Photo by MarkZelinski.com
The Youth Circle for Mother Earth
The Youth Circle for Mother Earth (YCME) is a new project designed to support a cross cultural network of young Indigenous and non-Indigenous environmental leaders that will mobilize to protect Ontario's environment.
The YCME was created through the partnership of four organizations: The Indigenous Environmental Institute at Trent University, Ontario Nature, Plenty Canada, and Walpole Island Land Trust.
The idea for the project emerged after these four partners co-hosted two gatherings to discuss and help inform future dialogue on next steps for Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs) in Ontario (watch the videos summarizing the first gathering and second gathering). IPCAs aim to safeguard Indigenous rights — including the right to exercise free prior and informed consent — while also maintaining biodiversity, and securing a space where communities can actively practice Indigenous ways of life.
Some discussions at the gatherings focused on Indigenous youth knowing their rights, the importance of connecting youth with the land, the value of collaboration and building cross-cultural literacy, and bridging Western science with Indigenous knowledge systems. Many participants stressed the importance of educating and engaging youth through hands-on, land-based learning experiences and reconnecting them with Indigenous cultural knowledge and practices.
At the London gathering in 2018, a panel of eight youth shared their thoughts about the issues being discussed and the next steps. They called for action. The need to reform systems and to include youth in conversations, networks and decision-making. The youth made recommendations, and our partners listened.
Dan Longboat - Roronhiakewen (He Clears the Sky) created the Indigenous Environmental Institute at Trent University and led discussions at both IPCA gatherings. At one of the gatherings, he shared this statement:
“I’m happy to see the young people here, people to take this work forward. You can be an inspiration in your community. There’s no better work than to do the Creator’s work, working for the continuation of all Life.”
That is why we are creating the YCME in Ontario. To invest in youth working together to make meaningful change by building cross-cultural capacity and increasing youth engagement. We hope to provide that guidance to help youth fight for their future and the right to have a healthy and peaceful environment for all Life and our future generations.
The project’s Coordinating Circle, a group of 30 Indigenous and non-Indigenous young leaders who are committed, forward-thinking, open-minded, self-reflective, open-hearted, and eager to learn from their peers, elders, and other knowledge holders. For more information, or to self-nominate or nominate a young person, visit our Youth Circle for Mother Earth webpage.
The YCME was created through the partnership of four organizations: The Indigenous Environmental Institute at Trent University, Ontario Nature, Plenty Canada, and Walpole Island Land Trust.
The idea for the project emerged after these four partners co-hosted two gatherings to discuss and help inform future dialogue on next steps for Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs) in Ontario (watch the videos summarizing the first gathering and second gathering). IPCAs aim to safeguard Indigenous rights — including the right to exercise free prior and informed consent — while also maintaining biodiversity, and securing a space where communities can actively practice Indigenous ways of life.
Some discussions at the gatherings focused on Indigenous youth knowing their rights, the importance of connecting youth with the land, the value of collaboration and building cross-cultural literacy, and bridging Western science with Indigenous knowledge systems. Many participants stressed the importance of educating and engaging youth through hands-on, land-based learning experiences and reconnecting them with Indigenous cultural knowledge and practices.
At the London gathering in 2018, a panel of eight youth shared their thoughts about the issues being discussed and the next steps. They called for action. The need to reform systems and to include youth in conversations, networks and decision-making. The youth made recommendations, and our partners listened.
Dan Longboat - Roronhiakewen (He Clears the Sky) created the Indigenous Environmental Institute at Trent University and led discussions at both IPCA gatherings. At one of the gatherings, he shared this statement:
“I’m happy to see the young people here, people to take this work forward. You can be an inspiration in your community. There’s no better work than to do the Creator’s work, working for the continuation of all Life.”
That is why we are creating the YCME in Ontario. To invest in youth working together to make meaningful change by building cross-cultural capacity and increasing youth engagement. We hope to provide that guidance to help youth fight for their future and the right to have a healthy and peaceful environment for all Life and our future generations.
The project’s Coordinating Circle, a group of 30 Indigenous and non-Indigenous young leaders who are committed, forward-thinking, open-minded, self-reflective, open-hearted, and eager to learn from their peers, elders, and other knowledge holders. For more information, or to self-nominate or nominate a young person, visit our Youth Circle for Mother Earth webpage.
