mission
- To address barriers to education, using games and story-telling based media, as disruptive tools to formal learning environments.
- To encourage better relationships to one's self and others, rooted in love, compassion and abundance.
- To help others critically explore, and unpack internalized systems of oppression, and offer support in finding their own values.
Guiding principles of her work are anti-oppression, humour, empathy, intersectionality, joy of learning and liberation.
background
samantha began her path as a volunteer sexual health educator at Planned Parenthood Toronto (PPT) in 2011. Her love with the ever evolving field of sexual health, and providing one-to-one support, drew her to community health promotion locally and internationally. She has since worked as a counselor in a number of sexual and reproductive health clinics, and as a mentor, training other sexual health educators.
Patterns samantha identified through her work, led her to founding Inner Development Project, a Toronto-based outreach program, facilitating workshops with young women/non-binary youth. Namely the connection between low self-esteem, challenges with communication in relationships, anxiety, and negative sexual health outcomes; including self-doubt and consent related sexual violence.
In 2018, samantha developed SEXY SEXUAL HEALTH TRIVIA which she hosts on campus for university/college audiences, as well as adult audiences in various venues.
She is a career volunteer, and works as an educator, speaker, and project manager on sexual health, consent, anti-oppression training for public facing roles, and public art.
samantha is currently represented by the National Speakers Bureau.
select projects
Inner Development Project
mission
To facilitate workshops that inspire young women* to examine the values of society, define self, and lead healthy, balanced lives.
vision
our identities, our terms
workshops
Workshops are highly interactive, using arts, games and technology to facilitate conversations which participants can populate with their own lived experiences. Topics include: body image, healthy relationships, self-esteem, social media, sexuality/gender, and consent.
community and partners
Workshops are provided free, on-site of existing groups of young women and non-binary youth ages 11-18 in Toronto. Past/current community partners include: Boys and Girls Club East Scarborough, Boys and Girls Club Rexdale, Boys and Girls Club St. Albans, L.I.F.T, City of Toronto, GEM L'Amoreaux, LOFT.
IDP also partners with other organizations to raise funds and awareness for causes which effect the broader community.
contact: info@innerdevelopmentproject.com