Archive - Youth Engagement

The Foundation's decision to focus our Global Citizenship program on young Canadians was based on several assumptions. We believe there is much evidence to suggest that young Canadians:

• Already tend to think globally;
• Take advantage of opportunities to expand their understanding of global challenges;
• Want to contribute new ideas and perspectives to the discussion about Canadian international policy and;
• Are creative in their use of new technologies to further their engagement in the world.

There is also reason to believe that young Canadians bring a different perspective to Canada's role in the world than did their parents or grandparents. In her recent book, At Home in the World, Jennifer Welsh argues, for example, that "the middle-power identity is uninspiring for our younger generations. ... The formative experience of young Canadians, particularly their exposure to global media and the world wide web, have made them inherently internationalist. Now they passionately believe they will do great things in the world. To be a middle power is to settle for mediocrity.”

There are a range of options for young Canadians looking to participate in international activities. A few of these programs are operated directly by government, but most are delivered by a myriad of civil society organizations - often with the bulk of funding provided by the federal government. The following is only a partial listing:

Youth Internship Programs
The federal government provides support for the International Youth Internship Program (IYIP) and Netcorps. CANADEM's ‘global positioning system’ also assists young Canadians in launching their international careers with the UN or other international agencies/NGOs through internships and junior professional opportunities. More than 3,000 young professionals have participated in IYIP since it began in 1997 and were sponsored by 190 Canadian organizations and their overseas partners. The Netcorps program has offered internships in developing countries for an additional 1,000 young Canadians with information and technology skills.

Journalists for Human Rights

Youth-focused programs
Many other young Canadians gain international experience through organizations with an explicit youth mandate like Canada World Youth (CWY), World University Service of Canada (WUSC), etc. A number of other organizations like Amnesty International, Rights and Democracy, Change for Children Association, Canadian Crossroads International (CCI), Jeunesse du Monde, CUSO, VSO Canada, Oxfam Québec and Club 2/3 sponsor youth-related programs which support the broader goals of the organization.

Youth-run organizations
There are also a number of relatively new organizations with a global focus established or run by young Canadians. These include organizations like Free the Children, Engineers without Borders, TakingITGlobal, Check Your Head, Journalists for Human Rights, Youth Challenge International, Schools Without Borders, MBA's Without Borders, and Équiterre to name just a few.

Photo of Aaron Raths, Andre Ghione, and Stan Orlov courtesy of G8 Group Russia www.g8russia.ru

Photo of Sadia Rafiquddin and Fauzia Issaka courtesy of G8 Group Russia www.g8russia.ru

Through our youth engagement grants, the foundation sought to support initiatives that build the capacity of youth-driven initiatives to understand key global challenges and relevant policies, and to engage in the pursuit of practical, just, and sustainable solutions.

Highlights from initiatives the foundation has supported through our youth engagement grants are available. Or, return to our Global Citizenship page or the Foundation’s home page.