If you’re interested in getting involved with social activism in Vancouver or at UBC, then you might want to check out the UBC Conference on Social Action on September 17.
Hosted by Kite Vancouver — a student-led organization that aims to empower youth to become socially active change-makers in their communities — the conference is a 10-hour long training session that will teach students about various social issues, provide them with the necessary skills that they’ll need to address said issues and present them with further opportunities to get involved in creating meaningful societal change.
The conference will feature a series of workshops aimed at educating students about a variety of social issues and providing them with the skills to address them. Students will attend two of sixteen workshops that discuss topics such as poverty, hunger, mental health, education, gender equality, reducing inequality, accessibility, reduced role of finance in social issues, climate action and consumption and production. Two UBC clubs that are hosting workshops are UBCC350 and Generocksity.
Students will later participate in one of ten discussion groups where they will talk about what they learned in a broader societal context. The day ends with a design challenge, in which participants will use what they learned to come up with possible solutions to the social issues they had been focusing on during the day. Anti-poverty activist Seth Klein and “professional rabble-rouser” David Meslin will also be making keynote speeches.
In their description of the event, Kite explain that an event like this is needed at UBC in order to get students who are interested in making a difference into socially active communities.
“UBC students are passionate about social issues, but often feel uncertain of the ways that they can go about making a tangible difference,” they said. “By showcasing the social change community in its entirety, UBCCSA will be able to provide the 280 delegates with a comprehensive understanding of what UBC has to offer.”
They also expect that their conference can help create a socially conscious community at UBC that will support activist efforts aimed at helping marginalized communities.
“This connected community of passionate changemakers will reset the status quo and challenge students to not only contribute to social causes but lead the way in creating innovative solutions.”