Lisa Campbell Salazar

While youth are often portrayed in the media as apathetic and disengaged, the reality is that youth across Canada are taking action in their communities to make positive change.  As you can see from our profiles on Get Involved, young people like Quinn Runkle, Amanda Belzowski, Bilaal Rajan and Ryan Hreljac are proving that Apathy is Boring and that youth do have the power to make change. They are not alone in their quest!  There are hundreds of student activists sprouting up across the country.  Youth activism ranges from grassroots collectives, to school clubs, to actual registered non-profit organizations like Schools Without Borders.

As youth are jumping to action, society at large is jumping for new language to label this new generation.  Popular terms have popped up across the map; the Net Generation, Millennials, Generation Y… the list goes on! With labels come stereotypes of course.  While popular stereotypes of youth as apathetic and lazy still prevail in the mainstream media, new headlines are breaking as this generation of youth that give us hope.  According to recent articles youth have the highest volunteering rates of all demographics.  There are many reasons for youth to volunteer, but when we asked our volunteers their main motivation is to create social change.  Whether it’s raising money for schools in Africa, or lobbying municipal government, youth are working hard to be the change and transform their communities. According to Gen-We.com;

“Born between 1978 and 2000, they are 95 million strong, compared to 78 million Baby Boomers. They are independent—politically, socially, and philosophically—and they are spearheading a period of sweeping change in America and around the world.”

Generation We has taken off as a movement in Canada with Free the Children leading the pack. Free the Children works to create change in six difference countries raising money, building schools, and creating sustainable development to combat poverty.  Founder Craig Kielburger was 12 years old when he started the organization, and currently 63% of  donations come from children, teens and university students raising money. Their biggest event WeDay happens across Canada and features prominent activists, celebrities, politicians, and other important figures.  Thousands of youth flock from across the country to attend and thousands more tune in online through CTV. Through organizations like Free the Children youth are creating change one village at a time.  If you are interested in getting involved and don’t know where to start try finding a chapter at your local school or start your own!  Free the Children also provides youth with a chance to volunteer abroad through Me to We with trips to places like India, Ecuador, China, Kenya and the Arizona-Mexico border.  Get Involved today!

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