Helping Young People Navigate New Worlds, Safely.
Young people are navigating a world shaped by AI, social media, shifting norms, and safety risks that most school curricula haven't caught up with.
VST's education programs meet that gap directly — delivering safety knowledge to students in ways that fit students' age and stage.
The more VST reaches into schools, the sooner young people can access the tools they need to stay safe and seek help when they need it.
Programs
School Safety Symposium
In partnership with the Toronto District School Board and the Toronto Police Service, VST's annual School Safety Symposium reached over 25,000 students in grades 5–12. The Symposium gives students what school often doesn't: clear, practical tools to recognize abuse or exploitation, set boundaries, stay safe and find support.
The free, teacher-led program is delivered in partnership with school boards.
T.E.A.R. Workshops
The earlier someone learns to recognize an unsafe situation, the better equipped they are to protect themselves and others. Delivered in schools across Toronto, T.E.A.R. (Teens Ending Abusive Relationships) workshops bring that learning directly into grade 5-12 classrooms, with age-appropriate sessions on healthy relationships, consent, online safety, and human trafficking prevention.
Through the Mobile T.E.A.R. Program, VST brings the workshops to students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH), who are among the most vulnerable to coercion and exploitation, with content adapted specifically to their learning needs.
Safety Starts in Kindergarten
