The Healthy Education About Relationships Team (H.E.A.R.T.) is a student-led initiative that promotes healthy relationships, raises awareness about gender-based violence, and connects youth to resources and support. In partnership with schools and teacher leads, student teams are recruited, trained, and supported to develop an annual work plan that includes a communication strategy, workshops, and school-wide activities.
Unlike the traditional one-time speaker or teacher-led model, HEART uses a train-the-trainer approach where professionals equip students to educate their peers throughout the school year. This continuous, peer-to-peer delivery improves engagement, knowledge retention, and long-term behavioural change.
After successfully piloting HEART in two Hamilton high schools (2021–2024), we are ready to scale the program to additional schools both in Hamilton and surrounding communities. This expansion will create a consistent, student-centred framework for promoting healthy relationships and preventing youth dating violence.
By empowering youth to share knowledge, model respect, and lead conversations about consent, boundaries, and support, HEART builds youth leadership, strengthens social and emotional skills, and contributes to ending the cycle of gender-based violence in our communities.
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In a 2015 survey of grade 7 – 12 students in East Flamborough,
only 38% of females felt safe at home, school, and in the neighbourhood.
In 2021, our Youth Impact Team identified the need to address a “jock culture” that they felt added to the low percentage of female students who felt safe*. With funding from WAGE Canada and 100 Women Who Care, we began working with a student team from Waterdown District High School to develop and pilot an ally program.
*Attitudes & Behaviours survey, Search Institute
This student team developed the vision, mission and purpose that would guide this project, renaming themselves HEART (Healthy Education About Relationships Team).
Vision: A school environment that is safe for all genders, where everyone feels heard, supported and treated with equity.
Mission: Tackling the systemic issues in our community by raising awareness and educating youth about GBV to ensure youth have safe spaces to develop healthy relationships.
Purpose: Address persistent and harmful gender stereotypes and build healthy relationships to break the gender-based violence cycle. For males (grades 7 – 12) to see themselves as allies in preventing violence against women.
Are you a youth? Learn more about HEART and how to get involved on our Youth Portal!
This program will connect youth with education on healthy relationships, consent, healthy masculinity, and prevention of misogyny and domestic violence. We have already received tremendous support from the community including a generous donation from ‘100 Women Who Care’ who we would like to thank for the seed money for this important program.”
– Steffani Lang, Research Coordinator, Youth Impact Team member
Overview:
In 2023, GBV was declared an epidemic, recognizing it as a critical community issue. Research shows youth aged 15–24 are at the highest risk, underscoring the need for early, school-based prevention.
Being a youth-led and peer-to-peer program, HEART primarily benefits youth in the community. Following the train-the-trainer approach, HEART empowers youth leaders to plan activities, deliver workshops, and model positive relationships. Participants gain confidence, empathy, and communication abilities—key protective factors shown to reduce violence, increase student safety, and strengthen school engagement and connectedness. Youth will continue using the skills and knowledge they gained through the program in post-secondary, the workplace, and their own relationships.
By scaling up HEART, this model will create a consistent, student-centred framework promoting healthy relationships and preventing youth dating violence. We will increase the number of trained youth leaders, broaden access to evidence-based education, and enhance collaboration between schools and community agencies.
Program Objectives
- Promote healthy relationships and prevent youth dating violence through peer-led education and awareness.
- Empower youth leadership by providing training, mentorship, and opportunities for meaningful school and community engagement.
- Foster safer, more inclusive school cultures by increasing understanding, empathy, and bystander intervention.
There is a misunderstanding that these sorts of programs target males negatively. The goal is actually to help men feel more comfortable with themselves and not have toxic views about masculinity so they’re able to express emotions, to have healthy relationships. That benefits men and women — it’s more about working in a partnership and helping men and women understand each other better, as well as improve men’s view of themselves and how they treat women. It isn’t an attack on masculinity — it’s an attack on pressures that are put on men.
– The Flamborough Review
Take a look at our work plan!
Our Train-the-Trainer Approach
GBA+ training will ensure our student teams look through an intersectional lens as they plan events and create impactful messaging that engages all youth in meaningful ways. HEART members are trained using evidence-based programs and through GBV professionals.
Our Partners
Hamilton Wentworth District School Board
- Approves programs, interventions and approaches within the schools. Provides school board contacts (GBV social worker, research, SAFE schools). Collaborates on research and development of strategies. Has agreed to be an advisor in the development of the H.E.A.R.T. licensed program.
Interval House MentorAction – “Be More Than A Bystander”:
- A VAW Agency and Women’s Shelter. They have the rights to “Be More Than A Bystander” and “Coaching Boys Into Men” Programs for Ontario. Provides training, resources, speakers and support at H.E.A.R.T. meetings and workshops. Signed an MOU to support the work of each project and collaborate, without duplication.
Halton Women’s Place
- A VAW Agency and Women’s Shelter. They have been running educational programs (“Learn to Love” and “Healthy Relationships Plus curriculum) in Halton schools for the past 10 years. Provides training, resources and support at H.E.A.R.T. meetings and workshops.
Healthy Youth Network is a member of Hamilton’s Child & Youth Network (HCYN) and the Youth Serving Agency Network of Hamilton (YSAN)
Funding
