About You Belong
Our Mission
Our mission is to enrich inclusive environments for kids by empowering schools and communities with knowledge, skills and resources about gender and sexuality.
Our Work
You Belong offers dynamic workshops for elementary school students, educators, and community leaders that address contemporary gender and sexuality themes, fostering inclusive spaces for kids.
Our Vision
We envision a world where all children feel validated and respected, allowing them to thrive academically, emotionally, and socially.
Meet Our Team.
Carley and Kelsey met on the first day of their Masters in Educational Psychology at McGill University and quickly bonded over a shared passion for feminism, activism, and sexuality education. Their collaboration has been a journey of discovery and commitment, leading to the establishment of Éducation You Belong. Here, the aim is to make real-world impacts, ensuring every child feels valued and understood.
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Kelsey J. Thompson M.Ed.
FOUNDER | DIRECTOR | EDUCATOR
She/Her/Hers
Kelsey is an expert in inclusive elementary sexuality education and a skilled workshop developer and facilitator. Her open mind and empathetic nature allow her to unite people and inspire change with an optic of inclusion. Kelsey believes that radical acceptance of the self empowers individuals to value and celebrate diversity in others. In response, Kelsey has dedicated her research and career to ensuring that all kids feel a sense of belonging and appreciation for their uniqueness, setting a solid foundation for kids to learn, grow, and thrive.
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Carley Evans M.Ed.
SEXUALITY EDUCATION & INCLUSION SPECIALIST
She/Her/Hers
Carley is an experienced educator, workshop facilitator, and sexuality education specialist. After completing her B.A. in Psychology, B.A. in Elementary Education and M. Ed. in Educational Psychology, she became dedicated to creating inclusive curriculum and educational spaces that reflect contemporary society. Witnessing her children navigate society solidified her belief that children are naturally curious and keenly aware of injustice. Carley aims to empower children with a deep sense of self-love, and to nurture their naturally inclusive attitudes to create a generation of change-makers. Carley’s academic, professional and personal background are foundational to her work as she continues to provide inclusive sexuality and wellness education.
Our Values.
Become a part of the change with You Belong!
Our Programs.
Acquire practical gender and sexuality-centred knowledge, skills and resources with You Belong’s inclusion workshops for elementary school students, educators, and community leaders.
*We also offer parent information sessions on elementary sexuality education.
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Éducation You Belong is proud to offer comprehensive, inclusive in-class Sexuality Education Programs for elementary students. Students will participate in age-appropriate lessons and creative activities that build strong foundations for present and future wellness.
Key Features:
Learning outcomes are carefully aligned with the Culture and Citizenship in Quebec Program.
Focus is placed on critical thinking, informed decision-making, healthy communication, and valuing diversity.
Includes summative assessments with rubrics to evaluate students’ understanding and engagement.
Educational content is grounded in current research and UNESCO best practices.
Learning arches are age appropriate, structured, and incremental.
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We offer dynamic gender and sexuality proficiency workshops designed for educators to build self-confidence in creating equitable spaces for kids.
Educators will be able to navigate gender and sexuality in the classroom and respond to the needs of their students, fostering belonging and student success.
The workshops are based on a three-part framework:
Foundational Learning: Gender, Sexual Orientation, and the Gender Binary
Critical Understanding: Gender Norms and Stereotypes at School
Taking Action: Educators as Agents of Inclusion
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This workshop is designed to equip elementary school educators with the essential tools, skills, and resources needed to deliver high-quality, developmentally appropriate sexuality education aligned with the Culture and Citizenship in Quebec (CCQ) program.
Key Takeaways:
Designing Age-Appropriate Lesson Plans Aligned with the CCQ
Fostering Curiosity & Respectful Dialogue
Inclusive Language & Practices
Practical Tools & Resources
Pre-requisite:
Participants must first attend the Gender and Sexuality Proficiency Workshop for Educators to ensure foundational knowledge. -
Grounded in evidence-based knowledge, resources and tools, this training will allow community leaders to establish a safe and supportive environment for all children, staff, and families in community and recreational settings.
This inclusion training would benefit camp counsellors, coaches, recreation leaders, childcare professionals, librarians and anyone invested in kids' wellbeing.
The inclusion training will cover themes such as:
Contemporary knowledge, terminology, and concepts on gender and sexual orientation
The impacts of the gender binary and gender stereotypes on child development
The benefits of inclusion for social-emotional well-being
Best practices and strategies for supporting diverse children, staff and families
“Sex ed saves lives. This is not an exaggeration. Sex ed done right is life-changing and supports health and safety.”
- Action Canada for Sexual Health & Rights
Learn More About Sexuality Education:
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Sexuality is an umbrella term that includes healthy relationships, emotions, the human body, identity, self-esteem, beliefs about the self and others, diversity, romantic feelings, desire, and personal boundaries.
Sexuality Education involves age-appropriate conversations about some of these topics, and provides children with life-affirming narratives as they grow.
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The majority of Canadian provinces and territories fail to meet Canadian (SIECCAN, 2019) and international (UNESCO 2018) standards for Comprehensive Sexuality Education.
Outdated curricula do not reflect the lived realities of most young people and many crucial materials are viewed as optional.
Without professional development, some educators and community leaders are left unprepared to respond to contemporary conversations surrounding gender identity, sexual orientation and sex-positive ideologies. Consequently, teachable moments and opportunities to share life-affirming narratives that promote belonging are missed.
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Evidence-Based Outcomes of Elementary Sexuality Education:
Prevent sexual abuse and gender-based violence
Improve self-advocacy skills, self-esteem, healthy personal boundaries and informed decision-making across the life course
Lead to a 5 times reduction of STI’s and unwanted pregnancies
Increase communication with parents and other trusted adults
Create inclusive perceptions about peer groups and social norms
Enhance physical health, emotional well-being and academic success
Reduce anxiety, depression, and rates of suicidality for 2SLGBTQIA+ students
Respond to human rights initiatives
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The World Health Organization and the United Nations agree that such initiatives should begin in kindergarten. Scaffolding foundational knowledge and skills with age-appropriate content fosters future healthy sexuality, decision-making, and wellbeing across the life course.
Children develop a personal sense of gender identity and express curiosity about their bodies and the experiences of others from the earliest of ages.
It is necessary to offer children accurate, shame-free, developmentally appropriate answers to their naturally occurring questions.
* in early elementary school, we do not talk about sexual intercourse, but we do provide foundational skills that will become key components of future sexual wellness, such as consent, healthy relationships and establishing shame-free narratives about body parts.
All Kids Deserve to Feel Like They Belong
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All Kids Deserve to Feel Like They Belong •
Professional Development for Educators, Community Leaders, and Staff on 2SLGBTQIA+ Inclusion has Profound Impacts:
Complements holistic development for all
Supplements social justice initiatives, creating equitable spaces and opportunities
Improves academic achievement, meaningful engagement, attendance and overall success
Increased sense of safety and belonging at work
Fosters a culture of respect, empathy and allyship
Enhances curriculum and programming with diverse perspectives and experiences
Send us a Question.
Do you have any questions or comments?
Whether it’s about gender and sexuality education, an inquiry about inclusive resources for kids, interest in joining our team, directions to contemporary research, or to see if You Belong is right for you, don’t hesitate to reach out.