Bid on one of our Purses for Purpose

History   |   Programs   |   Impact + Annual Reports   |   Membership   |   Team

Our programs help kids connect

We make one simple request of participants: be brave and bold—reach across differences and be surprised by the commonalities you discover.

Kids with access to a trusted adult are 5.7 times more likely to develop the skills they need to succeed in life.

Source: BMC Psychology

Our history

We've been facilitating social-emotional learning since 1996.

That’s long enough to see the kids in our first programs become the parents of kids sitting in our circles today.

Salt Spring Women Opposed to Violence and Abuse (SWOVA) became a registered charity in 1996

We rebranded as The Circle Education in 2020 to better reflect our work

In 2026, we celebrate 30 years teaching kids how to build healthy relationships

Why a circle?

When you sit in a circle, everyone is equal, able to look one another in the the eyes and listen fully.

When our facilitators meet with students, they gather in a circle. It's the simplest thing we do, and the most powerful.

Skills build from kindergarten to grade 12

We meet kids where they are and stay with them as they grow.

Friendship
Project
K- Grade 2
  • Recognizing emotions
  • Setting boundaries
  • Showing gratitude
Empathy
Project
Grade 3-5
  • Mindfullness
  • Fairness
  • Emotions
  • Trust
  • Kindness
Respect
Project
Grades 6-8
  • Labels
  • Communication
  • Consent
  • Self-Confidence
Trust
Project
Grades 9-10
  • Trust
  • Decision-making
  • Showing up responsibly

 

Pass
It On
Grades 9-12
  • Identity
  • Relationships
  • Stress
  • Anxiety
  • Resilience
  • Self-love

We’ve shaped two generations of compassionate kids

est. 1996

30+ years helping kids learn to connect

600+

Gulf Island students participate every year

250+

Adults trained in social-emotional skills and tools for working with youth

Read our annual reports

Each report includes:
  • program impact numbers
  • a financial summary
  • stories from the students, educators, and communities we serve
2024- 2025 Annual Report - The Circle Salt Spring Education Society

2023- 2024 Annual Report - The Circle Salt Spring Education Society

2022- 2023 Annual Report - The Circle Salt Spring Education Society

2021- 2022 Annual Report - The Circle Salt Spring Education Society

2020- 2021 Annual Report - The Circle Salt Spring Education Society

2019 - 2020 Annual Report - The Circle Salt Spring Education Society

Our allies help extend our impact

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Purchase an Annual Membership

Circle members help fund and inform our work.

For $20 a year, your membership:

  • Shows foundations, who fund 86% of our operations, that our community believes social-emotional education matters
  • Gives you voting rights at our AGM and input opportunities on our organizational decisions
  • Keeps you connected with a monthly newsletter

*Source: OECD

Thank you to our sponsors

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Meet our team

We value connection, respect, courage, diversity and innovation.

Staff

Janine
Fernandes-Hayden
Executive Director

Bio

Marcia Jansen
Communications
and Event Coordinator

Bio

Facilitators

Patrick Howlett
Pass It On Boys
Facilitator

Bio

Lyyli Kennedy
Pass It On Girls
Facilitator

Bio

Board of Directors

Lisa MacLean
Board Chair

Bio

Oliva Lastname
Board Secretary

Bio

Dan Adair
Treasurer

Bio

Christina Adair
Director-at-Large

Bio

Olivia Hayne
Director-at-Large

Bio

Devon McLeod
Director-at-Large

Bio

Nick MacKinnon
Director-at-Large

Bio

Thank you to our alumni

We couldn’t have done this work without everyone who came before us.

If you’re an alumni and don’t see your name here, please email info@thecircleeducation.org and we’ll add you.

Staff + Facilitators

Christina Antonik
Robert Birch
Liz Bradshaw
Eland Bronstein
Sharyn Carroll
Randie Clark
Chris Clarke
Kiran Dhingra
Angela Dione
Bryan Dubien
Janine Fernandes-Hayden
Zack Hemstreet
Patrick Howlett
Marcia Jansen
Sam Jensen
Lyyli Kennedy
Erin Lee
Brandon Lenters
Megan Manning-Burton
Adele Mark
Sean Mulligan
Alessandra Nacarato
Kate Nash
David Norget
Cameron Novack
Angelo Rosso
Andria Scanloon
Abbey Sherwood
Daniel Squizzaro
Nicola Temmel
Kevin Vowles
Karie Watters

See Full List

Board Members

Dan Adair
Tina Adair
Tania Aguila
Elizabeth Bastien
Sarah Belkap
Gail Bryn-Jones
Marcia Burton
Lorna Cammaert
Jaki Chantler
Heidi Cowan
James Cowan
Karen Curtin
Kim Dalton
Leslie DeAthe
Eric Dempster
Kiran Dhingra
Jean Elder
Eric Ellis
Katie Fisher
Lorna Fraser
Chris Gay
Cynthia Gillis
Debbi Harris-Funfer
Olivia Hayne
Wendy Herbert
Cheryl Heykoop
Sarah Hook-Nilsson
Christine Hunt
Richard Kerr
KK Labis
Andrea Little
Dan Logan
Karen Love

See Full List

Volunteers

Michelee Barszcz
Maryann Bird
Gail Bryn-Jones
Kim Dalton
Jon Debrun
Susan Gordon
Summer Hilderbrant
Jane Holmes
Richard Kerr
Indigo Lainas
Dennis Lucarelli
Natalie Moore
Kalius Nash
Andrea Palframan
Samantha Sanderson
Piet Suess
Sylvia Walters
Maggie Ziegler

See Full List

Alumni photos

SWOVA Board, 2001

 

Facilitators Ahava Shira and our first male facilitator Robert Birch with role Christina Antonick, ####

Caption here - Janine to write

 

New to Salt Spring, Devon is excited to engage with the local community. As a certified teacher and registered counsellor, she works with students both on Salt Spring and across BC, offering social and emotional instruction, support, and skill development. Her extensive experience in both educational and recreational settings has given her a strong appreciation for the critical role that meaningful connection with others plays in the development of children and youth. A strong advocate for social-emotional learning, Devon views it as the foundation for all other areas of growth and is particularly inspired by the programs offered by The Circle Education.

Need Bio

Christina Adair is a dedicated professional serving as a District Child and Youth Worker for SD64. With an extensive background spanning over 15 years, Christina has acquired substantial experience working with children and youth in diverse capacities. Her unwavering commitment lies in fostering youth leadership and advocating for their rights. Christina has demonstrated her dedication through 13 years of volunteering with Scouts Canada, where she successfully led youth groups and facilitated adult meetings. Christina takes immense pride in her role as a caregiver and mentor to countless young individuals, with her two grown children serving as a testament to her nurturing capabilities.

Dan has been working in the credit union system for over 22 years, the last 8 with Island Savings, a division of First West Credit Union.  His latest role is as a Branch Manager for the Salt Spring branch.

He has a long-time passion for giving back to his community, particularly where children are concerned.  He has been a scout leader for the last 19 years and has taken part in 2 Pacific Jamborees.  Once as a participant and the latest one as the treasurer.

He also volunteered for 12 years with the PACE program in Victoria.  PACE is a musical theater program through the school system for children ages 5 – 17 that puts on two shows every year.

While new to Salt Spring, having moved here in the spring of 2021, he is excited to get involved with the community and proud to be involved with The Circle Education.

Lisa grew up in Cochrane, Alberta, and has recently come to live on Salt Spring Island, after having lived abroad for 25 years.  She studied fine arts at the Wackers Academie in Amsterdam, had a son in Denmark and a daughter in the UK. She served as Chair of the PTA of Holy Trinity Primary School in Wimbledon for 5 years, which was a registered charity entity separate from the school. She learned about the Pass it On Boys program when her son showed an interest in joining it. Being new to the community she asked fellow parents about the program to find out how it was viewed. After hearing only good things about it, she registered her son and the next logical step was of course to join the board, as she always strives to be an active member of the community by providing support based on her broad life experience.

Lyyli Kennedy was a Pass it On mentor at Gulf Islands Secondary School and has been drawn to the idea of working with The Circle Education for a long time. She had been waiting for a facilitator role that aligned with her schedule as head baker at Francis Bread, and this role with the Pass it On Program is the perfect match. With her background leading diverse kitchen teams and working as a classroom education assistant, Lyyli (pronounced Loo-Lee) is committed to fostering respectful relationships and inclusive spaces.

Patrick Howlett moved from Australia to Canada in 2019. Nine years earlier, he switched careers from communications to outdoor education. He worked with young people at The Great Aussie Bush Camp and Camp Tanuga in Michigan, USA, and helped students run their Senior Leadership Challenge at Camp Summit in Squamish. His work with youth taught him the value of patience, the ability to see the best in people, the importance of clear communication and empathy.

Marcia is our Communications and Event Coordinator since July 2021. She moved with her husband and two daughters – who are both attending high school in SD64 now – from the Netherlands to Salt Spring Island in 2012

As a swim team coach for the Salt Spring Stingrays, Marcia knows and understands youth realities of living on a small island.

Marcia has 25+ years of experience in writing and communication for Dutch and Canadian media outlets – most recently the Driftwood – and non-for-profits.

Kate has been working with The Circle since 2010, serving as a facilitator and contributor to program development. Her extensive experience in developing and implementing curricula has supported the organization's ability to address youth needs effectively.

Kate's unique approach combines her background in theatre, play building, and improv with a deep understanding of youth development. This blend of skills allows her to create engaging, interactive experiences that resonate with young people across various age groups.

Students consistently praise Kate for her compassion, attentiveness, and ability to create a warm, welcoming atmosphere.

Nick MacKinnon has a background in cancer research and biomedical engineering and in working with medical device startup companies as a founder and director. As a former educator, Nick has a strong commitment to STEM advocacy. He has served as a director and advisor on multiple boards and advisory committees, including the biomedical engineering programs at BCIT and UBC and professional associations in both BC and internationally. Nick has also been involved with non-profit cooperatives in British Columbia, particularly in the housing and car-sharing sectors. Notably, as a director, he helped lead the development and construction of the 54-unit Arbutus Housing Co-op in Vancouver. Now retired, Nick continues his longstanding dedication to education and social justice. As a director with The Circle Education, his interest is in governance, financial management, and fundraising.

Need Bio/Last Name

Janine started her career with the Ministry of Education in Victoria, B.C. in 2000 as an education officer in the area of accountability and system performance. Since moving to SSI, Janine has taught as a teacher-on-call with School District #64, delivered parent support sessions as a trained Virtues Project Facilitator and worked for Volunteer and Community Resources Society (VCR) in support of the island’s not-for-profit sector.

Janine is a dedicated member of the Salt Spring Island community. She sat on the Board of The Lady Minto Hospital Foundation for six years, served as chair of the SSI Foundation Grants Advisory Committee for six years, coordinated the local Terry Fox Run for eight years, served as a board member and then president of the Salt Spring Island Aquatic Society for a total of eight years, and in 2018, she founded the local chapter of 100 Women Who Care.