“Organizing the UN SDG Youth Training session was a rewarding and eye-opening experience.

After planning for months, my team was able to train more than 240 students in the city of Fredericton and create a $2,000 fund to support student-led projects to facilitate the implementation of the SDGs in the city.

The success of this event demonstrated to me there is a genuine desire from students to engage in challenges our world is facing. However, as youth already engaged in this movement, we plan an essential role in finding ways to transform this genuine desire into real action.

— Jimy Beltran, St. Thomas University

“Students from around Canada have this opportunity to make a difference on their campus by bridging the gap between the local and the international. As young people, it's time for us to take the 2030 Agenda into our own hands and actively engage our communities to do more.

If not us- then who?

It's time for Canadian students to stand up and do more!”

— Morrell Andrews, UBC Vancouver

“Naturally having a passion for advocacy and activism, attending the SDG youth training gave me the opportunity and tools to channel that energy even more! I especially admired the collaborative initiatives that were fostered through the training.

It allowed us as youth to not only see how we can implement the SDG’s in our communities and campus, but also how to continue and establish new SDG projects through youth empowered and lead initiatives.

Since the training, I am happy to say that as a Brock chapter we are working to run awareness campaigns and educational workshops. I hope to continue the work of the SDG goals, making more individuals and communities cognizant of its purpose and implementation. We hope to make our SDG team and community grow in awareness and action!

Through the 5-P’s (people, planet, prosperity, peace, and partnerships) we can make a difference every day.”

— Glenda Anderson O’Connor, Brock University

"The SDGs are more relevant than ever, and youth in particular are the ones who can create these proposed changes and seek to benefit the most from the attainment of these Global Goals. This training provides its trainees with insight into the background, importance of, and steps towards reaching these goals at a local and global level. These cross-cutting issues are relevant to every faculty, department, and program. […]

I found this training to be ideal as it provides enough context to engage and be relevant to those not studying or directly familiar with International Development or these issues, but was still stimulating enough for those (such as myself) with an academic background on the subject.”

— Amy Nagus, Humber Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning

“Our individual actions have a consequential global impact. We don't need to think about going elsewhere to make a difference when we can make a difference in the communities we live in.

Knowing how to implement Sustainable Development Goals means that we can increase equity through collaboration, diplomacy, and discourse. This training helps teach students that their interdisciplinary skill sets are adaptable to making these effective changes.”

— Natasha Sinclair, McMaster University

"As students, we are well aware of the prevalent issues occurring on the world stage but often do not know where or how to take action on the issues we are passionate about.

Hosting the SDGs Training at my school provided students with insight on concrete strategies and methods for bringing about positive change in the local community. I was especially impressed that the training catalyzed meaningful follow-up initiatives at my school."

— Jordan Lin, Pierre Elliot Trudeau High School