The 2015 Barefoot Walk will feature a completely redesigned and restructured 2 hour sit down show from 10:30am-12:30pm. The show will aim to educate, entertain, inspire, and raise awareness for the millions of people worldwide whose basic needs are not being met. Students will have the opportunity to hear from a number of inspirational speakers, exceptional Canadian youth leaders, slam poets, performers and musicians, The Barefoot Walk’s original founders, a fun and engaging host, and more! The stage show will supplement the redesigned interactive educational booths in working to empower youth to make a positive impact in their local and global community.

After the show, participants will have the opportunity to remove their shoes and will be led in a walk around Victoria Park. This part of the day is always especially moving. Participants are given a story of a young person around the world that their walk is dedicated to. Along the path, the participants will read about their story and have a chance to reflect on the experience. The group is left with hope at the end of the walk and continues to lunch knowing that by attending they have taken a step towards making a difference. Lunch, provided by our sponsors, is then eaten in the park before having one last chance to visit the Interactive Educational Booths.

The remainder of the package will highlight these details further, however below is a list of important information that will help you and your administration become confident that this event will be a life-changing event for all!

• Everything is in place to make this as simple as possible for you and your administration. We provide you with donation forms, T-Shirts (if desired), a personal support staff, and in-school presentations free of charge, and much more!
• Over 50 elementary and high schools attended since the Walk began
• Police and Event Security will be present at the park
• A completely redesigned Risk Management Plan is in place to respond to First Aid and Emergency Situations
• Pathways are cleaned multiple times before the walk and multiple safety checks are performed on the path to secure absolute safety for participants!
• An Emergency Evacuation Plan (EEP) is developed in the case of a dangerous weather situation or other emergency situation. This plan will be available to educators prior to The Barefoot Walk for reference
• 20+ organizers and 50+ trained volunteers will be present at the park to assist you in any way

You can request an information package that includes resources for your school, with the hope that you will be interested in joining us and providing your students with our educational and inspiring experience. Our team is hard at work year round to make this day a life changing experience for all involved and we sincerely hope that you and your students will attend. From now until the walk, we will make it our priority to satisfy you in any way possible in order to achieve your support. The success of our walk depends on our participants and their educators. Please direct any questions, concerns, or comments to your respective Community and School Manager. Full contact information can be found at the end of this package. We thank you for your time and consideration and hope to see you on May 8^th!

As a first time participant in “The Barefoot Walk,” I was overwhelmed (as an educator) watching my students absorb the phenominal events of the day. This incredibly touching event, truly allowed my students to live the “Me to We,” motto out loud and carry the message back to our school community. I am proud to say this walk has inspired our intermediate Bishop Townshend Ti-Cats to make our “one tribe, one pride,” stronger, in hopes of building a better tomorrow for everyone.Tammy Rees, Bishop Townshend

The Barefoot Walk allowed my students to choose where their fundraising efforts were going. This increased their commitment to the event and empowered our class to raise more money than what was raised by the school as a whole for other traditional fundraising events.Megan Morris, Byron Southwood

Individuals can get involved in The Barefoot Walk by registering on our website, gathering donations and coming out on the day of the walk. The pledge form is available online so that anyone can collect pledges and participate in the walk. The walk is for everyone to participate in, including: students, parents and community members. Even if your school is not coming to the event, you can still gather a group of friends, collect donations together and be a part of the day.  We ask that all participants collect donations from family and friends. We have a list of fundraising tips and ideas that may be used to help you collect your pledges. Our sponsors make it possible for the event to be free to all participants so that 100% of all donations collected will be donated to both local and global causes.  On the day of the walk, participants will walk barefoot around the park, to raise awareness of the millions of children worldwide whose basic needs are not being met. Also included in the day are motivational speakers, interactive educational booths, lunch and entertainment.

May 13th 2016, the London Youth Social Justice Committee are bringing you THE 9TH ANNUAL BAREFOOT WALK!

The Barefoot Walk was created based on a question; they say to understand someone you have to walk a mile in their shoes, but what if they don’t have any? This year, over 2000 students are expected to participate and help stomp out poverty. Participants will raise money and walk around Victoria Park barefoot in support of local and international charities.

The 2016 Barefoot Walk will feature a 1-hour show from 10:30am-11:30am, which will aim to entertain, inspire, and raise awareness for the millions of people worldwide whose basic needs are not being met. Our main objective is to empower youth to make a positive impact in their local and global community, and provide them with the resources to become involved citizens.

On the morning of May 13th, registration will begin at 9:00 am, and on stage performances at 10:00 am. Participants are required to raise a minimum donation of $10 for a Barefoot Walk Cause of their choice. Additionally, a $4 registration fee per school participant (not including Educators!) will be required. Lunch will be provided for all registered participants with a signed donation form. All students who raise over $100 will receive a free Barefoot Walk t-shirt!

Registration for individuals as well as groups can be done on this website. Further information regarding volunteering, media, fundraising and sponsors can be found in the above menu.

The Barefoot Walk hopes to see you May 13th, 2016 as this year is bigger than ever and we all know; one moment can change a day, one day can change a life and one life can change the world!

When?

• Friday, May 13th, 2016
• Registration: 9:00am-10:00am
• Walk: 12:00 pm

Where?

• Victoria Park – 509 Clarence St – London, ON

What?

• Motivational Speakers, Performing Artists and local talent!
• A Barefoot Walk around Victoria Park, pizza lunch and much more!

Why?

• To raise awareness about the 2.8 billion people who live on less than $2 a day.
• To learn that there is something that can be done to make a difference.
• To raise money for various local and global charitable organizations.

How?

• Come and walk with us at Victoria Park on Friday, May 13th!
• Collect donations from friends and family or make a donation towards someone else walking.
• Educate yourself and others about social justice issues around the world.
• Become a corporate sponsor! Email: [email protected]

s quoted from their website:

“An international charity and educational partner, Free The Children believes in a world where all young people are free to achieve their fullest potential as agents of change. We work to empower youth to remove barriers that prevent them from being active local and global citizens.

Our domestic and international programming work together to achieve this.

In Canada, the US, and the UK, the organization provides comprehensive programs for service learning and active citizenship.

• We educate, engage and empower youth in North America, the UK and around the world with the tools, knowledge, confidence and support network to be ambassadors for change and lead meaningful action.

In Africa, Asia and Latin America, the organization provides a comprehensive child-focused development approach inspired by the African proverb “It takes a village to raise a child”.

• We work together with communities in Africa, Asia and Latin America to establish a comprehensive, child-focused development approach that gives all community members the education, skills and opportunity to lift themselves out of poverty—forever.”

Our Mission

The Barefoot Walk is an event that raises money and awareness for people around the world who do not have access to basic needs, like shoes. The Barefoot Walk provides an experience that aims to educate young people about social injustices and empower them to become active local and global citizens in their communities.

Who are we?

We are the London Youth Social Justice Committee, a group of passionate young people that strive to make a difference in our local and global community. The London Youth Social Justice Committee was established in 2013 with members of the South Social Justice Committee, a high school group that originally founded The Barefoot Walk, and other students from various London Ontario high schools. Now, the committee has grown to include members from multiple Ontario cities in high school, university and the adult community. We are a group of passionate individuals working to make a difference in the world through supporting local and international causes. We do what we do because we want to have an impact on the lives of others. We believe that one moment can change a day, one day can change a life and one life can change the world!

What is The Barefoot Walk?

The Barefoot Walk was created based on a question; they say to understand someone you have to walk a mile in their shoes, but what if they don’t have any? The Barefoot Walk is an event where participants will hear from motivational speakers, visit educational booths and walk barefoot in solidarity with people around the world who do not have access to basic needs, like shoes. This event started at London South Collegiate Institute, a London Ontario high school, and has grown to include thousands of people from London and surrounding areas each year. From 2008 to 2014, The Barefoot Walk has raised over $150 000 for both local and global charities. This money has gone towards building schools, supporting water and alternative income projects, and providing funding to local charities in London Ontario. The Barefoot Walk has also had over 50 Elementary and Secondary schools participate in the event, which has increased the community’s awareness of social injustices in the world.