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Youth Circle for Mother Earth

Red pines, Lake Nipigon Provincial Park © Brett Whaley CC BY-NC 2.0

About

The Youth Circle for Mother Earth project aims to create and support a cross cultural network of young Indigenous and non-Indigenous environmental leaders looking to honour their responsibilities and relationship with Mother Earth. These leaders will act as ambassadors for her land, air, waters, which includes the natural world and its conservation, protection, and restoration.

The project is led by the Indigenous Environmental Institute at Trent University, Plenty Canada, Walpole Island Land Trust, and Ontario Nature. The four partner organizations have a successful history of collaborating to address environmental issues which the project will build on and complement.

Youth Circle for Mother Earth Leadership Retreat © Christine Ambre

How the Project Started

The idea for the project was birthed from these four partners working together to host two gatherings in Peterborough and London to discuss and help inform future dialogue on next steps for Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs) in Ontario.

At the London gathering, a panel of eight youth shared their thoughts about the issues being discussed and next steps. They called for action. We must reform systems and include youth in conversations, networks and decision-making. The youth made recommendations, and our partners listened.

Transforming Conservation Gathering, youth voices panel © Christine Ambre

What’s Involved

The Youth Circle for Mother Earth project is led by a Coordinating Circle of approximately 30 Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth who will determine the focus of campaigns and deliver project activities, by and for youth, with the guidance of project partners.

Contributions from Coordinating Circle members will vary, depending on interest and availability.

Lake Huron, Saugeen-Bruce Peninsula © Kirsten Dahl

Join the Coordinating Circle

Are you interested in being a part of a cross-cultural network of environmental leaders to share a collective responsibility to take care of the land? Do you believe that working with allies is key to making a formidable and positive change in the world? Are you a youth who resides in or attends school in Ontario? Please consider submitting an application or nominating another young leader to join this network.

We are looking for 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.

Ongoing applications and nominations are open for youth aged 15-30 to be part of the Coordinating Circle. To submit an application or nominate a young person, please follow the correct link below.

Youth panel, Protected Places and Climate Action Gathering © Christine Ambre

Contact

If you have any questions about the project, please email the project partners at ycme@plentycanada.com.

Youth Circle for Mother Earth Leadership Retreat © Christine Ambre

The Youth Circle for Mother Earth project would not be possible without the contributions from the following program sponsors:
Government of Canada logo
Ontario Power Generation (OPG) logo