See Different is a national youth education initiative of the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI), a registered national charity.
Our mission is to empower youth from across Canada by providing them with the tools and knowledge they need to make meaningful change in their communities. Further, our National Youth Ambassador Network for Emerging Leaders of DEI will provide opportunities for youth to grow their networks and remain actively engaged in creating positive social change.
Our purpose is to inspire a generation of Canadian youth to become dedicated and compassionate leaders who understand and seek to address systemic barriers to inclusion in Canadian society.
In 2015, CCDI brought together a committee of DEI professionals to collaborate on a program for high school students in Canada, offered in-person, where students explored the concepts of identity, diversity and inclusion, power and privilege, conflict management, peer mediation and allyship. This program was called ‘See Different’ and ran for four years in high schools across Canada. The program ended in 2019, but after hearing from youth how impactful the program was for their schools and communities, CCDI made the decision to revitalize and update the program.
The program has been redesigned as a virtual diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training and certification program offered free of charge to youth in Canada between the ages of 15-24 (this age range is based on the UN definition of youth). The workshops are highly interactive and are delivered live over Zoom.
*In-person sessions are possible but travel and accommodation expenses must be covered by the host organization.
The See Different program includes three main elements:
This is a beginner level certificate with two interactive workshops (2.5 hours each) and a final assignment. The total amount of work that will be required to complete this certificate, including the pre-workshop activities and the final assignment is 8 hours.
*This certificate can be delivered in French.
This is a more advanced level certificate, with three workshops (2.5 hours each) and a change-maker project. The total amount of work that will be required to complete this certificate, including the pre-workshop activities and the change-maker project is 12 hours.
The change-maker project asks participants, with the support of the See Different facilitator, to develop a theoretical initiative that would help to address, or remove, a barrier to equity or inclusion that they have identified in their school or community.
*It is highly recommended, but not required, that participants complete the Principles of DEI certificate prior to the Emerging Leaders of DEI certificate.
Participants who complete the Emerging Leaders of DEI certificate will be invited to join our National Youth Ambassador Network for Emerging Leaders of DEI. The network will host virtual and in-person events such as job fairs, webinars, distinguished speakers, and other opportunities to connect like-minded youth with companies and organizations across the country who are working to create inclusive and equitable work environments. These events will help young people to expand their social and professional networks and improve their prospects for employment.
In the Principles of DEI certificate, participants will learn about different dimensions of diversity, DEI language and terminology, and build their understanding of the cycle of bias and Canada’s history of systemic racism and discrimination. In the Emerging Leaders of DEI certificate, participants will develop a deeper knowledge of the topics of unconscious bias, power and privilege, allyship, cultural humility, and social action, culminating in the change-maker project. Finally, the National Youth Ambassador Network for Emerging Leaders of DEI will provide opportunities for continued learning and engagement with like-minded youth and organizations from across the country.
Registration
Registration for the See Different program is now open. Registrations can be completed as a group or as an individual.
If you have any questions or would like more information about the program, please contact see.different@ccdi.ca
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