At Unionville College, the well-being of their students isn’t an afterthought; it’s central to the educational mission. For years, the school has placed a strong focus on helping students regulate their emotions, find their voice and navigate conflict in a constructive way. But the school leadership knew that to truly deepen that work, it would help to work with partners who bring expertise and fresh perspectives, which led to their partnership with Brave Education.
“I first came across Brave Education through their website,” says David Treherne, the Principal at Unionville College. “What they offered immediately aligned with our values. We’d already been doing a lot of work in this space, but we’re always looking for complementary voices to help reinforce the message.”
Brave Education’s involvement has brought a renewed energy to the school’s commitment to social-emotional learning. While it’s difficult to quantify the exact impact, since many efforts have been built up over time, David says Brave’s presence has clearly struck a chord with the students.
“Their voice, added to the mix, really resonated with our student population,” he says. “They reinforced what we’ve been working toward, but in a way that was fresh and engaging.”
One key component of Brave’s programming that stood out was their use of active role-play in workshops. “That approach really impressed me,” says David. “It brought the concepts to life. It wasn’t just theory. It gave students the opportunity to reflect and practice in the moment.”
Unionville College is deeply intentional about building an inclusive and emotionally supportive environment. Brave Education helped surface and elevate issues that school leadership already knew were important but hadn’t yet addressed in a structured way.
“Brave helped shine a light on the things we felt were in need of attention,” David explains. “Their involvement pushed those conversations forward in a powerful and constructive way.”
Their collaboration model also stood out. “It was a very personal approach. Everything was tailored to what we needed as a school,” he says. “There were one-on-one discussions and meaningful follow-ups. It wasn’t a one-size-fits-all program.”
The success of any school initiative depends on buy-in from both students and staff. At Unionville, that starts from the top.
“My expectation is that students have a very active voice in the school,” says David. “We foster a culture where everyone treats each other respectfully and solves problems peacefully. Our admin team has an open-door policy. Students know they can come to us anytime. Brave’s program supports and strengthens that ethos.”
And these efforts don’t go unnoticed by the students, either. “They really enjoyed the workshops,” he says. “We got very positive feedback, especially about the presenter. The experience felt relevant and accessible to them.”
Brave’s impact is already showing in subtle but meaningful ways. “I think it’s most evident in the language students use when de-escalating situations,” David adds. “Brave is very good at equipping kids with the right words at the right time. That’s a skill they carry with them.”
Looking ahead, David hopes to expand Brave Education’s programming even further. “I’d love to see their workshops extended into our primary and junior grades,” he says. “And I’d like Brave to follow through with our students long term, so they see it not as a one-off, but as an ongoing relationship. A partnership that’s here to improve the overall quality of life in our school.”
For schools considering Brave Education, David is clear: “It’s incredibly valuable to have an outside voice come in to talk about the issues that matter. For students, it’s exciting. It makes them feel seen, supported, and safe.”
In an educational climate where emotional well-being is more important than ever, Unionville College’s partnership with Brave Education proves that social-emotional learning doesn’t have to be siloed but can be woven into the very fabric of school life.
