Exchanges Canada

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Exchanges Canada
Presentation by David Chaikoff, Oct. 27, 2003
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Youth Forums Canada and Innovations
Participants from a SEVEC exchange
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What is a Forum?

• A Forum should create a mini-Canada
• It should include youth from all provinces and
  social strata in Canada
• It promotes discussion among the participants on
  common themes
• Provides youth a chance to meet prominent
  Canadians
• Promotes a greater understanding of and
  attachment to Canada

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Youth Forums and Innovations Funds

• 17 delivery organizations annually with
• More than 5,000 participants each year
• Varying from the largest with 130 participants
  per week for 26 weeks (total of over 3,000 per
  year) to
• The smallest with 37 participants

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Innovative Projects

• Mobility Exchange Student Program between
  colleges and institutes
• Leadership training

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Youth Forums Canada - Diversity

• Includes participants from all regions of Canada
• The great majority of forums include
  traditionally under-represented groups
  aboriginal peoples, youth from rural and remote
  regions, low-income youth, visible minorities and
  the diabled
• 85 of all participants experience their second
  official language

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Examples of Projects Funded

• The Interchange on Canadian Studies offers to
  young Canadians the possibility to engage with
  other young Canadians, hear eminent speakers and
  share ideas and experiences significant to
  Canada.
• The National Student Debating Seminar gives
  students from across Canada the opportunity to
  debate important issues of national concern and
  participate in a model parliament and hear
  prominent speakers during the week.
• The Students Commission brings together 200
  marginalized youth to a national youth conference
  dealing with issues of contemporary concern.

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Some Reactions of Participants

• "Je ne connaissais pas vraiment les gens de mon
  pays, donc jen étais indifférente. Maintenant,
  je connais des gens dun peu partout et même si
  nous ne parlons pas la même langue, il y a un
  lien qui nous unis. Nous sommes tous Canadiens.
• It was amazing, everyone should do it! I
  realized the importance of learning French, or
  other second language. Though we are all unique
  and different, we all come together with the same
  thoughts and ideas.