Plan International Canada, Young Diplomats of Canada, and Fora: Network for Change presented Youth Experts on Innovation and Advancing Gender Equality through Technology on Monday, March 6th, 2023.

EVENT OVERVIEW

This collaborative event organized by Plan International Canada, Young Diplomats of Canada, and Fora: Network for Change served to amplify youth perspectives on technological innovation and its intersection with gender equality. The youth-led event is anchored in principles of intersectionality to ensure diverse voices are centered throughout and to provide space for youth leadership. The event included a youth-led panel, Q&A opportunities, and meaningful networking to build a community of activists which will carry forth innovative tech solutions to advance gender equality.

• When: Monday, March 6, 2023 at 4:30pm EST

• Where: Church Center for the United Nations (CCUN), 2nd Floor, New York
  *Please note: This is an in-person event.

• What to expect: This youth-led event amplified young experts’ perspectives on technological innovation and its intersection with gender equality, and included a panel discussion, an audience Q&A, and the opportunity for meaningful networking and community-building among activists

MEET THE PANELISTS

This event was led by youth experts doing incredible work in the gender equality space!

• Caroline Huang, Plan International Canada

• Fahreen Budhwani, Young Diplomats of Canada

• Iknoor Khaira, Young Diplomats of Canada

• Kashvi Chandok, Fora: Network for Change

• MC: Adrienne Ahn, Plan International Canada

• MC: Maxime Matthew, Fora

ABOUT THE EVENT ORGANIZERS

Fora: Network for Change: Fora delivers programs and opportunities that prepare the next generation of leaders to amplify their voices in decision-making spaces!

Since 2009, Fora (formerly G(irls)20), has been investing in young changemakers experiencing gender-based discrimination, and working to make decision-making spaces more inclusive and equitable. Through renowned leadership, advocacy, and community-building programs, we help young trailblazers gain new skills, confidence, supportive networks and opportunities to build gender equity movements, advance in their career trajectories, and change the status quo.

These young leaders aren’t waiting on the sidelines for their moment to make their impact on the world – they are already making change. Were there to help them do it.

Learn more at: www.foranetwork.org

Follow Fora on Instagram, Twitter, & LinkedIn.

Plan International Canada: Plan International Canada is a member of a global organization that’s dedicated to advancing children’s rights and equality for girls. We’re active in more than 75 countries and work in partnership with children, families, supporters, community-based organizations and governments. Together, we help ensure children can access their rights to education, health care, safety, protection and participation, nutrition and well-being, and dignity and protection in emergencies.

Plan International is one of the largest and longest-running children’s charities in the world. Because of the quality of our programming and our commitment to impact and transparency, we have earned the trust of governments, other not-for-profits, corporations, philanthropists and people around the world.

Plan International and Plan International Canada have no political or religious affiliations; however, we do believe in the power of global citizenship. We are calling on all Canadians to embrace their global citizenship – to believe in the power and potential of every child and to stand with children, especially girls, anywhere they are oppressed, exploited, left behind or not equally valued.

Learn more at: www.plancanada.ca

Follow Plan International Canada on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, & YouTube.

Young Diplomats of Canada: Young Diplomats of Canada (YDC) is a national, non-partisan, youth-led non-profit organization that aims to break down barriers of decision-making at the highest levels of global diplomacy.

Working locally and globally, YDC aims to develop the diplomatic leadership and international advocacy experience of Young Canadians, through hands-on training programs and key partnerships which give delegates the opportunity to attend and engage in high-level political and multilateral summits. Through these efforts, YDC hopes to mainstream youth engagement in big policy discussion within spaces such as the G20 and G7 meetings.

YDC is helping to bring together a generation of young policy thinkers and decision-makers, and building Canada’s next generation of global leaders, through which we aim to become the official national voice of Canada's future foreign policy.

Through its international programs and research activities, YDC also seeks to advocate for policies that reflect the viewpoints and best interests of younger generations. This includes direct engagement with government officials and knowledge contributions to other young diplomatic training organizations.

Learn more at: www.youngdiplomats.ca

Follow YDC on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, & LinkedIn.

EVENT OVERVIEW

Each year, the Forum brings together exceptional young women and gender-diverse youth, as well as professionals across the non-profit and corporate sectors, for a full day of training, mentorship and networking. In 2022, the Forum facilitated powerful learning and conversations about advancing equity in spaces of power.

The Leadership Forum brings together leaders and change-makers from diverse backgrounds, cities and generations, to build a more equitable future.

• When: Sunday, June 12, 2022 from 9:00am to 5:30pm EST

• Where: Toronto Reference Library

  789 Yonge St., Toronto, ON, M4W 2G8

OUR THEME: TRANSFORMING SPACES OF POWER

Our ideas, beliefs and expectations of leadership qualities are changing, fast. More young people with diverse lived experiences, skills, and backgrounds are emerging as leaders, and shaking up spaces of power from the inside.

The Leadership Forum empowered participants with the understanding that leadership is for everyone and helped everyone in the room see and invest in the leader within themselves. It guided participants’ exploration of what leadership looks like within communities, beyond traditional leadership spaces like board rooms and Parliaments.

Emerging young leaders reflected on opportunities to change the status quo by reimagining what leadership looks like and redefining spaces of power.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Through dynamic workshops and panel discussions, participants:

• Explored their understanding of traditional and non-traditional spaces of power and challenged existing stereotypes of who leadership is for

• Evaluated the positive and negative traits in, and styles of, leadership we currently see in spaces of power, and explored how we can build stronger spaces

• Learned how to challenge problems within the existing leadership framework by learning skills to advocate within spaces where ‘negative’ leadership exists

• Identified leadership traits and qualities we see in other young leaders and discussed how young people are shaking up what spaces of power look like and advocating for stronger, more inclusive leadership from the inside

The Forum attracted over 180 young women and gender-diverse youth, influential speakers and facilitators, and community leaders from across Canada.

While the Forum focused on the experiences of young women and gender-diverse youth, all participants were and are welcome at the Leadership Forum, including men.

MEET THE 2022 LEADERSHIP FORUM SPEAKERS

• Farah Mohamed | Opening Remarks

• Heather Barnabe | Opening Remarks

• Saijal Patel | Financial Wellness for Success

• Anika Mehta | Reimagining Leadership on Boards

• Anna Abraham | Reimagining Leadership on Boards

• Khadija Waseem | Reimagining Leadership on Boards

• Rachel Gonsalves | Reimagining Leadership on Boards

• Miriam Buttu | Leading with Authenticity

• Ashleigh Au | Power in the Private Sector

• Betty Lu | Power in the Private Sector

• Cindy Chao | Power in the Private Sector

• Talar Sarkissian | Power in the Private Sector

• Sheliza Jamal | The Dynamics of Power

• Amy Desjarlais | Decolonizing Spaces of Power

• Janine Manning | Decolonizing Spaces of Power

• Kristin Murray | Decolonizing Spaces of Power

• Jen Vachon | Decolonizing Spaces of Power

• Anjum Sultana | Lessons in Leadership

• Caroline Marful | Lessons in Leadership Panel

• Paul Taylor | Lessons in Leadership

• Alexandria Bohémier | Advocacy 101 & Challenging Leadership in Spaces of Power

• Maxime Matthew | Advocacy 101 & Challenging Leadership in Spaces of Power

• Jace Meyer | Finding Your Purpose

SESSIONS & WORKSHOPS

Through inspiring fireside chats, dynamic panel and roundtable discussions, and workshops, participants learned skills to advocate for equity and change spaces of power from within.

Participants selected which sessions to attend on the day-of (first-come, first-served). Participants had the option of attending congruent sessions based on their interests.

The workshops and sessions included:

Reimagining Leadership on Boards

There is little to no diverse youth representation on non-profit governance boards – many of which provide programs for youth from underserved communities. The voices, experiences, and ideas of youth are essential in these spaces of power to move toward a more equitable future for all. Participants heard from three seasoned directors and alumnae of Fora’s Rise on Boards program as they shared their insights on reimagining good governance and how boards can undergo transformative change to make better decisions for their networks and communities.

Power in the Private Sector

What happens when you get to the top of the corporate ladder? With middle and senior management positions still largely held by men, significant work remains to be done in closing the gender gap in the private sector. In this panel discussion, participants heard how women in positions of power navigated challenges and opportunities and how they advocated for greater gender diversity in senior leadership positions.

Lessons in Leadership

After several years of living in a global pandemic, our “new normal” has become our everyday reality. While still managing COVID-19 and its multiple variants, what have we learned about effective leadership during an ongoing global crisis? Participants joined our panelists to discuss how COVID-19 has brought structural inequities to the forefront and how we can be better equipped to discuss transformative change in various spaces of power.

Decolonizing Spaces of Power

Leadership in Canadian spaces of power has long been defined by patriarchal and colonial qualities, skills, and structures. As we move toward deconstructing these spaces, we can turn to the leadership systems guided by Indigenous knowledge, values, and practices to build stronger and more collaborative communities. Participants learned about leadership best practices in this panel with Indigenous leaders in the public and non-profit sectors.

The Dynamics of Power

Using Theatre of the Oppressed (TO) conventions to think critically about power systems and structures in our society, this interactive workshop engaged participants through theatre games and activities, investigating issues of power, privilege, and justice. Participants gained tools to critically analyze power dynamics in their personal and professional lives, developing a deeper understanding of steps they can take to disrupt oppressive structures and spaces of power.

Finding Your Purpose

This workshop delved into childhood passions and heartbreaks and dared to take the first step toward finding your purpose. Participants developed personal impact statements by auditing skills and knowledge, alongside honouring individual history and talents – leaving the workshop with the tools they need to put their gifts into action.

Financial Wellness for Success

The current state of our economy has put the financial wellness of many Canadians to the test, especially women and other young gender-marginalized folks. While there are factors that are outside of our control, there are strategic and tangible approaches that can help women and gender-diverse youth build sustainable wealth. Financial wellness advocate and consultant Saijal Patel spoke to opportunities for financial empowerment and how to close the gender wealth gap through goal-setting, budget management, and investing.

Leading with Authenticity

When it comes to leadership, there is no ‘one size fits all’ model. Leadership success starts with authenticity – a healthy alignment between internal beliefs and values, and external behaviour. It’s critical to strong leadership, a powerful magnet for drawing in opportunities, necessary for keeping teams engaged and motivated, and essential in building a culture of trust and developing meaningful relationships. Participants practiced learning and honing strategies to become effective leaders in this workshop with Fora’s Miriam Buttu.

Advocacy 101

When it comes to important issues, what are the most effective ways to get people to listen and to act? This workshop examined what makes different approaches to advocacy impactful and how to inspire action. Using real-world examples, participants took a deep dive into public speaking and networking approaches with interactive activities where everyone left having learned more about themselves and each other.

Challenging Leadership in Spaces of Power

Who gets to call themselves a leader? In this workshop, participants deconstructed the stereotypes of leadership that hinder progress and reimagined new rules for leadership in an evolving society. Letter writing and digital advocacy were used to demand positive change and challenge leadership styles in spaces of power. Collaborative groups drafted letters of recommendation for enhanced leadership to our elected officials. Based on group contributions, Fora ran a social media campaign with invitations for participants to share the letters and play an integral part in holding current leaders accountable while shaping the expectations of future leaders.

IT’S TIME TO GET ON BOARD

Events over the past few years have illuminated the urgency of good governance. Between the varying responses to COVID-19, our collective reckoning with racial and gender injustice, and the daily threats to democracy, we must build equitable decision-making spaces – starting with our community boards. 

Youth have been left out of these spaces for too long. To build equitable boards of the future, we are training a new generation of board directors through the Get on Board Masterclass.  

On October 2-3, 2021, learners gained the technical and essential skills required to join a non-profit governance board.  

The weekend was a condensed version of our longstanding Rise on Boards program for a bigger audience! Over two days, participants built valuable skills that helped set them up to apply to board positions in their communities.

What Took Place:

• Learners who completed the weekend training received a certificate, as well as LinkedIn badges

• Learned “Game-changing Governance” and “Financial Fundamentals”, taught by former Fora CEO Heather Barnabe

• Navigated Imposter Syndrome and mental health management, guided by psychotherapist Jhanelle Peters

• Mobilized storytelling for personal branding and fundraising as a board member from Jenny Jay, CEO of the Double Jay Collective

• Networked with a community of young women and gender diverse youth beginning their board journeys, over Fora’s private online networking platform

• Heard from senior leaders from corporate and community boards, in our thought-provoking panel discussions

Facilitated by: Heather Barnabe, Jhanelle Peters, and Jenny Jay

Panelists: Valerie Chort, Shannon Stanojevic, and Miriam Buttu

“BECOMING A BOARD MEMBER WAS BOTH EXCITING AND SCARY, BUT IT’S ALSO ALLOWED ME TO THINK CRITICALLY ABOUT WHAT LEADERSHIP LOOKS LIKE.” —Michelle Musindo, Girls on Boards “Young Director”

MASTERCLASS SCHEDULE

OPENING

Saturday, October 2, 2021, 10:30 - 11:00 ET

GAME-CHANGING GOVERNANCE

Saturday, October 2, 2021, 11:00 - 14:00 ET

Joined by former Fora CEO Heather Barnabe to dig into the basics of being a board director. This hands-on session worked through board operations, different governance models out in the world, strategic planning, and risk management. Participants got into the nitty gritty on duties and responsibilities, and learned what it meant to be an effective board director.

BREAK - Saturday, October 2, 2021, 14:00 - 15:00 ET

GETTING TO THE TABLE

Saturday, October 2, 2021, 15:00 - 15:45 ET

So, how do people actually get on boards? Participants heard from senior women leaders in an open, honest fireside chat about their journeys; how they got started, what non-profit boards value in young people, and what governance challenges leaders say they’re facing today. Joined by Valerie Chort, Executive Director of the RBC Foundation, and Shannon Stanojevic, Director of Workforce Planning and Development at OMERS, in conversation with Fora’s Director of Development and Operations, Miriam Buttu, for stories, insight, and advice on the road ahead.

BREAK - Saturday, October 2, 2021, 15:45 - 16:00 ET

THE POWER OF THE STORY

Saturday, October 2, 2021, 16:00 - 19:00 ET

Storytelling is the key to sharing our ideas, our identities, and the impact we want to make in the world. How do we build this skill to serve us professionally? Participants were joined by educator, creator, and storyteller Jenny Jay for an interactive workshop exploring the ways that storytelling can help build a personal brand, pitch ourselves, raise awareness - and funds - for our organizations, and more.

FINANCE FUNDAMENTALS

Sunday, October 3, 2021, 11:00 - 14:00 ET

Joined by former Fora CEO Heather Barnabe in an interactive workshop designed to demystify the world of organizational finances. From budgets to audits, Finance Fundamentals helped participants build the literacy they need to make sense of financial statements and to speak with confidence at the boardroom table.

BREAK -Saturday, October 3, 2021, 14:00 - 15:00 ET

NAVIGATING IMPOSTER SYNDROME

Sunday, October 3, 2021, 15:00 - 18:00 ET

Many of us know what Imposter Syndrome is. But do we fully understand its impact on us, its connection to our unique experiences, trauma, and identity? Joined by psychotherapist Jhanelle Peters participants were engaged in a deep dive into overcoming imposter syndrome and managing mental health, and learned strategies for working through that self-doubt, and being kinder to oneself.

PUTTING THE PIECES TOGETHER

Sunday, October 3, 2021, 18:00 - 19:00 ET

Joined Atifa Hasham, Fora’s Programs Officer, for a final session integrating what was learned in the weekend’s workshops, getting the big picture, and planning for next steps.