You.Me.We. (YMW) 

An in-school inclusion program for elementary classrooms in Durham Region. 

You.Me.We. (YMW) is an Abilities Centre-designed program that fosters inclusion, belonging, and respect in elementary school classrooms. Using physical activity as a medium, YMW guides students through games, activities, and discussions that increase positive social interactions and build a deeper understanding of and respect for differences. 

The program runs over 12 weeks in 45-minute weekly sessions, delivered directly in the classroom by trained Abilities Centre facilitators. Sessions are built around three core domains: 

• Inclusion and belonging: fostering a sense of belonging in a classroom made up of diverse identities, abilities, and skills 

• Positive social interactions: increasing meaningful connection and social wellbeing between classmates 

• Understanding and respecting differences: building respect and understanding for the many ways people think and move 

YMW is currently offered in Durham District School Board and Durham Catholic District School Board schools in collaboration with Therapeutic Recreation in Schools (TRIS), and is now available independently to mainstream classrooms with a minimum of two students with identified disabilities.