Youth Initiatives

Our Work With Youth

North American youth are creative and innovative leaders, entrepreneurs, and educators who often demonstrate the value and need for inclusive problem solving and dialogue. Given their positive and inspiring contributions to environmental work across Canada, Mexico, and the United States, we invite youth to engage with us to help us strengthen our efforts.

Whether through competitions, public engagement, grant programs, internships, or by providing expert advice, we invite interested individuals and organizations focused on youth empowerment to engage with our work.

2023 CEC Youth Engagement Week

Looking for youth changemakers!

Apply to participate in the first CEC Youth Engagement Week—taking place in Montreal, Canada—and engage in our work! The selected youth will meet the different unit teams at the CEC, receive unique networking opportunities, and take part in discussions to strengthen youth engagement at the CEC.

Apply by 16 October 2023!

Apply Here

CEC YIC Challenge

Youth Innovation Challenge

Since 2017, we have hosted the annual Youth Innovation Challenge, a contest that invites youth from Canada, Mexico and the United States to submit their innovative ideas and solutions for improving both the environment and the economy in North America.

Learn More

EcoInnovation Network

The EcoInnovation Network (EIN) was launched in 2019 with the vision of facilitating the creation, enhancement, and networking of innovation centers within academic institutions across North America. This network aims to cultivate youth and community leadership in innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainable growth. As of 2022, the EcoInnovation Network will be managed by the University of Waterloo in collaboration with the CEC.

Learn More

Green Entrepreneurship Workshop Series

The Green Entrepreneurship Workshop Series offers young entrepreneurs tips, advice, and information about sustainability and entrepreneurship from North American business, academic, private sector, and Indigenous perspectives. These series took place in 2020 and 2022 in collaboration with the University of Waterloo’s Entrepreneurship @ Environment office.

Internship Program

If you are interested in our internship program, visit our Work With Us webpage.

Youth Engagement on Food Loss and Waste

This Food Matters Action Kit is loaded with informative resources and hands-on, creative activities to inspire youth of all ages to prevent food waste at home, at school and in their communities.

From organizing a Disco Soup party and learning food preservation techniques to building worm compost bins and solar dehydrators, the action kit with its activity guide is designed to encourage youth of all ages to protect the environment by preventing food waste.

Join the Movement!

Inspiring Youth to #ShrinkFoodWaste

Our Food Matters Action Kit is loaded with informative resources and hands-on, creative activities to inspire youth of all ages to prevent food waste at home, at school and in their communities.

Contact

If you are an individual or an organization interested in learning more about how you can get involved in potential opportunities for increased youth engagement and collaboration, feel free to reach out to us.

Georgina O’Farrill

Head of Unit, Outreach and Partnerships
(514) 350-4336