Schools Without Borders: Emerge: Young Leaders

http://www.schoolswithoutborders.com/SWB/

The Emerge: Young Leaders initiative encourages, develops and supports young leaders from priority neighbourhoods by strengthening their capacity and advocacy skills, expanding their networks and promoting collaboration.

The initiative targets young leaders who are working within emerging community organizations to enhance their capacity to lead within their respective communities. Young leaders participate in weekly sessions facilitated by both guest speakers and the participants themselves to encourage peer mentorship. The culminating project requires participants to create their own initiative that engages youth from their respective communities.

YCF funding supports the costs related to training (food, childcare, supplies etc), honoraria for participants, four youth employment opportunities and costs related to the culminating project. Since receipt of funding, 20 youth leaders have participated in the initiative. A number of the participants were in leadership roles at YCF-funded initiatives and have found useful supports amongst their peers.

Giving participants the opportunity to inform and shape the curriculum has allowed them to address issues that affect their work. This flexibility has empowered female participants to talk openly about how gender inequality affected them within Emerge. The resulting discussion and learnings were incorporated into the curriculum of the next term. T

he initiative has supported some of Toronto's brightest leaders, including Arsema Berhane, one of Emerge's first graduates and current Co-Chair of Ontario Youth Matter, a coalition of organizations advocating for a coordinated youth strategy for the province.