Hello and bonjour,
Happy Fall to all youth leaders, adult allies, and supporters!
Thank you for being a part of the Re:Action4Inclusion movement. Your participation and contributions continue to inspire and strengthen youth leadership!
Help us build a stronger community network by following and sharing our newsletter with fellow community builders.
You can find our movement updates on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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Are you interested in youth advocacy and youth-led workshops? Are you a change-maker with a vision and passion for an inclusive world?
The Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) is currently recruiting members for the 2022–2023 term. We need youth advocates to lead our movement and help us empower young people.
Who you are:
Youth from ages 13–29
An individual who has a passion for empowering and representing youth voices across Ontario
Here’s what’s in it for you:
Be part of a purposeful organization aligned with your values and mission
Have the opportunity to work with like-minded youth across Ontario to break down barriers to inclusion
DISRUPT! Social Justice Series
The DISRUPT! Social Justice Series is a series of educational workshops for ALL students, youth, supporters, educators, self–advocates and passionate community-builders. The themes of the workshops are designed for like-minded youth to come together to exchange ideas, share powerful stories and learn more about creative ways to promote an inclusive Canada.
The Youth Advisory Committee has selected five topics for the DISRUPT! Social Justice Series. The topics are: Mental Health, Inclusive Education, Accessible & Affordable Housing, Disability Inclusion, and Accessible Healthcare. The series will be hosted in a hybrid form through a mix of online and in-person events, making sure to accommodate different communities in Ontario.
The first session on Mental Health will be hosted as a webinar on November 23, 2022 from 6:00–7:30 p.m. EST, with Dr. Yona Lunsky, Senior Scientist and Director of the Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre, and Director of the Health Care Access Research and Developmental Disabilities (H-CARDD) Program at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). Dr. Lunsky will be talking about the mental health issues that are most prevalent in youth like anxiety, depression, medication, and much more.
Members of the Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) will be facilitating discussions and using stories of lived experience to deepen the experience of Dr. Lunsky’s presentation.
Don’t miss out on upcoming DISRUPT! workshops—ALL youth, with and without a disability, are welcome to join these conversations.
Leading for Inclusion: Youth Speaker Series
The Leading for Inclusion Youth Speaker Series is a Youth Advisory Committee–led social media campaign to raise awareness on the importance of youth leadership to empower voices and make our schools and communities more inclusive spaces. Leading for Inclusion provides a platform for youth to learn and suggest ideas that can transform communities. Each speaker has unique experiences and stories that promote social justice, hope and compassion.
The Youth Speaker Series serves as a for-youth, by-youth platform meant to foster a supportive environment where youth and youth leaders can learn and grow from one another. The Youth Advisory Committee is continuing their social media campaign to promote youth leadership and youth voices. Youth advisor Maahil Arshad and Sarah Julius have shared their unique experiences and stories to promote social justice, hope, and compassion on social media. In this campaign, youth advisors speak on topics that are important to them, highlighting youth leadership, youth advocacy, and the importance of prioritizing youth, with and without a disability, in places of power. The goal off this campaign is to make all community spaces safe and inclusive for everyone to access.
Want to stand up for what you believe in? Want to make a difference as a youth leader?
Stay tuned and hear more stories and personal experiences from our youth advisors through our Youth Speaker series. Follow us on Instagram @r4inclusion to get constant updates on future youth speakers!
Siblings: Citizens with a Cause Virtual Meet-up Sessions
Siblings: Citizens with a Cause is an inclusive program, led by inspirational siblings of Re:Action4Inclusion! These siblings hold virtual meet-up sessions specifically for youth advocates and allies of a sibling with a disability. The virtual meet-up sessions are held bi-monthly and provide an opportunity for siblings to connect and meet other siblings in order to share the joys, challenges, and responsibilities of being a sibling that are rarely discussed.
The Siblings: Citizens with a Cause virtual meet-up sessions kicked off this year again on Oct 27, 2022, covering the topic of mental health. This meet-up provided a safe space for siblings and adult allies to share and discuss the challenges that they have faced. The youth-led session delved into mindfulness, including techniques that can be beneficial to the siblings. Through the honest conversations that took place, siblings and adult allies were able to share and learn from each other’s experiences and provoke tough discussions around their experiences with their siblings. Together, they tackled how to handle stress, how to use mindfulness techniques to destress—alone or with their sibling—and encouraged each other to foster their family and sibling connections through tough times.
Don’t miss out on our next Siblings virtual meet-up session! The next session will be on Thursday, January 26, 2023.
Stay tuned for all details on our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!
Canadian Red Cross: First Aid Review
The three co-chairs of Siblings: Citizens with a Cause, Alexandria Gonzales, Alexandra Snider, and Sofia Rupa, have finished reviewing the online material provided by the Canadian Red Cross. The three siblings provided their suggestions to the Canadian Red Cross on October 20, 2022. They are on the second step of the review- reviewing the in-person class for accessibility and inclusivity. The 3 Siblings are scheduled to participate for the in-person class late November.
Stay tuned for all details on our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!
Fusion 4 Inclusion Create the Change Conference: YAC Presentation
Fusion4Inclusion is a youth movement that focuses on challenging society to change the way it approaches diversity and inclusion.
YAC members Nicole Canzoneri, Megan den Dekker, and Cameron Stanger will be presenting “How to Meaningfully Engage Youth to be Champions of Change” at Fusion4Inclusion’s Create the Change Conference in Jarvis, Ontario on Sunday, November 20, 2022. This conference will have participants from Haldimand, Norfolk, and Six Nations communities, with 100 youth anticipated to attend.
