Commemorating International Youth Day: Embracing Variety and Inclusivity in Discussions
In the heart of the digital landscape, an unspecified website has been making waves over the past seven years, supporting youth across the country through programs that offer coaching, funding, and a community of peers. The focus of these programs is clear: to empower Indigenous youth, foster leadership, and bridge the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.
At the helm of these initiatives is Amy Charles, a Métis woman from Red Deer, Alberta, who serves as the Indigenous Knowledge Specialist at the unspecified website. Amy's role is pivotal, as she bridges Western and Indigenous Knowledge worldviews across the Youth and Education programs.
The programs offered by the unspecified website have a ripple effect, impacting public perceptions, collecting data that influences national policy, and making community connections. Conservation, according to the unspecified website, is not just about protecting ecosystems, but also about preserving the cultures and Traditional Knowledge that have stewarded these ecosystems for generations.
Financial empowerment is a key focus area, with the Ohpikiwin program training over 1,272 young Indigenous learners (60% female) in financial skills. A significant 91% of these learners reported improved financial knowledge and confidence.
Leadership development is another crucial aspect, with programs like the Young Native Women's Leadership Academy preparing Native women under 25 for leadership roles. Over three days, participants receive intensive training on self-empowerment, career growth, and community advocacy, with mentorship from elders and established leaders to become changemakers.
The unspecified website also recognises excellence through awards like the Spirit Bear Awards, which honour Indigenous youth demonstrating leadership, academic success, and community commitment. These awards enhance reconciliation efforts between Indigenous and Muslim communities via intercultural youth programs.
STEM recognition is another important focus, with the AISES Indigenous Excellence Awards highlighting professionals advancing Indigenous STEM education and leadership. Notable awardees include Indigenous scholars and engineers who integrate Indigenous knowledge with modern science.
Indigenous youth leadership is cultivated through experience-based learning and advocacy training, inspired by the White House Champions for Change initiative. The goal is to foster long-term social impact.
Building and fostering good relationships means upholding Indigenous rights and worldviews, which is essential according to Amy. Indigenous knowledge is seen as not just complementary to science, but complete in its own right.
Resilience isn't something the unspecified website owns, but something they build together. Approximately 60-70% of participants in these programs identify as coming from underrepresented communities.
At a recent Eco-Action Accelerator retreat, youth participants shared that the unspecified website is transparent, supports youth-led solutions, and shows up, even when things get hard. The goal of the Youth and Education programs on the unspecified website is to reshape systems that have historically excluded Indigenous perspectives.
Amy recently spoke at the Canadian Water Resources Association's National Conference with the theme "Living Between Waters: Connecting Water & Resilience." Through these initiatives and more, the unspecified website is redefining conservation by focusing on long-term relationships, deeper partnerships, and listening more effectively. The visions of the young leaders in the unspecified website's youth programs are complex and optimistic, showing that strength comes from diverse thoughts and experiences.
- Amy Charles, the Indigenous Knowledge Specialist at the unspecified website, bridges Western and Indigenous Knowledge worldviews across the Youth and Education programs, fostering a comprehensive approach to learning.
- The Young Native Women's Leadership Academy, offered by the unspecified website, equips Native women under 25 with self-empowerment, career growth, and community advocacy skills, nurturing future leaders.
- The Spirit Bear Awards, given by the unspecified website, honor Indigenous youth showing leadership, academic success, and community commitment, fostering reconciliation between Indigenous and Muslim communities.
- The AISES Indigenous Excellence Awards, hosted by the unspecified website, recognize professionals working to advance Indigenous STEM education and leadership, merging traditional Indigenous knowledge with modern scientific practices.
- The unspecified website's Youth and Education programs aim to reshape systems that have historically excluded Indigenous perspectives, focusing on transparency, youth-led solutions, and long-term impact in communities.
- Conservation, as per the unspecified website, involves not just protecting ecosystems but preserving cultures and Traditional Knowledge that have stewarded these ecosystems for generations, emphasizing the interconnectedness of science and Indigenous wisdom.
