BUILDING CAPACITY FOR YOUTH LEADERSHIP in BC

Want to change the world?
Start in your community!

FBC-CCSBC-logo-M

WHY JOIN   I    COMMITMENT   I   FAQ   I   ALUMNI PROJECTS   I   GALLERY   I   FACILITATORS

Co-Creating a Sustainable BC (CCSBC) is a youth initiative under the Fraser Basin Council. Young people aged 16-30 will come together to learn more about and engage in sustainability challenges facing their region through three lenses (social, economic, and environmental), and take what they’ve learned to co-create a project that has a direct and positive impact in their community.

APPLICATION PROCESS IS NOW CLOSED!

If you are interested in learning more about the Co-Creating a Sustainable BC Initiative please email us at youth@fraserbasin.bc.ca or follow us on social media and our eNews to stay up-to-date.

CCSBC is designed for young people aged 16-30 in BC from all walks of life. Between July 2022 and February 2023, participants will:

CREATE MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS WITH LIKE-MINDED YOUTH FROM ACROSS BC

LEARN FROM LEADERS DOING EXCITING AND INNOVATIVE WORK AROUND SUSTAINABILITY

IMPLEMENT A YOUTH-LED SUSTAINABILITY PROJECT IN YOUR COMMUNITY

GO ON A CAMPING TRIP AND CONNECT TO THE LAND*

*all expenses paid! ​

INCUBATE YOUR IDEAS AND BUILD YOUR SKILL-SET AT AN IN-PERSON EVENT IN VANCOUVER*

*all expenses paid!

HAVE FUN!!


WE ARE HERE FOR YOUTH!

CCSBC is all about uplifting youth and empowering them to take solutions oriented approach to action. It’s vital that youth have a say in the issues that will affect their future!

Intersectional perspectives are foundational to equitable and fair sustainability solutions. CCSBC welcomes and strongly encourages BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of colour), newcomers, LGBTQ2S+ youth, youth with disabilities, and youth of different religious backgrounds to apply. We are committed to providing equal opportunities for all youth and can work with applicants to reduce any barriers to participation. Please see our FAQ below for more information on the kinds of accessibility accommodations we can offer, and feel free to reach out at youth@fraserbasin.bc.ca to begin a conversation around how we may best support you.

WhY JOIN?

Your ideas, opinions, and experiences matter, and if you’re seeking to make a difference, go for it! By the end of CCSBC, you will walk away feeling confident in your ability to advocate for change and the power that you have in realizing a shared vision of a healthy and thriving community.

We are currently recruiting young people (16-30 years old) from the following regions:

  • Fraser Valley (Langley to Agassiz)
  • North-Central BC (Prince George and surrounding communities)
  • Thompson (Kamloops and surrounding communities)
  • Cowichan Valley (Duncan and surrounding communities)

Meet CCSBC regional facilitators!

We are also working with youth in the Cariboo-Chilcotin and Shuswap-North Okanagan regions on Indigenous youth-led solutions for sustainability and climate change. More details on the exciting work that youth in these two regions have been involved with coming soon.

FBC-YP-BC-Map-Regions

WHAT’S THE COMMITMENT?

Between July 2022 until the end of February 2023, participants can expect to allocate ~15h / month to engage in:

  • Welcome event in your region – July, 2022
  • Dialogue sessions and field trips (2 hours) – Tuesday evenings – online and in-person 
  • Camping trip* (collaboration with JUMP Canada) – August 29 – September 1, 2022
  • In-person event in Vancouver* (in-person) – October 8-9, 2022
  • Skill building and project work (2hours on Tuesday evening between Oct – Feb)
  • Celebration event with all cohorts (3 hours) – February 22, 2023

* all expenses paid

Participation in most meetings is strongly encouraged for full experience. If you can’t make some of the dates, please apply and we’ll do our best to accommodate your needs. Participants will receive a certificate of completion.3

cost and expenses

Thanks to funding from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) through the Canada Service Corps program, you will be able to participate in this initiative at no cost. Your travel and meal expenses from participating in workshops and events are covered, and we offer ASL interpretation, childcare support, and technology support if needed. If you foresee any accessibility barriers or challenges, please contact us at youth@fraserbasin.bc.ca and let us know how we can make the initiative accessible for you.

recruitment is now closed for 2022 regional cohorts!

*We also accommodate applications via video, over the phone, or other preferred non-text-based mediums. Please email us at youth@fraserbasin.bc.ca for more information.

COVId-19 policy

BC is currently experiencing a new wave of the Omicron COVID-19 variant, with another one expected in the fall. As we continue to deal with the effects of the COVID 19 pandemic, we still want to create opportunities for youth to meet in-person and build strong and meaningful connections. The Fraser Basin Council is committed to providing a safe environment for all of our employees, partners and volunteers. 


We ask participants to take appropriate precautions to protect themselves and others from COVID-19 and to follow our internal policies when participating in FBC-organized events.  For indoor events, we currently require participants to be double-vaccinated (not applicable to outdoor meetings). During all indoor meetings, we ask everyone to wear masks except when actively eating or drinking, and to maintain a respectful distance from others at all times. For participants who cannot attend or are uncomfortable with attending indoor meetings for any reason, we will attempt to make accommodations and enable their participation through other methods, where possible. Please do not hesitate to reach out to youth@fraserbasin.bc.ca if you have any questions or concerns regarding this policy.

Take a look at our previous cohort pages and check out what’s in store for you!

2019-2020 Cohorts   I   2020-2021 Cohorts    I    2021-2022 Cohorts    I   Stories from our alumni


 This beautiful graphic recording showcases youth projects from the 2021-22 cohort celebratory wrap-up event!


If you are interested in learning more about the Co-Creating a Sustainable BC Initiative please email us at youth@fraserbasin.bc.ca or follow us on social media and our eNews to stay up-to-date.

TESTIMONIALS

Here’s what previous CCSBC participants have to say: 
“What I think is most unique about this initiative is that it’s completely youth-led. Youth choose what they want to improve in their community, they identify the gaps, and they work toward a better solution. That’s the most inspiring thing because in youth in a digital age really do understand the issues around us. I love that they have the opportunity to address them.”
Amna
CCSBC participant​
“CCSBC is important because it is community-focused. When youth are able to develop climate solutions that make a difference in their own communities, we can see the impacts of our work in our own backyards. Youth deserve a voice in the climate futures of our communities and CCSBC helps us find that voice!
MP
CCSBC participant​
“It's so powerful to be in a group of such like minded people, it really reinforces the sense of community needed to resolve these major issues of climate change and sustainability. It's been an extremely valuable experience.”
Alexis
CCSBC participant​

FAQ

We are accepting youth aged 16-30 from all walks of life! This includes high school students, university students, those working full-time or part-time, those who are unemployed, and so on. In the past, we’ve had participants spanning from being in school to being new parents. Youth bring a diversity of lived and cultural experiences that enhance the experience in our initiative overall. If you are 16-30 years old, you’re already qualified to join!

This initiative provides a meaningful opportunity to interact with like-minded people. It is a perfect way to build your skills, develop new or existing passions, and take steps to bridge your education and work. Finally, this initiative provides you with an opportunity to continue to be actively involved in shaping your community and gain hands-on experience in implementing projects that contribute to addressing climate change, which is still an ongoing threat.

During our meetings, we will cover topics such as collaboration, climate change in BC, sustainability pillars (economic, social and environmental), how to initiative and drive change, leadership styles, and more. You will dive into these topics with your regional cohort of passionate youth, and learn about how they apply to your local community. You will also learn from and network with leaders in your region and across the province doing exciting work around sustainability and climate change to broaden your knowledge on regional issues, and connections within the community. 

You’ll collaborate with your team to brainstorm and prototype a solution to a local climate change challenge. Participation will initially be more structured but become more flexible over time, depending on projects and working styles within cohorts/teams.

Although our core team of staff does most of the content and logistics planning for the initiative, we get advice from a Youth Advisory Committee and alumni on how to make the initiative more enjoyable for and relevant to youth participants. You and your teammates will be taking the lead role during the Project Phase in project conceptualization and implementation.

Co-creating a Sustainable BC is designed for a range of levels of expertise in the areas of sustainability and climate change. It is a beginner-friendly initiative but also appropriate for those with more experience and knowledge. Be ready to listen and participate in engaging dialogues with other participants!

In past years, we have covered a wide-ranging list of topics, and brought in diverse speakers who work on sustainability and climate change issues in different regions of the province and on different scales. Past presenters have spoken about topics such as waste, food security, electric vehicles, seed saving, carbon capture and storage, and community climate planning, to name a few. Past special guests include mayors and councillors, First Nation chiefs, business owners, community advocates and more.

Within your youth cohorts, you will receive guidance, resources, and some funding to help jump start a group project, but you will be expected to drive most of the planning and implementation process yourselves. We encourage youth to develop projects through a design thinking process and gap analysis based on what they heard and what is missing in the community/region. Don’t worry, we’ll walk you through these steps when the time comes! We also have an alumni network to ensure new cohorts can learn from and stay connected with CCSBC alumni.

We have funding available to hire ASL interpreters/transcribers for youth who are Deaf or hard-of-hearing. Approved childcare expenses can be reimbursed if it is needed by participants while they participate in this initiative. If travel is needed for CCSBC related in-person meetings/events, all travel, meal, and accommodation expenses are covered by the Fraser Basin Council Youth Program.

Please contact us at youth@fraserbasin.bc.ca  if you have any particular accessibility needs. We are always happy to work with you to try to accommodate them.

Nothing – Co-Creating a Sustainable BC is entirely free, thanks to our generous funder! Any costs incurred from attending in-person meetings/events are covered by the Fraser Basin Council.

Yes, participants will receive a “Certificate of Completion” at the end of the initiative. The certificate and a long list of soft and hard skills you’ll gain throughout the initiative will be a great addition to your resumé. We are also happy to provide a volunteer letter of reference upon request.

We strive to create opportunities for youth to safely meet in-person and build strong and meaningful connections. We ask participants to take appropriate precautions to protect themselves and others from COVID-19 and to follow our internal policies when participating in FBC-organized events.  For indoor events, we currently require participants to be double-vaccinated (not applicable to outdoor meetings). During all indoor meetings, we ask everyone to wear masks except when actively eating or drinking, and to maintain a respectful distance from others at all times. For participants who cannot attend or are uncomfortable with attending indoor meetings for any reason, we will attempt to make accommodations and enable their participation through other methods, where possible. Participants are encourged to reach out to youth@fraserbasin.bc.ca with any questions or concerns regarding this policy.

Acknowledgements
This project is funded by the Government of Canada under the Canada Service Corps program.
FUNDED BY LOGO_BIL_FUNDEDBY_BLACK