Junior Peacemakers
Junior Peacemakers is an exciting outreach initiative sponsored by IRSAM. Volunteers from McGill visit elementary school classrooms across Montreal delivering interactive workshops on human rights, global inequality, conflict resolution, environmental conservation, and child activism. Each semester, our program reaches at least a dozen classrooms, both English- and French-speaking, raising awareness of world issues and inspiring young students to engage with their communities to create a more peaceful future.
For Schools
The Junior Peacemakers program targets students in cycle 3 (fifth and sixth grades) and consists of five 1-hour sessions given weekly for 5 weeks. Groups of two or three volunteers from McGill University will visit your class each week to engage your students on subjects including poverty and discrimination, and help them think of ways they can promote peace and equality. Registration for the fall semester usually closes in early October and winter registration runs until mid-January. The program is offered in both English and French, subject to the availability of French-speaking volunteers, and there is no cost to the school to participate in the Jr. Peacemakers program. Feel free to check out the full curriculum, available below, and contact the coordinators at jr.peacemakers@gmail.com with any questions or to request a registration form for your class!
For Volunteers
Are you passionate about global issues like human rights and inequality? Are you an enthusiastic person who enjoys working with kids? Do you want to meet other McGill students with similar interests and make a positive difference in the Montreal community?
Junior Peacemakers volunteers visit local classrooms in groups of two or three to present an interactive curriculum discussing globalization, peaceful conflict resolution, and community activism (full curriculum available below). Volunteers must complete approximately 3 hours of training to go into the classroom. Training sessions are offered each year in September and January. Volunteers assigned to a classroom commit to five 1-hour sessions over the course of the semester, plus about 30 minutes of weekly prep-time with their group, and have the option of giving the workshops in English or French. The curriculum and all necessary materials are provided, and IRSAM members are eligible for reimbursement of transit costs. Contact the coordinators at jr.peacemakers@gmail.com to receive updates and information on how to get involved!