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skills for polarized times
Our mission is to plant seeds of civility and care by teaching people to build understanding and common ground—so we can live, work, and learn together - not in spite of our differences, but with respect for them.
Our program equips companies, schools, and individuals to prevent polarization by learning to discuss challenging topics, disagree respectfully, and solve problems together, online and in real life.
According to the World Economic Forum, we teach the skills of the future: emotional intelligence, critical thinking, and collaborative dialogue. We call these democratic life skills.
Our vision
Our vision is a pluralistic society in which diverse groups, beliefs, and unique identities co-exist, thrive, and work together to face the challenges of our time.
Program
Versus teaches the skills that artificial intelligence will never master. Our curriculum works from the inside out — subconscious mind first, rational mind second — because most of our behaviours and communication patterns stem from unconscious thought processes.
Learn moreEvents
Playful learning experiences to connect strangers and improve the way we see, speak to and treat each other, online and in real life.
Learn moreOur program
is unique
Our curriculum rests on our 10 years of experience and draws on neuroscience, equity & inclusion principles, somatic practices, media literacy, digital citizenship, and more, to go beyond surface-level solutions.
Practical emotional intelligence
This is an introduction to the self. Think of this as a “sex ed” class for EQ: an introduction to how our biology affects daily decisions and behaviours, often without us realizing it. It helps to understand how our bodies react to the world, often without us being aware of it - and what to do about it to choose how we engage with others.
Expect to strengthen the five core skills of EQ, and more.
Skills: self regulation, bias awareness, self-awareness, adaptability, self-expression, empathy, stress management, relationship-building, resilience & motivation.
Digital eq + critical thinking
Strengthen critical thinking skills for your digital and real-life. Develop media and digital literacy; learn to cut through information overload, break out of echo chambers, and spot disinformation so you can base your decisions and discussions on facts - not fake news. These are essential skills for your mental health and our democracy.
Skills: critical thinking, media literacy, digital citizenship, bias management, mental health, emotional self-regulation.
Dialogue gym
Practice advanced dialogue techniques that help you tackle issues at work, home, or school. Incorporate your EQ and critical thinking skills to improve both verbal and non-verbal communication skills: from active listening to building constructive disagreements.
Navigate diverse perspectives, manage conflict - and use differences as a source of learning & innovation.
Skills: conflict management, self-regulation, negotiation, empathy, critical thinking, team-building.
We've worked with...
A decade of experience: we've been working on dialogue & inclusion since we founded our non-profit, WeDoSomething, in 2015.
Inclusive, Diverse roots: we learned much of what we teach from Indigenous communities, refugees and marginalized groups.
Holistic, science-based curriculum: we address subconscious processes as well as the rational brain to go beyond surface-level impact.
Digital and real-life application: our digital and our real lives are more and more intertwined, so we teach skills for both.
Relevant, adaptable content: from skeptical executives to highly engaged teens, our adaptable approach ensures relevance and impact for a wide range of audiences.
Bilingual: we teach in both French and English.
Professionals face miscommunication and disengagement in multicultural, multigenerational workplaces due to technology gaps, leadership styles, and polarization. We equip leaders and teams with tools to navigate differences, build trust, and collaborate effectively.
Schools & universities: teachers face disengaged students and classroom conflicts. Students struggle with (dis)information and social pressures. Parents feel disconnected in a digital-first world.
Community leaders & change-makers: need resilience and strategic communication skills to run their overworked teams and to reach their audiences. Versus provides tools to navigate conflict, engage diverse voices, and support mental health.
Democracy-loving citizens who want tools to depolarize their online and real life interactions. We've got you.
Attraction & Retention: many companies don't understand why they can't seem to reach diverse candidates. We do, and we'll give you the knowledge you need to develop new approaches and processes that uncover blind spots.
Team-Building & Engagement: Unspoken tensions harm communication, collaboration, belonging. We equip teams to address disagreements and use them as a source of inclusive insights, problem-solving, and connection.
Adaptability to change: 85% of the jobs of 2030 don't exist yet, according to the World Economic Forum. Our program equips teams to learn, unlearn, and relearn so they can adapt and thrive, together.
Activists & democracy-loving citizens who need tools to protect their mental health, and support their efforts to influence the world for the better, online and IRL.
Leadership Development – the EQ of leaders can impact between 20-30% of company performance - their moods & style of communication influence the engagement, sense of belonging and productivity of their teams. Collaborative leadership requires new skills and mindset.
Diversity & Inclusion – whether you have a DEI strategy or not, diversity exists in your team. Knowing how to welcome it is the foundation of inclusion, belonging, innovation. Learn to build trust and engagement across multicultural, multigenerational teams.
Internal Communications – Certain words mean different things to different people. Reduce miscommunication and develop skills & processes to build alignment between employees, teams, and leadership.
Conflict Management: Providing tools for navigating inevitable - and sometimes necessary disagreement, by learning how to create healthy conflict for a resilient, collaborative workplace.
Don't take our word for it.
Trust our clients:
David O.
Claudine and Stephen Bronfman Family Foundation
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Anne-Jennifer C.,
Director, HR & Culture
Tourisme Montréal
Samantha R.
Executive director
Apathy is Boring
