Every year, the Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement offers the Black Student Summer Leadership Program to 污污漫画 students from Grades 10 to 12. Through a competitive selection process, students receive 5-week experiential learning placements with access to mentorship, career development and Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) training.
These students are also known as Junior Leaders and this summer we interviewed two Junior Leaders who had their experiential learning placement at . Here, Junior Leaders Carissa and Ebla were Restorative Practice & Peacebuilding Circles Summer Camp Trainers. The mission was to increase the capacity of youth within communities, and to engage with youth in the education, justice, and child welfare systems to communicate and manage con铿俰ct through restorative Peacebuilding dialogues.
We interviewed both Carissa and Ebla to learn more about their experiences.
Caption: Image of Carissa, a 污污漫画 student and Restorative Practice & Peacebuilding Circles Summer Camp Trainer with Peacebuilders Canada.
Caption: Image of Ebla, a 污污漫画 student and Restorative Practice & Peacebuilding Circles Summer Camp Trainer with Peacebuilders Canada.
Q. What type of tasks have you been doing?
Carissa: Through Peacebuilders, we engage in restorative justice practices and we do circles at different camp sites. We work with young people and we have a range of different topics that we talk about. They will give a topic such as resilience or trust and we’ll have conversations with youth about the topic, we do games and activities, and we plan that out before we go. It has been very interesting.
Q. What have you learned that you will take with you?
Ebla: A skill that I learned is being independent, especially for Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) and BSSLP, my [restorative justice] circles are made by me. I have to run my circles. In Peacebuilders, my supervisor is just there to make sure I am ok, but doesn’t step in or give commentary. Independence is a skill I gained from my YPAR and BSSLP work. Also in YPAR, my research lead doesn’t have to check up on me.
Carissa: I’ve learned the whole concept of doing circles. In a conflict, it is really good to hear everyone's point of view in order to solve the conflict. I improved on hearing other people’s ideas, hearing another person's side and coming to terms on what we can both agree on.
I can think about how I want to be portrayed to others. I am hardworking, my image is what I wanted to work on. I’ve always had an interest in working with younger kids, but I also learned it can be really hard. I have developed my patience since my time at Peacebuilders.
Q. Do you know what career path you want to pursue?
Ebla: I want to go into public policy, international relations and become a diplomat. I also want to get into corporate law. My mom works in community advocacy and she is also a nurse. I watched my mom go into meetings and engage with the City of Toronto, so I have always been around spaces where change is happening. I am into going big or going home. International relations is a big thing for me. The BSSLP has helped me as I am able to connect with so many people and I learned skills for my future in every professional development session they held.
Carissa: I am looking at child psychology and/or to become a family lawyer. Through Peacebuilders and BSSLP, I think the research aspect and finding information is a skill I have developed and need not just for my career path, but in general. I wasn’t sure if the BSSLP program would help me, but through the research I am doing, I am able to see connections, and why there are [such] few Black psychologists or Black family lawyers. This research allows me to expand my thinking and broaden my knowledge about different problems. Hearing youth ideas and different thoughts on different topics made me realize this is our future. It is important to make sure the youth are on the right pathway. And it is nice knowing that I helped shape their future and can help kids become whatever they want to become.
About the Black Student Summer Leadership Program
The Black Student Summer Leadership Program offered at the 污污漫画 through the Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement is made possible through collaboration with 污污漫画 Research, the Continuing Education department and funding provided by Focus on Youth.