The first group of graduates from DIVERSEcity’s Youth for People & the Planet program came together for a an evening of celebration, marking a hopeful new milestone in youth-driven civic and environmental leadership in BC.
The day began with DIVERSEcity’s Director of Community Inclusion, Health & Equity, Lenya Wilks, offering inspiring remarks about hope, youth and change. “You’ve stepped into a movement,” Lenya began, “one about people, our planet and the possibility that each of you represents for a more equitable, sustainable future.”
This province-wide program by DIVERSEcity supports youth aged 15-30 — especially from BIPOC, Indigenous, newcomer, 2SLGBTQ+ and underserved communities — to imagine and implement projects grounded in reconciliation, climate action, inclusion and democratic engagement.
Over the past eight weeks, graduates received skill-building workshops in leadership, environmental literacy, storytelling, grant writing, project building, budgeting and more! All participants were paired with mentors, experts and community leaders that they could engage with and learn from — which was a key experience for many, as Kushi shared, “we’re grateful to have all these great people to work with, talk to and collaborate with, and apply that learning to our work.”
All of this laddered up to their final challenge: to create and pitch a community-based project proposal to a judging panel — with now many poised to receive micro-grants to bring their big ideas to life.
At the celebration event, program leaders, mentors, families and community supporters gathered to spotlight the graduates’ journeys and reflect on the power of youth voice and action. One family member summed it up when they said, “these kids don’t just talk about change, they are change.”
The Youth for People and the Planet program is not just about training — it’s an incubator for possibility, connection and collective impact. Through this cohort, DIVERSEcity is strengthening a network of young changemakers across the province, equipped not just to dream, but to build and do.
These youth came wanting to make a difference — and now have the tools and community to begin.
We are currently recruiting for the next incredible cohort and we want you to be part of it! To learn more about the program and the eligibility requirements, check out the link here.