The #CanadaWeWant Knowledge Exchange
Date: November 23 - 25, 2020
1-5pm EST, Online
Introduction
At the annual #CanadaWeWant (#CWW) youth conference, young people from across the country shared a vision of the Canada that they want and need. Our #CWW Knowledge Exchange is a follow-up opportunity for the Youth Serving Sector to meaningfully join this conversation. In this companion event, will be highlighting research, programs and policy initiatives that expand on, or respond to, the concerns and recommendations bravely shared by young people at the #CWW. This is an opportunity to show that we are truly listening and acting on the voices of youth. It is also a chance to highlight how we amplify young people’s voices and mobilize knowledge across the sector in meaningful and creative ways. Have something to share, or just want to learn more about what’s happening in the youth sector...join us! We anticipate a lively exchange of ideas and findings from youth and adults that will help us better understand and tackle the complex challenges that young people in our communities face.
This year’s knowledge exchange will center around four #CWW guiding lenses which are used to explore conference themes. We will continue to focus on these lenses for this companion event:
- Rural, Remote, and Northern Communities
- Children’s Rights
- Structural Racism
- Truth leading to Reconciliation
We will share and explore findings related to these lenses and invite presenters and participants to do the same. For example: What types of programs foster young people’s autonomy and their UNCRC Article 12 right to participate in decision making? (Children’s Rights ) How are youth programs addressing racism? (Structural Racism ) What are best practices for researching and evaluating Indigenous youth programs? (Truth Leading to Reconciliation ) How do we support youth engagement from rural, remote and northern communities during Covid, when internet and technology is limited? (Rural, Remote, and Northern Communities).
We are seeking presentations, art and creative expression, posters, and activities that facilitate active engagement, learning, reflection, and connection. This will be a dynamic online event that will prioritize:
- Sharing key findings that will advance the youth serving sector: we will explore aggregate data and findings from our national research and evaluation platform, Sharing the Stories , in addition to current research and program findings from our network partners.
- Connection and relationship building: we’ve been intentional about planning for smaller sessions to support discussion and collaboration across the sector and will build in structured time for connection.
- Youth-adult partnerships: we know that creating opportunities for youth and adults to learn from each other and work together leads to innovation and solutions. We welcome participants and presenters from all ages and experiences, and encourage youth-adult presentation teams.
- Creative knowledge mobilization strategies: we’ll be showcasing creative ways to mobilize knowledge for different audiences, and building in hands-on opportunities for creation and action plans.
Contribution themes
We are seeking contributions that expand on, or respond to, young people’s #CWW recommendations and/or the following lenses:
- Rural, Remote, and Northern Communities
- Children’s Rights
- Structural Racism
- Truth leading to Reconciliation
In addition to discussing findings and impacts (“what”/content), we’re also interested in sharing tools and methods for knowledge mobilization (“how”/the approach). We will be intentionally creating spaces to focus on each of these sub-themes, and encourage contributions related to:
- Impacts and Findings (What): research findings, best practices, program innovations, policy...
- Knowledge Mobilization Tools and Practices (How): workshops/activities, info-graphics, art and creative expression, communities of practice, social media, influencers...
Contribution formats
Presentations (45 min/12 sessions): At the #CanadaWeWant conference, we heard what young people want and need to thrive in this country. How have you responded to their recommendations? What research, insights, or actions can you bring to the table? These presentations will share research findings, program impacts & innovations, policy initiatives, or artistic and creative expressions that expand on, or respond to, the experiences and recommendations of young people at the #CanadaWeWant conference. Presentations will be grouped by the four conferences lenses above. We encourage those running sessions to leave time for discussion and contribution.
Poster Sessions (15 min/6 sessions): Share high-level impacts/findings in a one page poster/infographic in quick small group sessions.
Design Lab Challenges (50 min/4 sessions): Got knowledge you want to mobilize but need help envisioning and creating a KM product - tackle it as part of the Design Lab Challenges. These sessions are for collaboration and innovation, and will challenge small groups to design KM solutions (products, tools, and practices). You bring the knowledge, and your group will work together on a plan/product to mobilize it.
Knowledge Mobilization Showcase (50 min/4 sessions): Tell us about how you started a podcast series, walk us through a “data-dating workshop,” explain the process of creating a collaborative video during Covid and show us the finished product. These sessions can be run as activities, workshops, or presentations but are about sharing and learning about creative methods of knowledge mobilization.
Queries (50 min/4 sessions): After hearing the #CWW presentations and recommendations, do you have more questions? Are you working on a research, policy, or program initiative and need more input or feedback? Consider these sessions mini-consultations, where you can pose questions and facilitate conversations that get you closer to the answers you need.
How to join
Call for Content:
If you’d like to share/lead a session at this year’s knowledge exchange, please complete the following “Call for Content” application.
Content will be reviewed by a youth-adult selection committee according to the following criteria:
- Connection to conference themes (Rural, Remote, and Northern Communities; Children’s Rights; Structural Racism; Truth leading to Reconciliation)
- Advances the ongoing work of the youth sector: contributions and findings that advance policy, practice, and KB in the youth serving sector
- Current and relevant to the socio-political landscape and the immediate challenges that youth are facing and have prioritized
We invite content for the #CanadaWeWant Knowledge Exchange from across Canada. We welcome all applicants for content to the Knowledge Exchange regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, ability, age, marital status, pregnancy or family commitments. We will ensure that research and knowledge from BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Colour) communities is prioritized. We are committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free virtual knowledge exchange experience, starting with the content selection process. If accommodations are needed during the Knowledge Exchange application process, please let us know. All information received will be kept confidential.
The deadline for contributions is: Oct.1, 2020
Participate:
Starting mid-September, please register for the Knowledge Exchange.
The deadline for registration is: Nov.15, 2020
If you have any questions, please contact Shanti at: shanti@studentscommission.ca
