Thank you for expressing interest in our Esteem workshop!
Esteem emerged as a response to concerns raised by young women who had been accepted to university only to question their readiness. These anecdotal concerns are reinforced by the reality that nearly 25% of students entering university will drop out during their first year. This rate is higher for marginalized students. Esteem is guided by the belief that educators, students and parents who employ a proactive approach to bridging the transition from high school to university will significantly improve student success rates.

Esteem is a dynamic university preparation workshop for young women. It has been designed to support students before they arrive on campus. It is a student-centred program that empowers participants to meet both the academic and psychosocial demands of post secondary education. The mission of Esteem is to teach young women how to become active agents in their own learning. We strive to nurture confidence and academic skills while simultaneously promoting awareness, diversity, health, safety and wellness.

Esteem acknowledges that university is a time of unprecedented growth of identity. As young women become increasingly autonomous they will likely be confronted with situations and decisions that they may find challenging, confusing, or even overwhelming. The statistic that one out of every five women in a Canadian university will experience sexual assault is at once appalling and daunting. The best way to prevent sexual assault is to work with others to eradicate the sexism which is at the core of rape and other forms of violence against women. Until that time, there are many steps that women can take to promote their health and safety. In order to thrive at university, we encourage young women to build healthy relationship skills and to maximize their personal sense of safety and wellness. In addition to nurturing academic skills, Esteem focuses on promoting women’s overall health, safety and wellness. This integrated approach enables young women to take charge of their education and prepares them to enter university with confidence.

You are encouraged to explore the accompanying program links. For further information please contact Neil Cohen or Jessica Densmore at 416-488-7520.