What happened in December?
“How Re:Action4Inclusion Transforms Lives: Stories from Youth Advocates”
Check out our new Re:Action4Inclusion (R4I) video! Three Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) members — Moira, Nicole, and Maahil — share their perspectives on how the R4I movement changed their lives and inspired them to become powerful change makers in their communities! Watch the inspiring video below.
A Recap of Our Info Session at Community Living York South
On December 17th, 2024, R4I’s Youth Coordinator collaborated with CLO’s York Region Student Links Coordinator to host an information session for youth at Community Living York South in Markham, Ontario. They shared details about the Student Links Mentorship Program, highlighted R4I’s past and current initiatives, and encouraged the youth to join the YAC for the 2025/26 term.
Youth Perspectives on Mental Health Support
On Tuesday, December 17th, 2024, four members of the YAC — Alexa, Megan, Moira, and William — participated in a Mental Health Focus Group in collaboration with Autism Ontario. Autism Ontario is developing a resource for parents to help them better support neurodivergent young adults in coping with their mental health. The YAC members shared their insights about mental health strategies, coping tools, and their lived experiences to contribute to the development of this resource.
What happened in January?
Inspiring Future Leaders: The start of the new ‘Youth Leadership Workshop’ series
On January 14th and January 30th, three YAC members – Arshiaa Bhayana, Katie Priest, and William Hulme – facilitated two workshops from the YAC’s new ‘Youth Leadership’ series. They presented the topics ‘How to be a Good Leader’ and ‘Building Authentically Inclusive Spaces’ to youth at North Star High School and Community Living York South, respectively. The presenters guided the youth through several activities to learn about the importance of collaboration, delegation, and inclusion. The students also gained practical tips for creating more inclusive spaces in their schools and communities and they learned how to use their collective skills to bring about positive change.
What happened in February?
Empowering Youth Voices: A Look Back at ‘Supporting Youth Advocacy‘
On Tuesday, February 4th, YAC members Megan, Moira, and Grace led an inspiring webinar titled ‘Supporting Youth Advocacy’. The session brought together community leaders, educators, and parents eager to amplify youth voices and foster meaningful change. The presenters highlighted the impactful work of the R4I youth movement, shared personal experiences with supportive adult allies, and offered practical strategies to empower young advocates. The attendees left feeling inspired, equipped with new perspectives, and eager to support the R4I youth movement. Watch the webinar recording below.
Building Youth Leadership Capacity
Throughout the month of February, the YAC continued to deliver the ‘Youth Leadership Workshops‘ to high schools and community organizations across Ontario. This month, we hosted three workshops for youth in Huntsville, Chatham, and Toronto. The youth learned about the value of inclusion, the importance of accessible communities, and the power of using voice and leadership skills to advocate for positive change.
These workshops are a part of Re:Action4Inclusion’s new ‘Youth Leadership Workshop’ series. The purpose of these workshops is to teach youth, ages 14-29, how to lead positive change in their schools and advocate for more inclusive, accessible communities. We are offering three workshops: ‘How to Be a Good Leader‘, ‘Accessibility in the Community’, and Building Authentic Spaces. If you would like to bring any of these workshops to your school or youth group, visit our website under ‘Upcoming Events‘ to learn more. If you would like further information, please email Leshona Lennard (Youth and Community Engagement Coordinator) at llennard@communitylivingontario.ca.