Youthful exuberance will be on full display this weekend at .
The middle and senior school campus on Bank Street is playing host to the annual Change Conference, a gathering of young people from southern Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland.
This yearB次元官网网址檚 theme, Global Passion B次元官网网址� Local Action, focuses on making a positive difference at an international level by getting involved in community initiatives.
B次元官网网址淭hat stemmed from the idea of (the organizing committee) being passionate about things that we see on a global scale a lot of the time, but not necessarily having the power to do that at this point,B次元官网网址� said committee co-chair Conor Hannigan, a Grade 12 student at GNS.
B次元官网网址淟ocal action is, in a sense, the way to show global passion.B次元官网网址�
Hannigan hopes to see close to 80 students at the conference, which happens Friday (Feb. 24) and Saturday.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of youth in Victoria who are inspired or encouraged about the idea of getting involved with change, but they donB次元官网网址檛 necessarily know how to start,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 the great thing about our conference.B次元官网网址�
Delegates will attend workshops, listen to guest speakers and work on art projects over the course of the two days.
On Saturday they will spend the afternoon engaged in one of three community service initiatives. Some will pitch in at in Central Saanich while others will serve food at the Out of the Rain Youth Shelter in Victoria. A third group will visit Oak BayB次元官网网址檚 Cattle Point to assist with a Garry Oak restoration project.
B次元官网网址淚n the past (the conference) has been a really great opportunity for youth. ItB次元官网网址檚 been inspiring, itB次元官网网址檚 been fun, but weB次元官网网址檝e never really come out with an end product from it,B次元官网网址� Hannigan said.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been a thought process, but weB次元官网网址檝e never actually done anything tangible.B次元官网网址�
This yearB次元官网网址檚 keynote speaker is Amanda Lindhout, a Canadian journalist turned humanitarian who was abducted in 2008 while on assignment in Somalia and held captive for 15 months. Once free, she became an advocate for womenB次元官网网址檚 rights and founded the Global Enrichment Foundation to help the Somali people through education and economic initiatives.
LindhoutB次元官网网址檚 presentation is open to the public and takes place Saturday at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $10 and are available at the school, 801 Bank St.
The entire weekend is student-driven, though they do receive some guidance from teachers.
B次元官网网址淚t is really neat to see kids from different interests coming together with a common goal of producing a conference for other students to help them feel empowered,B次元官网网址� said Gina Simpson, one of the organizing committeeB次元官网网址檚 teacher-sponsors.
And though the content may sound serious, Hannigan promises it will be a lot of fun.
B次元官网网址淚 hope they enjoy it, because thatB次元官网网址檚 one of the main reasons that we have this conference every year.B次元官网网址�
Onsite registration for the conference starts at 5:15 p.m. Friday. The conference is open to any youth between Grade 8 and 12. Cost is $30.
For more information, visit .
reporter@vicnews.com
