USE YOUR WITS®

WITS reduces discrimination and bullying

Effectively prevent discrimination and bullying: the WITS® programs work in schools to teach children strategies that promote kindness and reduce victimization. In a whole-school-whole-community approach, WITS & LEADS (DIRE & MENTOR in French) involve schools, families and community members and adaptable to Indigenous contexts.

Schools K-5/6/7, subscribe to access all the latest more inclusive materials: implementation guides, dozens of recently published books with accompanying WITS lesson plans, program training for educators, videos, discounts on our other programs, and much more. School Boards, Districts & other educational authorities: contact us for multiple school start-up offers.

For youth: see Canadian Kindness Leaders and Pink Shirt Project under “Programs”.

Our Programs

An evidence-based Social Emotional Learning program, the easy-to-teach WITS strategies have been proven effective in formal evaluations. In 2016, researchers at Dalhousie University determined WITS to be the best school program of its kind in Canada. The WITS Programs are trusted by over 1500 schools worldwide.

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WITS – Canada’s Bullying Prevention Program

The WITS strategies provide children with simple, memorable tools to manage peer victimization. Using curated children’s books,  cross-curriculum lessons, and other engaging content, educators find that 1) WITS is easy to implement, 2) provides the school with a common language, and 3) is effective in reducing peer victimization.

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The WITS LEADS Program

LEADS, an extension of WITS, provides students in Grades 4 through 6/7 (ages flexible) with strategies that empower kids to resolve conflicts and model good behaviour. Like WITS, LEADS is literature-based with dynamic activities that may be integrated throughout a variety of subject areas.

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Empowering kids across Canada and beyond

WITS Programs have been delivered in more than 1500 schools in every province and territory in Canada, with a few outside of Canada. We are committed to ensuring every child has a safe, supportive community in which to grow and thrive.

Click through to our map to see if your community is represented:

1,600

WITS Programs schools worldwide

21,000

Educators and Community
Leaders trained in WITS
Programs

50

Books on the WITS Pick
or WITS Recommended
book lists

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Our Commitments

Starting in schools and affecting entire communities, we are committed to creating safe, inclusive and healthy environments for children and youth. Here are some of the ways we do that:

Youth Programs

Canadian Kindness Leaders (ages 8-13) and Pink Shirt Project (ages 12-18) guide youth to conceive of and implement their own projects that support kindness in their school and/or community. Positively empower your youth!

Languages

Families can read about WITS in their choice of 12 languages, about the school’s use of WITS and help for using WITS at home. www.witsprogram.ca/families  The WITS  take-home card also links there via its QR code.

Indigenous Communities

The WITS Program is used in dozens of Indigenous community schools. The advice of Indigenous educators and consultants is embedded into WITS. We also encourage program adaptation that will work with unique cultures and needs. WITS subscriptions are free to Indigenous schools.

WITS commitment to Indigenous communities and reconciliation.

UN Sustainable Development Goals 

Addressing school violence and victimization is essential in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular SDG 4, which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all, and SDG 16, which aims to promote peaceful and inclusive societies.

More of our initiatives

Pink Shirt Day Canada

Pink Shirt Project

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Canadian Kindness Leaders