Our Initiatives
We work together to bring Youth, Peace and Security to local youth leaders in Canada, and bring their voices to decision-making spaces at home & abroad.
A Domestic Agenda
In Canada, young people often don’t see themselves as peacebuilders. We want to change that! We want to bring the Youth, Peace & Security agenda home by engaging in domestic issues of peace, security & social justice.
A Foreign Affairs Agenda
We work to ensure young people’s roles in peace & security are recognized, respected and amplified, including in international processes and policy spaces. Young people have a role to play in foreign policy!
Recent Initiatives
Members of our Coalition have been hard at work! We've participated and initiated a number of initiatives to ensure stronger Youth, Peace & Security considerations and protections at home and abroad.
Advocacy
We've developed strategic partnerships and relationships with government officials, civil society actors, and United Nations teams. In November 2020, we submitted to Global Affairs Canada our recommendations for the new Feminist Foreign Policy (read submission here) - we were the only Canadian youth-led network to participate in these consultations.
We've also participated in many international campaigns, including #YouthLead by the UN Youth Envoy on the role of young people in peacebuilding.
One message is clear: We believe young people, like ourselves, have the ability to create change. But it is more than just adding more young people at the decision-making table, it's about re-defining the table to be inclusive and meaningfully intersectional.
Research
Our Coalition members are full of diverse experiences and expertise. With their help, we've been working at supporting research initiatives and mapping youth-focused engagements which ensure Youth, Peace & Security is implemented at all levels.
In December 2020, we submitted to Heritage Canada and the Youth Secretariat our thoughts on the next State of Youth Report, mandated by the 2018 Youth Policy. Read more here.
In July 2021, we initiated research on the de-tokenization of young people in civic and decision-making spaces. Read more on this ongoing initiative here.
Work
Our Coalition members come from all walks of life, from across Canada. As a Coalition we actively work to strengthen their engagements, opportunities, and messages. Together, we can turn tides!
In December 2020, to commemorate the 5th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 2250, we hosted a Youth, Peace & Security webinar at the international #PeaceCon2020 conference. We highlighted the voices and work of young people who are bringing about change in our communities.
Collaborations
We've partnered with a number of organizations and networks to ensure Youth, Peace & Security is at the forefront of policy and the public eye. For example, in fall 2020, we co-hosted and partnered with the US YPS Coalition for their #Yes4YPS webinar series and collaborated with the Global Coalition for Youth, Peace & Security in celebrating the 5th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 2250.
