--- title: "Creating Spaces of Safety and Belonging: NIS Hosts Regional EARCOS Workshop" description: Educators gathered at NIS for an EARCOS workshop exploring how schools can build safety, belonging, and inclusive practices that support all students. image: https://blog.nis.ac.jp/hubfs/EARCOSTOP.jpg --- [Contact US](https://www.nis.ac.jp/contact-us-utility/contact-us) [Apply](https://www.nis.ac.jp/admissions/apply) [Support](https://www.nis.ac.jp/support/support-nis) [Support NIS](https://www.nis.ac.jp/support/support-nis) Search ![logo2](https://blog.nis.ac.jp/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Nagoya_Iternational_School_June2020/images/logo1.svg) GO × [ABOUT](https://www.nis.ac.jp/about) [About Us](https://www.nis.ac.jp/about) [Our Governance](https://www.nis.ac.jp/about/about-us/our-governance) [Our connections:CIS,WASC,IB and JCIS](https://www.nis.ac.jp/about/about-us/the-accreditation-process) [Our Staff](https://www.nis.ac.jp/about/about-us/our-staff) [Our 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[Support NIS](https://www.nis.ac.jp/support/support-nis) ☰ --> - [Home](https://www.nisjapan.net/) > - [NIS Stories](https://blog.nis.ac.jp/en) > - Creating Spaces of Safety and Belonging: NIS Hosts Regional EARCOS Workshop ## NIS Stories # Creating Spaces of Safety and Belonging: NIS Hosts Regional EARCOS Workshop [Erin Sakakibara](https://blog.nis.ac.jp/en/author/erin-sakakibara) Dec 1, 2025, 12:53:30 PM ![EARCOSTOP](https://blog.nis.ac.jp/hs-fs/hubfs/EARCOSTOP.jpg?width=1067&height=600&name=EARCOSTOP.jpg) Nagoya International School was honored to welcome educators from 13 schools across Japan, China, Taiwan, and Korea for a two-day EARCOS workshop on November 23 and 24, led by Dr. Emily Meadows. The central theme of the weekend was one that resonates deeply at NIS: when schools intentionally cultivate safety and a sense of belonging for every student, the whole community thrives, and learning is at its optimum. Within this broad commitment, the workshop focused on the particular experiences of LGBTQ+ students and the steps schools can take to support them with care, clarity, and respect. NIS has always held the belief that ensuring the safety and belonging of any single community member is not separate from the well-being of all students within the community as a whole  - it is a vital expression of the same values that guide every aspect of life at NIS. As a diverse international community representing many identities, backgrounds, and cultures, NIS recognizes that students learn best when they are welcomed fully as themselves. Hosting this workshop allowed educators across the region to deepen their understanding of what that looks like in practice, especially for students whose identities have historically been misunderstood or marginalized.   ## Understanding Identity, Safety, and the Student Experience Dr. Meadows opened the workshop by examining the early and pervasive messages children receive about gender, even long before they develop language or a sense of who they are. She clarified key concepts such as gender assignment at birth, gender expression, and gender identity, underscoring that each represents a different facet of human experience. Recognizing these differences helps educators better understand the students in front of them, and when schools respond to students’ identities with respect, belonging strengthens across the entire community. The conversation also highlighted research on minority stress, which shows that LGBTQ+ students are not inherently more vulnerable, but rather the risks they face stem from exclusion, stigma, or silence. When educators create environments where students feel seen, affirmed, and safe, mental health outcomes for LGBTQ+ youth improve dramatically. These improvements ripple outward to create a school culture marked by empathy, trust, and stronger relationships for all.   ## Inclusion Is Not a Zero-Sum Game A powerful idea woven throughout Dr. Meadows’ sessions was that inclusion is not a zero-sum entity. When schools take steps to ensure safety and belonging for LGBTQ+ students, no one else loses safety, voice, or space: bringing one student fully into the circle does not push another out. Instead, expansion creates a stronger, kinder, and more connected community for everyone. This concept helped participants approach sensitive conversations not as conflicts between groups, but as opportunities to extend care and reduce fear.   ![EARCOSMiddle2](https://blog.nis.ac.jp/hs-fs/hubfs/EARCOSMiddle2.jpg?width=714&height=476&name=EARCOSMiddle2.jpg) ## Practical Tools for Reducing Harm and Strengthening the Learning Environment Participants explored a wide range of strategies that help all students feel welcome—while also addressing the unique barriers LGBTQ+ students may face. These included: - using inclusive, student-centered language (i.e., ‘students’ instead of ‘girls and boys’) - normalizing pronouns to reduce pressure on LGBTQ+ youth - reviewing learning resources for outdated stereotypes - developing school policies grounded in respect and safety - encouraging the creation and supporting LGBTQ+ student groups - practicing approaches to calm, productive conversations with families Educators also engaged with the “Continuum of Resistance,” a framework that helps individuals identify meaningful actions within their own roles. The goal is not constant perfection, but steady, thoughtful steps that reduce harm and build trust. ## Learning in Community Throughout the weekend, participants emphasized the value of learning together in a supportive environment: *“I felt held, honored, nurtured—and I learned so much.”“There are not many conferences like this available in East Asia. I needed this!”“This work can get heavy sometimes… but I feel re-energized about my whys.”* Dr. Meadows expressed deep appreciation as well, *“At the heart of my work is a commitment to deepening safety and belonging across international schools. This weekend, a dedicated group of educators came together with openness and courage, collaborating through a shared commitment to cultivate schools where every community member can experience safety and a sense of belonging. I’m deeply grateful to NIS for hosting and for creating the space for this kind of meaningful collective work."*   ## A Shared Commitment at NIS For NIS, the workshop reaffirmed a foundational belief: schools are at their best when every student feels safe to be themselves, valued for who they are, and supported in who they are becoming. LGBTQ+ students are part of that “every,” and ensuring their well-being is part of our broader responsibility to all learners. By hosting educators across the region, engaging in collective reflection, and staying attentive to evolving best practices, NIS continues to strengthen its ability to support its diverse community with compassion and integrity. Events like this deepen our shared understanding and help ensure that all students—without exception—can find safety, connection, and belonging at school.       [Back to Top](https://blog.nis.ac.jp/en/creating-spaces-of-safety-and-belonging-nis-hosts-regional-earcos-workshop#top) [![NIS Japan](https://blog.nis.ac.jp/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Nagoya_Iternational_School_June2020/images/footer-logo.svg "NIS Japan")](https://www.nis.ac.jp/) Nagoya International School 2686 Minamihara, Nakashidami, Moriyama-ku, Nagoya, Japan 463-0002 T: +81-52-736-2025 admissions@nis.ac.jp    info@nis.ac.jp [NIS Portals](https://nis.openapply.com/) [Apply Now](https://nis.openapply.com/) - [Calendar](https://www.nisjapan.net/fs/pages/403) - [Visit](https://www.nisjapan.net/fs/pages/329) - [SAT Testing](https://www.nisjapan.net/fs/pages/430) - [Portals](https://www.nisjapan.net/fs/pages/699) - [Summer Program](https://www.nisjapan.net/fs/pages/699) - [Site Map](https://www.nisjapan.net/fs/pages/4) - ![CIS](https://blog.nis.ac.jp/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Nagoya_Iternational_School_June2020/images/cis-logo.svg) - ![WASC](https://blog.nis.ac.jp/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Nagoya_Iternational_School_June2020/images/wasc-logo.svg) - ![IB World School](https://blog.nis.ac.jp/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Nagoya_Iternational_School_June2020/images/ib-world-school-logo.svg) - ![jcios](https://blog.nis.ac.jp/hs-fs/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Nagoya_Iternational_School_June2020/images/jcios.png?width=68&name=jcios.png) - Ⓒ Nagoya International School 2026 - [Privacy Policy](https://www.nisjapan.net/fs/pages/7)