10 Workshops on Consent and Boundaries (free)
Written Nov 2, 2017

Hey folks,
I’m offering 10 free workshops on Consent and Boundaries to continue to share the skills that help build respectful and caring communities. Please connect with me here or by email (wearemanyrivers@gmail.com) if you have any questions or want to get together for some workshops. Yip yip!
Formats: – Teach the teachers/facilitators where we go through the workshop together and share how to deliver to groups that you work with. – I deliver workshop to a group of youth or you and friends or host organization.
Details:
Have you ever felt that surge of relief when you could just say ‘no’ to something and be respected? How about that feeling of belonging when your friends listen to what you are saying while working on something together? Have you ever slowly peeled an orange?
Many Rivers Permaculture is an educational hub that researches, develops, practices, plays with, and shares tools for creative community change. The huge public sharing of ‘#MeToo’—a social media pattern in which news feeds were filled with courageous sharing of moments when people had been sexually assaulted – sparked momentum to increase the work of sharing practical skills to be respectful within our communities. We all have the ability to respect each other and ourselves as we live our lives, we just need to learn the behaviours and then practice them (everyday).
This free workshop is a chance to practice three simple and powerful social tools: personal boundaries, celebrating ‘no’, and consent. It will be a casual atmosphere with facilitated activities to put these skills into practice. Creative risk is low. Facilitated space is considerate and safer for people of all experiences, (a)genders, and bodies. Lessons learned are promised to stick.
What you will practice and maybe learn:
How to bring your awareness into your body.
A sense of where your physical boundaries are around people (note: there will be no physical touch in this workshop).
Saying ‘no’ to any request. Receiving, respecting, and celebrating a ‘no’ to your request.
How to ask for and give consent when working on something with someone else.
6 principles for practicing consent (as stated by the Anti-Violence Project).
What you will take home:
Newfound insight into how cool your body is.
A better understanding of your personal boundaries
New social tools to aide in personal respect and community respect.
A fantastically fun and creative activity to help share consent with people of any age.
This workshop is for you if:
You have never heard of consent or boundaries before and are curious.
You are passionate about ending everyday violence in your community.
You want to learn four really cool and interactive activities on consent and boundaries.
You are confused when people get mad when you touch their bodies without asking.
You want to eat an orange with a group of people learning to be accountable in community.
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When: Let’s find a time that works.
Where: Grey Bruce County area, Guelph area, Mississauga area.
Class size: Max. 16 people.
Age: 12+
Cost: Free. Any donations will go towards organizations that work daily to end (disproportionate) violence against women, trans folk, queer and non binary people.
What to bring: Yourself, friends who are interested, a silly and realistic request on a piece of paper (for an activity), and an openness to learn and have fun.
Many thanks to Soula Gountouvas, Letitia Annamalai, Anti-Violence Project, and Power of Hope Canada for sharing these workshops and working with me