USC Youth Volunteers Una, Brett, Caitlin and Will at the Ecosphere Environmental Fair, Summer 2009

Young people are key actors in today’s world. They are the movers and shakers in the struggle for a more just food system, globally and locally, from the board rooms to the garden plot. They are the leaders of today and the change-makers of tomorrow, and part of the USC community in Canada and overseas.

What you can do:

• Volunteer: Youth volunteers reach out to the public, at USC booths at public events, do research, plan events and more. To get involved as a volunteer, fill out this form and mail it back – and we’ll get in touch about participation in a volunteer orientation session.
• Partnerships: USC partners with youth-run organizations, providing outreach resources, a global perspective, support, information. Organizations that we collaborate with include Canada World Youth, the Canadian Environmental Network’s Youth Caucus, the National Farmers Union Youth, the Otesha Project, the Second Youth Biodiversity Symposium, Sierra Youth Coalition, and Two Villages.
• Bring USC into your classroom: USC provides speakers for high school and University classes, conferences and forums to facilitate presentations and workshops on topics related to ecological agriculture, international development, social justice, climate change and more. We also have many resources for teachers, available for free. For more information email kgreen@usc-canada.org
• Get Connected: To join USC’s informal e-list for young food justice advocates, email email Genevieve with the phrase “subscribe youth e-list” in the subject line. Become a fan of USC on Facebook!
• Use our resources:Check out our Creative Campaigning Resources, like the Story of Food film, a guide to holding a film night, and the Seed Map.

About USC’s work with youth

USC Canada has always connected with young people in Canada, from tables at public events to workshops in classrooms. Starting in early 2009, though, USC focused more strategically on this constituency, starting with a group of young food activists through a series of youth focus groups. Based on the ideas shared there, a youth engagement program has been created that reaches out to young people aged 12-30. The program is directed by a youth advisory group and USC staff, and is a dynamic part of the global struggle for food sovereignty.

In 2009, USC’s youth engagement program has, among other things:

• Organized “Seeding Change: Linking Youth for Food Sovereignty in Honduras and Canada”, a public event at Ottawa’s Umi Cafe. Listen to the audio.
• Facilitated a day on agricultural biodiversity, and sat on the steering committee of the Second International Youth Biodiversity Symposium, which featured the participation of two young farmers from USC’s Seeds of Survival program
• Collaborated with the Newfoundland-based Two Villages Project to raise money and awareness for small-scale farmers in Ethiopia
• Done workshops at Powershift (the Youth Climate Conference) on food and climate change, on teaching global food issues for a group of social issues teachers, on agrofuels at a University Food Sovereignty conference, and at high school conferences
• Collaborated with a group of young people who visited our partner organization, FIPAH, in Honduras, with NOURISH International, and their work to create a documentary on FIPAH’s work
• Staffed a table at the Ecosphere environmental fair with youth volunteers, and ran a public event for World Food Day with youth volunteers.
• Created storytelling scripts on Corn, and our founder Dr. Lotta Hitschmanova.

For more information on USC Canada’s work with young Canadians, email jlaforge@usc-canada.org.org.