1. School Health
  2. Human Development & Sexual Health
  3. Healthy Relationships

Healthy Relationships

Educating youth about healthy relationships is important to help them develop skills and knowledge to make healthier choices.

Healthy relationships provide children and adolescents with a sense of security, basic needs, and a sense of well-being and belonging. A healthy relationship involves mutual respect, trust, honesty, support, separate identities, fairness/equality, and good communication. Respect is at the foundation of every relationship. The value of developing healthy relationship skills and how they tie into learning is expanded upon in the 2019 Ontario Health and Physical Education Curriculum.

The Ontario Student Drug Use and Mental Health Survey (OSDUHS), 2021 report found that ‘One-quarter (24%) of students report that their relationship with their parents/guardians became a bit worse or a lot worse during the pandemic. About one-third (35.1%) report that their relationship with their parents became a bit better or a lot better’.

Using the Ministry of Education’s Foundations for a Healthy School framework, schools, school boards, parents, and community partners can work together to develop healthy school environments that promote and support student well-being.

Healthy relationship resources and supports are organized below following this framework.

Resources & Information for:

Resources

Lesson Plans and Activities

  • OPHEA Healthy Schools Certification: Gives your school the tools to promote and enhance the health and well-being of students, school staff, and the broader school community. Contact your school nurse at 519-258-2146 x 1555 for more information on how they can support your school in achieving a Healthy Schools Certification.
  • OPHEA- Healthy Relationships Training Module: Gives adults the training they need to help young people develop healthy social skills. It emphasizes the importance of healthy relationships and the prevention of violence among people of all ages. In-person and online modules are offered.

  • OPHEA Ideas for Action- Growth and Development (French Version): Can be used alone or with the OPHEA Healthy School Certification process for education about healthy growth and development. This is a starting point to encourage students to start conversations about topics related to healthy relationships in your school and community. This guide provides key information about existing programs and resources, tips for getting started, things to consider, sources of support in your community, in Ontario, and across Canada, and activity ideas in the following areas:

    Student council or student wellness council actively participate in identifying school needs and activities to address those needs.

  • PREVNet- Self-Worth Toolkit Zine: Created by PREVNet’s National Youth Advisory Committee to help youth check in with their self-worth and how their relationships are impacting it. Intended to prevent youth dating violence. Available in French.
  • Jack.org: Supports communities and youth to know to take care of their mental health and how to support others. School communities can join this organization to encourage youth leadership, through talks, chapters, and summits. Students can earn a certificate after completing the Be There a 2-hour training that includes the importance of setting healthy boundaries. The training is offered in French and Spanish.

School Campaigns and Social Media

  • Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres- Draw the Line: A campaign to prevent sexual violence. This campaign challenges common myths about sexual violence and equips bystanders with information on how to intervene safely and effectively. Resources include multiple user guides for elementary and secondary schools, including a guide to Draw the Line against transphobic violence. 

Support in the Community

  • Windsor-Essex Youth Services Card: provides contact information related to help lines and counselling in Windsor-Essex County. A downloadable and printable resource to share that has information on various community agencies.
  • Youth Wellness Hub Windsor-Essex: Combines the right services for youth aged 12-25 offering walk-in services, access to a Nurse Practitioner for primary care, and community social services. The Youth Wellness Hub also offers recreational activities and peer support. Services are available in Windsor and Leamington locations (will be offering services in French and Arabic languages soon).
  • Hiatus House: A community agency that provides crisis support and shelter for women and children in Windsor and the area who are fleeing violence and abuse. Their Help Line is open 24 hours a day /7 days a week at (519) 252-7781 to provide help and hope for families faced with domestic violence.
  • Youth Diversion Essex County Diversion Program: Serves Windsor and Essex with a series of eight youth programs that focus on building confidence, making healthy decisions, and improving communication.
  • Trans Wellness Ontario: A Windsor-based community group that supports a mission ‘to enhance and sustain the health and wellness of Transgender, Genderqueer, Two-Spirit, Non-Binary, Queer and Questioning communities and their families’. Offered are many community programs, resources, and individual services with peer group support in-person or virtual.

Additional Resources and Support

Support in the Community

  • Windsor-Essex Youth Services Card: provides contact information related to help lines and counselling in Windsor-Essex County. A downloadable and printable resource to share that has information on various community agencies.
  • Youth Wellness Hub Windsor-Essex: Combines the right services for youth aged 12-25 offering walk-in services, access to a Nurse Practitioner for primary care, and community social services. The Youth Wellness Hub also offers recreational activities and peer support. Services are available in Windsor and Leamington locations (will be offering services in French and Arabic languages soon).
  • Hiatus House: A community agency that provides crisis support and shelter for women and children in Windsor and the area who are fleeing violence and abuse. Their Help Line is open 24 hours a day /7 days a week at (519) 252-7781 to provide help and hope for families faced with domestic violence.
  • Youth Diversion Essex County Diversion Program: Serves Windsor and Essex with a series of eight youth programs that focus on building confidence, making healthy decisions, and improving communication.
  • Trans Wellness Ontario: A Windsor-based community group that supports a mission ‘to enhance and sustain the health and wellness of Transgender, Genderqueer, Two-Spirit, Non-Binary, Queer and Questioning communities and their families’. Offered are many community programs, resources, and individual services with peer group support in-person or virtual.

Additional Resources and Support

  • OPHEA Ideas for Action- Growth and Development (French Version): Can be used alone or with the OPHEA Healthy School Certification process for education about healthy growth and development. This is a starting point to encourage students to start conversations about topics related to healthy relationships in your school and community. This guide provides key information about existing programs and resources, tips for getting started, things to consider, sources of support in your community, in Ontario, and across Canada, and activity ideas in the following areas:

    Student council or student wellness council actively participate in identifying school needs and activities to address those needs.

  • PREVNet- Self-Worth Toolkit Zine: Created by PREVNet’s National Youth Advisory Committee to help youth check in with their self-worth and how their relationships are impacting it. Intended to prevent youth dating violence. Available in French.
  • Jack.org: Supports communities and youth to know to take care of their mental health and how to support others. School communities can join this organization to encourage youth leadership, through talks, chapters, and summits. Students can earn a certificate after completing the Be There a 2-hour training that includes the importance of setting healthy boundaries. The training is offered in French and Spanish.

School Campaigns and Social Media

  • Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres- Draw the Line: A campaign to prevent sexual violence. This campaign challenges common myths about sexual violence and equips bystanders with information on how to intervene safely and effectively. Resources include multiple user guides for elementary and secondary schools, including a guide to Draw the Line against transphobic violence. 

Support in the Community

  • Windsor-Essex Youth Services Card: provides contact information related to help lines and counselling in Windsor-Essex County. A downloadable and printable resource to share that has information on various community agencies.
  • Youth Wellness Hub Windsor-Essex: Combines the right services for youth aged 12-25 offering walk-in services, access to a Nurse Practitioner for primary care, and community social services. The Youth Wellness Hub also offers recreational activities and peer support. Services are available in Windsor and Leamington locations (will be offering services in French and Arabic languages soon).
  • Hiatus House: A community agency that provides crisis support and shelter for women and children in Windsor and the area who are fleeing violence and abuse. Their Help Line is open 24 hours a day /7 days a week at (519) 252-7781 to provide help and hope for families faced with domestic violence.
  • Youth Diversion Essex County Diversion Program: Serves Windsor and Essex with a series of eight youth programs that focus on building confidence, making healthy decisions, and improving communication.
  • Trans Wellness Ontario: A Windsor-based community group that supports a mission ‘to enhance and sustain the health and wellness of Transgender, Genderqueer, Two-Spirit, Non-Binary, Queer and Questioning communities and their families’. Offered are many community programs, resources, and individual services with peer group support in-person or virtual.

Additional Resources and Support