic environment, providing direct on-site education and educational tools we are building capacity of communities and young men and women to participate in improving healthy relationships.

Celebrate Courage is being implemented in cooperation with a broad base of partners including: the RCMP – National Crime Prevention, the Canadian Nurses Association, the Canadian Association of Social Workers and women’s justice and social agencies in every Province of Canada.

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Once the play [ballet] really started, people were putting their cell phones away. People were laying back and just grasping the idea of WOW! This play is really touching your soul. It’s really showing you what you could be going through or what others are going through.

-High School Student

New Brunswick

 

How the Program Works

Celebrate Courage offers an innovative format that brings together service providers and professionals in a youth friendly environment. Students attend a presentation of Ghosts of Violence at the theatre. The format includes the multi-media performance along with on-site participation of service providers and professionals. Educational content and dialogue are included at each presentation. The method utilized for this project is focused specifically on prevention by raising awareness of victim and healthy relationship issues, providing educational information and resources as it relates to youth. The project also reaches youth who would not otherwise have an opportunity of access to see this type of production and/or have the opportunity of meeting with professionals.

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Resources

Teachers and youth group leaders are provided with a Resource Manual in advance of the presentation at the theatre. The Resource Manual integrates themes explored in the multi-media performance Ghosts of Violence with educational content on healthy relationships, dating violence and specific outcomes. Information on local resources and services are included.

Ghosts of Violence addresses the stories of four women affected by violence –how they feel, problems they encounter including not knowing how or where to access resources. The multi-media performance raises awareness of problems, needs and issues related to violence in relationships.

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