Young Canadians have navigated the pandemic and seen the headlines about climate change or reports around the world food crisis. One charity says these events have inspired youth to think: does it have to be this way?
“The pandemic has been an awakening for the younger generation,” says Cherie Wai, engagement and youth officer for World Vision Canada, a charity focused on helping vulnerable children around the world that’s based in Mississauga, Ont. “A lot of them feel depressed, anxious and even hopeless around the direction of our world. That really changed the way they want to get involved in their communities — even impacting the careers they want to go into.”
With the United Nations designating August 12 as International Youth Day to bring awareness to the struggles many young people face today, especially those living in poverty, it’s an apt time to think about how today’s youth can make the world a better place.
In partnership with World Vision Canada, we look at why it’s important to ensure that today’s youth are supported in our communities and how the organization is helping provide that support.
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“As we’ve seen over the past few years, youth have really taken strong positions on issues around where our world and local community are headed,” Wai says. “Climate change is a big issue for them, for example, and equality is another big one. Child labour also really resonates with youth because it also ties back to their everyday decisions — around the shirt that they buy from the mall, for example.” Another pressing issue on the minds of youth today, she adds, is the world hunger crisis.
Those are also the issues of their futures. “This next generation are going to be the next leaders in our society, so it’s important we support them by being role models ourselves in our communities and engage them in topics that we feel are important to learn about and start exploring themselves is really key,” says Helen Barclay-Hollands, program manager, fragile and humanitarian programs with World Vision Canada.
What can young people actually do about issues that concern them? “For young people looking to create change, they can get involved in our youth programming,” Wai says, adding that World Vision has a National Youth Council that runs from September to April every year. “It’s especially for youth who are looking to get involved and drive change politically beyond voting.”
Members of the youth council receive mentorship and get an inside look at how a humanitarian organization works, as well as offers to access high-level decision- and policy makers.
For this year’s International Youth Day, World Vision is producing an advocacy guide to help educate young Canadians about driving change by connecting with politicians at many levels.
World Vision also offers high school and post-secondary clubs where young people can advocate, fundraise and drive global change starting in their local community.
All of these efforts are working to help young people believe in their voices. “Young people are often not aware of the power they can wield to those in authority,” says Barclay-Hollands. “They do have a powerful voice collectively and individually and they can make a difference.”
READ MORE: ‘They’re barely hanging on’: Teenagers reflect on mental health amid COVID-19 pandemic
Financial support is always needed from the adults in young people’s lives and can be done via direct donations or through World Vision’s gift guide. To learn more, visit World Vision Canada.
