Harmony Movement is launching its first virtual Social Changemakers Conference. Youth participants will deepen their knowledge of equity and inclusion, learn how to start courageous conversations, and practice using our personal stories to challenge hate and discrimination.
Harmony Movement is partnering with the Rick Hansen Foundation and the Johansen Larsen Foundation to deliver Beyond the Bake Sale: A Social Changemaker Conference. The event will bring together 100 youth ages 14-24. Youth will attend from across Canada for a weekend of virtual training and storytelling.
The project is funded in part by the Government of Canada Youth Forum program.
Over the past eight weeks Emerging Leaders, passionate youth aged 18-24, have been meeting to go deeper on how to make real social change, facilitate conversations and reflect on ways to take action. The Emerging Leaders will be completing their training and then facilitating conversations with 100 high-school youth from across Canada.
The program provides youth an opportunity to foster a socially cohesive society by:
- building bridges to promote intercultural understanding;
- promoting opportunity for individuals of all origins; and,
- fostering storytelling as a means for social change.
Students will hear from speakers and performers from a range of backgrounds including youth ambassador, Sage Lacerte from The Moose Hide Campaign, and podcaster Thomas Reid from Reid My Mind Radio.
Participants will continue to build off their learning as they spend three weeks developing their own initiative by participating in weekly activities framed around the 3Rs of social change where they Reflect on the issues in their communities, Recognize the causes of those issues and Respond by delivering initiatives that address the issues they have identified.
Youth will come back together to share their work and celebrate the challenges and successes on March 25th.
Harmony Movement staff are available March 4-5 for interviews. Contact Janelle Yanishewski at 416-669-2051 to arrange.
Who is Harmony Movement?
Founded in 1994 with a vision for all Canadians to value diversity and to foster a commitment to a just and caring society, Harmony Movement provides experiential education programs in diversity, equity and inclusion that empower and inspire positive social change.
Since 2005, Harmony Movement has delivered more than 1,000 diversity education programs to schools, workplaces and community organizations throughout Ontario, including more than 100 youth conferences.
Harmony Movement’s Social Changemakers youth conferences engage participants in critical thinking, courageous conversations and strategy building; focusing on challenging their own beliefs; as well as taking social action against discrimination.
