Join us at the 4th Annual Youth Resiliency Conference- A Call to Action: Collaborative Approaches to Build Youth Resilience and Prevent Radicalization to Violence, a youth led international conference exploring youth resilience with respect to youth radicalization to violence, organized by Midaynta Community Services.

The purpose of the 4th Annual Youth Resiliency Conference is to build a strong civil society to respond to hate, racism, radicalization and resiliency in Canada and abroad under an Inclusive Collaborative Action Plan (ICAP) that come from last year’s conference report. This year’s conference will bring together multiple stakeholders such as, and not limited to, youth, community agencies, public institutions, government agencies, and scholars.

Panel 1: The Media

- Role of Media

- Role of Social Media

- Changing Media Perception

- Changing the Narrative and Imagery (i.e perceptions of immigrants, refugees and recialized communities)

Description

This panel addresses the role of social media and the narrative surrounding youth radicalization. It also defines and addresses the problem and explore ways to address the problem and explore ways to address it with the advancement of digital technologies. Examples of questions that can be addressed include exploring the definition of radicalization, reviewing media coverage on radicalization, the impact of social media on radicalization, and ways to challenge the current narrative. Please note that submissions are not limited to these questions and we welcome unique submissions.

Panel 2: Increased Community Funding/Resources

- Allocating and Investing more resources in communities and on the ground:

- Community-based Research and Effective Dissemination strategies of research and information

Description

This panel is centered around the service gaps, need for community-based research and effective dissemination of research and information. Are community-based agencies underfunded? Is there a case for allocating and investing more resources on the ground in racialized communities? Is there a service gap, especially in racialized communities? The core questions posed above; effective dissemination strategies of research and information that can be beneficial to communities (especially communities with programs that are siloed); strategies to get the government, the public and private sector to allocate and invest more resources in racialized communities, and importance of community-based research. Presenters explore one or multiple themes, address a specific sector or actor, and/or draw from case studies or projects as examples that are applicable to this panel as they relate to the general topic of youth radicalization.

Panel 3: Alternative Approaches

- Public Health Approach

- Additional Resources for Mental Health Treatment

Description

This panel focuses on the need for alternative approaches to the way issue of youth radicalization to violence is dealt with. This panel explore why a Public Health Approach to address youth radicalization to violence is needed. Youth radicalization to violence negatively impacts society and some extent policing (hard approaches) is viewed as the go-to solution. However, beyond it being a crime it is also symptomatic of wider and deep socio-economic issues, social alienation and gross mental health issues among youth. In this regard, a public health approach is increasing being seen as route that can help address youth radicalization to violence. In this panel they explore the concept of Public Health Approach (recognizing that certain risk factors including poverty, depression, PTSD, and etc, feed into the cycle of youth radicalization to violence) in relation to public safety, and youth radicalization to violence and mental health.

Panel 4: Education Reform

- Youth and Formal Schooling

Description

This panel targets the intersection between youth radicalization and education. Most youth spend the majority of their time in formal schooling. This means education and schools themselves have significant power to shape youth. Are schools becoming a breeding ground for discrimination, or are they a safe space for young populations? The core question mentioned above, the role of schooling and actors in education in regards to youth radicalization, actions education stakeholders are taking to address and solve youth radicalization, and how youth are creating means of empowerment in schools and beyond.



