The week-long leadership forum will be held online, from July 5th –  9th  2021 and will involve 70 Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth. Youth will be selected from across Canada representing the geographic, linguistic, socio-economic and cultural diversity of the country, with half of the participants selected being Indigenous.

 

Youth will gather virtually over the five days to discuss Reconciliation efforts in their communities. They will also hear from Elders, Knowledge Keepers community leaders,  emerging leaders and youth activists about some of the inspiring work being done to address priorities in their communities. The majority of the week will be spent working in small groups to create viable project proposals that address a Reconciliation priority and/or answer a TRC call to action. The benefit of the Forum being virtual, is that we now have access to a broader network of Elders, Knowledge Keepers, community leaders, emerging leaders  and youth activists for the Forum – something that we believe is truly exciting.

 

The goal of the week will be for participants to end the week with 14 projects that they feel pride in shaping and have the confidence and inspiration to lead one of the projects in their own community.

 

In the weeks leading up to the online event, participants will be provided access to a private Slack Channel, that 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.

 

During the week, youth will be guided and mentored by a team of 14 Indigenous and non-Indigenous Youth Leaders to learn about all the steps to define a problem, identify and solution, and create an action plan to implement your solution. Plenary events will take place on Zoom each morning, and then groups will break out to smaller groups to complete their work assignments. Informal hang-out sessions will be offered each evening for youth to have the opportunity to meet and learn from each other outside of structured group work.

 

The week will culminate with your project presentations on the final day, presented in front of invited guests who could potentially become funders and stakeholders. They will provide feedback to help you fine-tune your plans and get the project done. Follow up opportunities to secure project funding for implementation afterwards will be significant. To ensure your projects take flight, 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 an amazing experience.

 

The cost:

Selected participants and/or their sponsoring school or youth organization will be required to pay a $150 registration fee to cover program costs*.

• Participants for whom the registration fee may be a barrier can apply for funding assistance.

 

Where to meet:

Youth and teachers will meet daily on Zoom and use another platform, Slack to communicate and stay in touch. A guide will be provided with a breakdown on how to use these platforms, but should problems arise, Experiences Canada is always here to help. 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.

 

How to Apply:

 

Register now