The Play it Fair! program

Promoting human rights values through play

Equitas:Our Mission: Equitas works for the advancement of equality, social justice and respect for human dignity in Canada and around the world through transformative human rights education programs.

– Is a non-profit non-governmental organization (registered charity) based in Montreal

– Founded in 1967 by a group of leading Canadian academics, lawyers and activists

– Designs and delivers human rights education programs in Canada and overseas

– Developed the Play It Fair! program in Montreal starting in 2004

Promoting human rights values through play

Play It Fair! Program OverviewGoal• To promote human rights, anti-discrimination, and peaceful conflict resolution in existing

programs for children and youth, (summer camps, after school and school programs)

Approach• To promote positive values such as inclusion, respect and cooperation through fun and

interactive games (in order to address and prevent issues such as bullying, exclusion, discrimination etc)

• For children 6-12 years old• For staff working with children and youth

Partners• Municipalities• Community-based organizations• Schools and School Boards

Promoting human rights values through play

The reach of Play it Fair! To date: Canada• 470 + partners: camps / after school /

school based programs• 17, 000 people trained • 400,000 children reached • 31 communities• In 2013 alone, over 5,500 staff were

trained and over 85,000 children were reached

International• Projects : Indonesia, Jordan, Lebannon,

Iraq, Haiti, CEE• Toolkit available in English,

Français,Espanol, Arabic, Bahasa Indonesian

Promoting human rights values through play

Key Elements of the Play It Fair! Program1. Educational Toolkit

• Fun and interactive games for children aged 6-12 years, designed to reinforce the positive values that stem from the fundamental principles contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

• For staff working with children and youth to enhance their capacity to promote human rights values and peaceful conflict resolution within their programs

2. Training for staff and trainers• Enhances the understanding of people working with children about human rights and

peaceful conflict resolution and how to incorporate Play it Fair! activities into their programming for children and youth

3. Support for partners in implementation

4. Monitoring and evaluation to assess the program’s successes, identify good practices and overcome potential challenges faced by implementing organizations

5. Play it Fair! Day

Promoting human rights values through play

Play it Fair! in schoolsLester B Pearson school Board (2011) and English Montreal School board (2013) (over 100 elementary school

sites)• Training teachers, lunch monitors, before & after program staff, spiritual animators• Whole school approach (principals, librarians, crossing guards)• Equitas approached by LBPSB as they developed anti-bullying strategy plan (required by Bill 56 in Quebec)

Similarities between many anti-bullying / discipline policies and also with many school mission statements, • general consensus around need to actively promote SEL / positive values and behaviors to address issues• the challenge is around the actual HOW – to do this in a purposeful way that fits within school context?

Existing resources in schools• Rights based school programs have tended towards knowledge acquisition (as part of civics curriculum) rather than

orientated towards action to realize rights in daily lives• Anti bullying programs – not usually rights based approaches,

Need identified for a practical tool to help staff with the HOW to put their anti-bullying policies / mission statements into action

April 18, 2023 www.equitas.org 6

Promoting human rights values through play

Play it Fair! Toolkit

81 Games and 26 reference sheets, 4 indexes by age, issues, value and time

A resource of activities. More than 80 games to promote human rights values such as cooperation, respect for diversity, fairness, inclusion, respect, responsibility and acceptance with children aged 6-12 years and youth working with them.

A prevention tool. To promote positive values and encourage the development of an environment that fosters inclusion, respect and cooperation.

An intervention tool. To provide constructive responses to conflict and to support staff to address challenging situations related to bullying, cliques, exclusion etc.

Promoting human rights values through play

How does Play it Fair! work? Promotion of 7 rights based values:

Promoting human rights values through play

26 Reference Sheets

What is in the Play it Fair! Toolkit?

81 Activities

Promoting human rights values through play

Educational Approach

Promoting human rights values through play

Results achieved by using Play it Fair! Changes among staff • New perceptions of their role as mentors and role models• Strengthening relationships with children• Method for intervening when issues arise• A resource for conducting activities with children• Increased openness and listening attitude

Changes among children• Children are more sensitive to acceptance, inclusion, respect for others and respect for diversity• Groups do better at integrating children who are often marginalized or excluded • Conflicts amongst the children are reduced• Children apply lessons and values from the Toolkit in other situations

Changes among participating organizations• New education methodologies and human rights values being integrated into other areas of

programming• New approaches to dealing with behaviour issues

Promoting human rights values through play

Why Play it Fair! Works

1. Easy to use2. A complement, not a

replacement3. Inclusive & Participatory4. Activities are flexible & diverse5. Budget-friendly6. You can see the change! 7. Continued support

www.equitas.org

Promoting human rights values through play

Learning Takeaways

1. A ‘home’ for PiF!2. A link to mission and values3. The role of training, follow-up, and

evaluation4. The ‘champion’ effect5. The strength of a participatory

approach to social change

Promoting human rights values through play

Implementation• Partnership with local organizations• Customised training for coordinators and staff• Resources available in English and French• Follow-up and Support

Laura ButlerProgram Officer, Canada(514) 954-0382 Ext. 242lbutler@equitas.org

• For copies of the Play it Fair! Toolkit, please visit www.equitas.org• To see Play it Fair! Activities in action – please visit our Youtube channel

(link on Equitas website)