in Toronto we have the incredible privilege of working in the most culturally rich city on the planet.  Our diversity is reflected from every streetcar to every street corner.  As participants in the most sophisticated social fabric in the world, we learn how cultures can both compliment and challenge each other: where we can negotiate, integrate and co-create. 

So how do we leverage this unique asset? How can we use it to build health, prosperity and happiness in our city and around the world? 

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To take a few steps back and reflect on 2007, the one word that continually emerges from the memories is “growth”. It’s hard to really grasp how much we’ve learned and grown as a community of young leaders over the last year. As a collective of individuals and organizations, we are clearly part of an international youth movement that is working to create new and effective platforms for social change. So why is all of this happening? Young people are responding to the challenge to take more ownership of their lives and this city is quickly becoming their hub where global partnerships are being forged, fostered and developed.

As the world seems to get smaller and smaller, we as young people living in Canada are writing a new narrative where our global connectedness is our strongest asset. We are re-inventing the peacekeeping stereotype that faded years ago and are developing a new practice of peace- building through facilitating inter-cultural dialogue and international partnerships, all with the goal of strengthening our local communities.

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Youth face multiple barriers engaging in meaningful opportunities that ultimately enable them to build the lives they want to live. Some key challenges that all youth and youth-led organizations face include access to applicable training and resources, funding and funders, support and mentorship as well as a network to explore collaborative opportunities. These obstacles are often the cause of many potentially great organizations not starting or ending too soon. SWB is an example of an organization that has had to weather a number of these challenges and has directly responded to ensure others are able to navigate the landscape with confidence and a clear purpose. The resilient young people we work with echo the frustrations with a youth sector that often feels disconnected, over-competitive and inefficient.

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It is hard to believe how far we have come since moving back to Toronto less than a year ago. Looking back, 2005 was a true test of our character. Thanks to the support of our community, we were able to navigate our way through difficult struggles to ensure that SWB remained committed to its youth-led vision. Now more than ever youth are at the core of all the work we do. This has enabled us to design and deliver some of the most innovative for-youth by-youth programming around the world.

It is hard to capture the growth and energy we have been a part of since 2005. The new partnerships we have formed in Toronto have created unbelievable opportunities to connect local and global youth. Our partnership with Aeroplan’s Beyond Miles program has opened up a world of possibilities. We now have the real ability to make cross-cultural and international experiences more accessible for youth.

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