REACT Program – Youth Engagement – Public Health, Niagara Region

Under the supervision of Joe Norris, Mirror Theatre members, Nadia Ganesh and Candice De Freitas Braz, collaborated with members of REACT Niagara, a group of high school teenagers who act as “peer influencers”, to develop and film a series of vignettes intended to be used as a prevention program against vaping in Niagara High schools. Our program consists of videos that portray the influencers as struggling with moral dilemmas (on video) regarding vaping on school property. No clear answers to these moral dilemmas are presented within these videos. Instead, these videos can be used to reflect, facilitate discussion, and engage audiences in the dilemmas through play-building exercises.

Nadia Ganesh and Candice De Freitas Braz.

Peer Influencers: Shelby Broughton, Spencer Fansolato, Lucas Ferrante, Lauren Gallant, Munajat Najmudin, Brin Schat.

In Persuasion for Dissuasion, the influencers portray teachers who are representing their school at a district school board meeting to discuss a new board policy regarding consequences for students vaping on school property. Although some teachers feel that the proposed consequences are too harsh, others feel that the consequences are not harsh enough. Which arguments do you agree or disagree with? Which arguments do you empathize with?

In Busted, 3 girls are casually vaping and chatting with friends on snapchat in the school washroom. Suddenly, another person enters the washroom. Could it have been a teacher, a friend or someone else? What would the consequences of their decision to vape in school be depending on who walked in?

In To Vape of Not To Vape, watch Brad struggle to decide whether to succumb to pressure to vape, or succumb to pressure not to vape. Have you ever been pressured to vape or stop vaping? Which arguments made in the video would be the most effective in general? Would any of the arguments have the potential to persuade you to either vape or not vape?

In Under Pressure, Brad clearly feels direct and indirect pressure to vape with his peers. Watch bystanders attempt strategies to remove the pressure on Brad to vape. However, some of their strategies may be more successful than others. Which methods would be effective for you if you were the person being pressured? Which strategies do you think would influence the person who is pressuring Brad to vape?