SCC marks milestone anniversary of its Centre of Excellence for Youth Engagement with Against the Current event in Toronto
TORONTO, May 14, 2025 /CNW/ - The Students Commission of Canada (SCC) marks a major milestone today with Against the Current: Knowledge Exchange, a youth-driven event at the Toronto Reference Library celebrating 25 years as a Centre of Excellence for Youth Engagement. More than 150 youth and adult allies from government, education, non-profits, and business groups will come together to honour the Centre's national impact and look ahead to what's next for youth leadership in Canada.
Grounded in the belief that meaningful social change happens when youth are supported at all levels, Against the Current will explore youth leadership through the lens of barriers to engagement, cultural approaches, and mentorship - highlighting how young people can shape decisions and systems when given real opportunities to lead.
"Twenty-five years ago, we set out to create a space where youth voices wouldn't just be heard, but would help shape how Canada grows," said Sharif Mahdy, CEO of the SCC. "This event celebrates that staying power and looks to the future, at a time when youth voices have never been more needed."
Founded in 1991, the Students Commission of Canada is a national charitable organization that brings generations together to ensure youth voices are heard, valued, and acted upon. In 2000, SCC launched its Centre of Excellence for Youth Engagement, a dedicated initiative to strengthen youth leadership and embed youth voices in national programs and policy. Of four original centres on children's well-being, it is the only one still operating today.
Over 25 years, the Centre has become a trusted hub for research, collaboration, and leadership. It works with governments, businesses, schools, and communities to create youth-driven programs and policies. And as demand for youth engagement grows among researchers, policy makers, and service providers, the Centre's role has never been more relevant. Its widely used resources, What is Youth Engagement? and www.youthwhothrive.ca, help guide effective, youth-centered strategies and programming across Canada.
"Young people bring ideas and lived experiences that are not only valid, but vital," says Dr. Heather Lawford, Canada Research Chair in Youth Development and Academic Co-Director of the Centre of Excellence for Youth Engagement. "Institutions are stronger when they invite youth to the table and truly listen."
The Centre has published peer-reviewed studies, co-developed Canada's leading youth engagement model, and partnered with hundreds of organizations and all levels of government. Its work continues to shape national frameworks to support youth-led policy, amplify young voices, and advance meaningful change from coast to coast.
Key contributions include:
- Launching Canada's first youth advisory with Health Canada in 2000 to address tobacco use
- Co-authoring the Youth Engagement Toolkit (2018) with the Pan-Canadian Joint Consortium for School Health - still used in schools and youth-serving organisations nationwide
- Supporting the Government of Ontario's child welfare redesign through the Residential Services Youth Panel
- Publishing www.youthwhothrive.ca for the YMCA and United Way of Greater Toronto and the Government of Ontario
- Contributing to Canada's first National Youth Policy (2019)
The Against the Current event includes a Youth Leadership Village featuring interactive sessions on Indigenous leadership, system change, mentorship, and untold stories in youth leadership. The program brings together leading researchers, scholars, and emerging leaders from across the country. To learn more visit https://www.studentscommission.ca/events/againstthecurrent/
About the Students Commission of Canada (SCC):
SCC is a national, intergenerational charitable organization that ensures young people's voices are heard, valued, and acted upon. Since 1991, SCC has championed youth engagement through partnerships, research, and programming that supports young people in creating positive change and transitioning successfully to adulthood. Its national initiatives include Take Our Kids to Work™, the #CanadaWeWant Conference, and a range of youth-led projects across the country.
SOURCE Students Commission of Canada
Media Inquiries: Andrea Christian, Share Communications Inc., [email protected], 604-910-0479
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