The Youth leadership forum on Reconciliation is open to Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth between the ages of 14-25 and will be held online, from October 13th – 17th 2021. Three of those days will be evenings only (5pm-8pm ET) to accommodate for school hours, followed by two full days of programming which will take place over the weekend.

During the virtual forum, youth will hear from Elders, Knowledge Keepers, community leaders and youth leaders about some of the inspiring work that is happening right now to effect change. Participants will also work in small groups to develop their own ideas and projects that address reconciliation as a priority and/or answer the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.

Throughout the week, participants will learn the tools, along with tips and tricks needed to build a successful project. During the forum, speakers and leaders will walk them through all the possible challenges of that may arise when implementing a project. Examples of topics that will be covered include marketing and promotion; finding partners and funding; getting support from schools or organization, and more. The goal of the week will be for participants to leave the forum ready to implement a project that they feel pride in shaping and have the confidence to lead in their own community. Ongoing support will be provided from Experiences Canada and volunteer mentors.

The Canada Life Micro-Grants for Reconciliation will provide youth participants with grants of up to $2500 depending on the scale and scope of their project. The grants program will be administered by Experiences Canada and available to all youth participating in the Forum. Access to other grants will also be made available through Rising Youth, and other program partners.

During the application process, youth will be required to provide information on a Reconciliation project they wish to implement, or are in the process of implementing in their community. We have provided examples and guidance in our Application Guide as well as links to a webinar you can join to help you get your application complete.

To ensure your projects take flight and leads to meaningful change, Experiences Canada is committed to supporting youth in the realisation of these projects for up to a year after the event. The Forum could be just the start of another amazing experience.

Where to meet:

Youth and forum members will meet daily on Zoom and use another platform called Slack to communicate daily. Each participant will receive a program guide with a breakdown on how to use these platforms, but should problems arise, Experiences Canada is always here to help.

In the weeks leading up to the online event, participants will have access to a private Slack Channel, which will include information about the program and schedule, suggested readings and links to resources on topics related to Reconciliation. Slack will be the primary communications channel for the program offering up-to-date information about program changes and additions, as well as providing an opportunity for youth to ask questions seek help from staff, and chat with Youth Leaders at any time. We will provide you with a “How to Guide” regarding Slack, so no need to worry if you have never used the app/website before.

If you believe that you will have Internet connectivity problems, please let us know, as we would like to work with you to find a solution.