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Thursday, June 20th, 2024
1:00 to 3:00 PM ET
This panel will highlight the role of youth as policy influencers and agents of change in Canada and the United States. Speakers will discuss youth-led initiatives, advocacy strategies, and the importance of engaging young voices in shaping policies that affect their future.
AGENDA
1:00 pm - 1:30 pm: Introduction and overview of the topic by Camara Chambers, Director of Leadership Development, the Dais
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm: Panel discussion with guest speakers
2:30 pm - 2:50 pm: Peer discussions in breakout rooms
2:50 pm - 3:00 pm: Concluding remarks and feedback
Pre-session reading materials
Pre-session reading materials
Make your favourite hot drink, find a quiet corner, and read through these materials ahead of the session.
Report: Youth Civic Engagement and Its Impacts on Social Connectedness and Wellness, the Dais
This project explores the impacts and implications of youth civic engagement and leadership development and its potential to foster social cohesion, improve mental health and decrease loneliness.
Report: Canada’s Youth Policy, Government of Canada
Canadian Government insights and commitments to amplifying youth voices.
Report: Youth and the 2024 Election: Likely to Vote and Ready to Drive Action on Key Political Issues, CIRCLE, Tufts
CIRCLE's early poll of youth (ages 18-34) ahead of the 2024 presidential election highlighting major trends in young people's political views and participation.
Article: For true reconciliation, Indigenous youth must be given the space to lead, Canada's National Observer
The importance of Indigenous youth voices in policy reform and the ways to amplify their impact.
Report: Empowering Youth Voices: Unveiling the Absence in Global Financial Dialogues, Young Diplomats of Canada
An example of youth representation and advocacy in global policy reform conversations.
Article: City’s youth cabinet, school boards call on Olivia Chow to invest in Toronto’s young people, Toronto Star
An example of Toronto-based youth advocacy and policy reform.
Article: Experiential Civic Learning for Democracy, Wilfred Chirinos
An overview of Generation Citizen's youth civic education initiatives and advocacy efforts.
Moderator: Camara chambers
Moderator: Camara chambers
Camara (she/her) has been chosen as one of 100 Black Women in Canada to Watch, she is a CivicAction DiverseCity Fellow, and was recognized as a national leader in The Philanthropist Journal.
Raised in England, Camara graduated with a Law degree from the University of Liverpool before pivoting to build her career in the non-profit sector. She was drawn to organizations that had a strong focus on equity and civic engagement which led her to lead a national policy program for Europe’s largest LGBTQ charity and eventually take on the role of Executive Director for Volunteer Toronto, Canada’s largest volunteer centre.
Her superpower is building relationships and her role at the Dais at Toronto Metropolitan University involves her creating community partnerships and designing leadership programs for the next generation of Canada’s leaders.
When not in the office, Camara spends her time leading the city’s first and only hiking community focused on inclusivity. She began the hiking group during the pandemic, and since then Let’s Hike T.O. has introduced over 1,300 people to hiking.
PANELISTS
PANELISTS
christina caouette
christina caouette
Christina Caouette (she/her) is a public policy and foreign affairs analyst with the Government of Canada. Currently, she works as a Senior Policy Analyst at Natural Resources Canada, where she forwards Canada’s energy security and net zero commitments as part of the Nuclear Energy Division. Her federal government experience working for international affairs teams at Global Affairs Canada and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada have enabled her to contribute to Canada's bilateral relations with countries in Europe, Asia, and South America.
Christina is the proud recipient of the 2021 Government of Canada Volunteer Award in the Emerging Leader Category in the Prairies Region for her volunteer work in youth advocacy. Through her role as CEO with the Young Diplomats of Canada, she has represented Canadian youth at multiple international forums, most recently engaging on sustainable development platforms in India and Morocco. Christina has gained on-the-ground experience in diplomacy as a public affairs trainee with the Delegation of the European Union to Canada and the Embassy of Ireland in Ottawa.
Christina holds an M.A. in European, Russian and Eurasian Studies from Carleton University and a B.A. (Hons) in Political Science from the University of Alberta.
Christina's Contact Details:
Email: christina@youngdiplomats.ca
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-caouette-a2016b146/
wilfred chirinos
wilfred chirinos
Wilfred (he/him) is a Rhode Island native residing in Massachusetts, a Boston University graduate, and works as a Manager on Generation Citizen’s Policy and Advocacy Team. Before joining GC, Wilfred worked extensively organizing in Rhode Island, serving as a campaign coordinator for RI Lt. Governor Sabina Matos’ campaign, an aid for the RI Black and Latino Legislative Caucus, and leading in youth organizations such as Providence Student Union and RI for Community and Justice- feel free to connect with him on LinkedIn
Wilfred's Contact Details:
Email: wchirinos@generationcitizen.org
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ws-chirinos/
courtney hope britt
courtney hope britt
Courtney Hope Britt (she/her) is the Chairman of the College Republican National Committee and is the first woman to obtain the position by election. She earned her undergraduate degrees from John Tyler Community College and Virginia Commonwealth University and a law degree from the University of Richmond. Throughout school she worked on numerous campaigns, for the Virginia Senate Republican Caucus, and in the General Counsel's office of the Republican Party of Virginia.
Courtney's Contact Details:
Email: cbritt@crnc.org
kowmitha satkunarajan
kowmitha satkunarajan
Kowmitha (she/her) is a fourth year student at the University of Toronto Scarborough majoring in International Development and Political Science. She is a CANStudyUS Fellowship Alum (Class of 2023), and was one of the 30 students who traveled to Washington D.C with the Dais that year. Kowmitha is the Founder of Sincerely, Scarbs; a grassroots project aimed at providing meaningful spaces for community members and elected officials to engage on issues relevant to the local community. She is also the current Director for Policy and Advocacy at the Toronto Youth Cabinet; the City of Toronto's official youth advocacy body representing Toronto's over 623,000 young people at Toronto City Hall. Over the years, Kowmitha has contributed to securing hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding towards young people and the community. Kowmitha's interests lie in politics (domestic and international), government, international relations/foreign affairs, security, and law-making. In her spare time, Kowmitha likes to explore various Toronto neighborhoods visiting small businesses.
Kowmitha's Contact Details:
Email: s.kowmitha@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kowmitha-satkunarajan/
Instagram: @kowmitha
Honourable mentions
Honourable mentions
This will be updated after the session.
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