TAYYABA

Il existe peu de possibilités et de programmes qui préparent efficacement les jeunes à l’engagement politique. Malgré mon engagement actif dans ma communauté locale pour promouvoir l’engagement des jeunes et aborder divers enjeux de justice sociale, j’ai constaté que les moyens d’avoir un impact politique important sont souvent restreints et exclusifs. Grâce à mes recherches, j’ai identifié BÂTIR comme le programme idéal pour m’aider à réaliser mes aspirations. Avec les bons conseils et le soutien de BÂTIR, je crois que je peux mieux concentrer mes efforts pour ouvrir la voie à un changement significatif et durable.

L’APPRENTISSAGE EXPÉRIENTIEL CENTRÉ SUR L’ACTION ANTIRACISTE ET CLIMATIQUE DE TAYYABA :

- A fait équipe avec l’organisateur du Youth Climate Corps. (YCC) pour diriger le développement d’une section locale pour la campagne à Mississauga. 

- A établi des liens avec divers groupes et organisations diasporiques qui entreprennent des initiatives de lutte contre le racisme et a participé aux efforts de mobilisation des intervenant.e.s locaux.ales.

- Poursuit la croissance de la section Mississauga de YCC en améliorant l’employabilité des jeunes chercheur.euse.s d’emploi dans l’économie verte.

NYA

I am interested in the BUILD program because it aligns with my passion for empowering young people to create positive change in their communities. My lack of political knowledge and jargon often distanced me from political conversations that had a direct impact on my life. I believe that by equipping young individuals with the knowledge, skills, and networks needed to advocate effectively for change, we can build a more inclusive and just society. 

NYA’S EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING FOCUSED POVERTY AND AFFORDABILITY:

- Explored the local stakeholder environment to understand how everyday people can get involved to tackle the growing problem of affordability in our cities

- Became a member of Horizons Ottawa to follow and endorse their efforts to increase civic participation in municipal politics around affordable housing.

- Signing up for ACORN membership and supporting their campaign regarding renoviction bylaw.

MADI

I would love to learn how to channel my passion into effective forward movement. I have been seeking the right mentorship for a while now, as I know I could make positive change with the correct guidance and support. I would really like to learn how to take my volunteering experience to the next level. I have experienced significant marginalization throughout my life, and so have most (if not all) of my family & friends, so being involved in positive change for both my smaller and my larger communities are of utmost importance to me.

MADI’S EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING FOCUSED ON CIVIC ENGAGEMENT & ENVIRO-ECONOMIC STEWARDSHIP:

- Attended multi-day training conferences about organizing campaigns and joined with their local constituency association to plug into ongoing canvassing drives to understand what issues people are facing in the community.

- Took part in multiple outreach and mobilization initiatives after connecting with Leadnow.ca, Dogwood BC , BC Disability Without Poverty and their campaign to address housing insecurity and climate justice.

- Getting more integrated and taking on more leadership roles with the campaigns around poverty and climate action and aiming to develop policy and research articles to support their advocacy efforts

ISHAG

I am a refugee and a new immigrant, coming from a conflict zone due to the absence of good governance, wisdom, and civilian leadership. I believe that this program represents a golden opportunity for me to understand the Canadian democratic system and methods of decision-making in a deep way and to participate in decision-making directly or indirectly.

ISHAG’S EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING FOCUSED ON MIGRANT & REFUGEE RIGHTS:

- Participated in a Justice for Workers (J4W) event and built connections with several groups like OPIRG, Niagara Region Anti-Racism Alliance, and the Migrant Workers Alliance

-  Became a member of the Sudanese Solidarity Collective and joined their education, and immigration advocacy working groups

- Continuing to volunteer with J4W, advocating for the rights and well-being of workers, specifically newcomers in Niagara, Ontario, to support their integration and empowerment.

WOL

I aim to further enhance my abilities through the Build program, with a specific focus on channeling my passion for policy and deep understanding of its intricacies into meaningful and practical actions that will bring about positive change in my community, province, and country.

WOL’S EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING FOCUSED ON HOUSING & CLIMATE ACTION:

- Became a member of the Edmonton Coalition on Housing and Homelessness (ECOHH) Coalition to support the revamp of their online communication, and attended their ongoing meetings and events

- Contributed to the Alberta Youth Climate Corps (YCC) campaign by participating in training sessions about meeting with Federal MPs and other outreach activities

- Making progress with ECOHH and YCC to grow their capacity to raise awareness about their respective issues and persuade decision-makers to meaningfully take action 

YOBIE

I am interested in the BUILD program since I believe that the program can help me develop the skills, knowledge, experience, and networking to prepare for future career opportunities. I believe the BUILD program can help me to be more involved in politics, democracy, and social movements that are based on my education, experiences, and skills.

YOBIE’S EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING FOCUSED ON ADVOCACY FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES & FEDERAL POLITICS:

- Took part in events and meetings that focused on disability justice and accessibility, including efforts to improve the Canada Disability Benefit for people with disabilities.

- Got involved in a federal by-election campaign and supported a candidate by canvassing in the federal riding.

- Staying active in various campaigns through canvassing, petitioning, researching, and attending events and actions that aim to understand the issues facing marginalized communities.

GALIBA

As a sociology graduate student, I applied for BUILD to apply and expand my ability to bridge the gap between knowledge and action while learning about advocacy. I want to build on the skills I developed at RISE by collaborating with others to create innovative, real-world solutions through intersectional collaboration.

GALIBA’S EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING FOCUSED ON WORKERS & ORGANIZED LABOUR:

- Attended the “Organize 4 Power” workshop series through the Edmonton District Labour Council, connected with key stakeholders and engaged in grassroots labour organizing.

- Became a Faculty Steward with her union’s Labour Relations Committee (LRC), received training from the Public Service Alliance of Canada, and joined the LRC’s network.

- As President of the student department, she is focused on rebuilding the executive team to ensure student workers are well represented within the university.