Prairies

The Prairie SOGI Educator Network brings together educators in Alberta and Saskatchewan interested in supporting SOGI-inclusive education.

Our Work in the Prairies

The Prairie SOGI Educator Network brings together educators across Alberta and Saskatchewan interested in supporting SOGI-inclusive education. It enables these educators to meet, share experiences, co-create resources, and collectively overcome obstacles within and across school divisions as well as First Nations and independent schools. Division-level members in public school divisions gain access to an expansive collection of emerging SOGI tools to adapt to the needs of their schools.

The Alberta SOGI Educator Network launched in the 2017/2018 school year, starting with three participating school divisions in the Edmonton area. Today, ARC Foundation is working with a growing number of school divisions across the province to enhance the Prairie SOGI Educator Network, connecting more educators with tools and resources to support students of all sexual orientations and gender identities.

Educators in Saskatchewan have been connecting to SOGI 123 resources and supports since 2023, through collaboration with education organizations within the province. While current policies limit direct connections with educators, we know that teachers in the province of Saskatchewan are looking for support navigating SOGI-inclusive education. We are profoundly grateful to the teachers and organizations within the province who are working hard to make schools safer and more inclusive for 2SLGBTQ+ students and families, and we will continue to be available to provide support to educators in need of resources and guidance.

We would like to express our gratitude for the guidance and support from education and community leaders that informed the introduction of SOGI 123 in the Prairies. We would also like to thank The Stollery Charitable Foundation for their ongoing support of SOGI 123 in this region.

Educators participate in the network within one of the following roles:

  1. SOGI DIVISION LEAD – This position is appointed centrally by division leadership and is usually filled by one or two educators. The Division Leads raise awareness of SOGI within their divisions by developing division-wide initiatives and recruiting, training, and supporting School Leads. Division Leads often have dedicated hours for this role, attend regular network meetings, and can be a teacher, administrator, counsellor, division principal, or other division role.
  2. SOGI SCHOOL LEAD – Any educator in a school division, independent school or First Nations school can participate as a School Lead. The School Leads raise awareness of SOGI within their schools by sharing, implementing, and developing SOGI-inclusive practices and initiatives. School Leads can be teachers, administrators, teacher-librarians, counsellors, or any other staff role in a school.

Tools and resources for educators across the Prairies will grow and evolve as participation and support increases. We are actively looking to partner with other like-minded individuals and organizations who support our vision of expanding the tools, resources, and professional development opportunities available to educators in the Prairies.

If you’re interested in connecting with your Division SOGI Lead, or in having your school or division join the SOGI Educator Network, please connect with us and we can guide you further!

Even before joining the network, you can be part of a network of change.

  1. Connect with the Network: Contact us to find out which SOGI Educator Network is the best place for you.
  2. Share resources: Email us to share your resources with the network and/or on this website.
  3. Inspire others: You don’t have to be an expert to inspire others. You just have to make an effort. Decide on the next thing you will do to create change in your classroom or school.
  4. Use network resources: All the resources on this site have been developed with educators, for educators. Use them, and let us know what you think.
View all →