A dozen youth from across Canada are putting their passion for climate advocacy into action as they spend the summer working with local congregations on climate justice or environmental necessities. The 12 students in the program developed by The United Church of Canada, in partnership with The GO Project, come from across Canada.
Two additional students are coordinators of the program. Kyla Mills is originally from Hammonds Plains, NS, but lives and attends university in Waterloo, ON; Skyler Boylan is from Bedford, NS. The student participants are:
- Kara Burke: Kawartha Lakes, ON
- Lachlan Duncanson-Hales: Sudbury, ON
- Nathan Fawkes Talbot: Vancouver, BC
- Sifa Kanyamuneza: Kitchener, ON
- Blessing Nyasha Tiriwepi: Thunder Bay, ON
- Ellia Perdue: Kawartha Lakes, ON
- Anna Ramsey: Brandon, MB
- Jessica Robinson: Bowmanville, ON
- Jackson Rukundo: Cambridge, ON
- Isla Sheridan-Jonah: Burlington, ON
- Primrose Watson-Leung: Brampton, ON
- Eren Yun: Barrie, ON
The program provides youth the opportunity through the United Church to learn more about, and encourage more, participation in specific climate efforts in one of four climate response areas:
- Raising our Spirited Voices;
- Responding to Climate Impact;
- Getting Our House in Order, and
- Connecting with the Earth.
Participants are sponsored by, in partnership with, a local community of faith. Funding from the Canada Summer Jobs Program covers minimum wage, which is topped up by the United Church to meet its own minimum salary scale. The motivators will connect with each other online and gather in person for two weeks to be in nature, act for change, and influence church policy; they recently finished a week together at Five Oaks Retreat Centre near Paris, ON. They will also learn more about the political process and have the opportunity to raise their concerns with elected decision-makers.
From vigils to COP28, from climate protests to Indigenous-led training, The United Church of Canada’s actions reflect its commitment to reduce its own carbon, energy, transportation, and operational footprint, and to work with allies and collaborators for stronger advocacy and church-wide participation.