In June 2022, 12 Canadian post-secondary schools were recognized and celebrated for their contribution to the global Technical and Vocational Education & Training (TVET) sector by the World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics (WFCP), an international network of colleges and associations of colleges.

This year’s WFCP Leadership Summit took place in Basque Country, Spain, where Humber College was awarded the Gold Award of Excellence for Global Citizenship. We spoke with the two Humber students who participated in and represented Humber College at WFCP’s 2022 Youth Camp about their experience, Christian (Ann) Ravina and Chantay Thorpe

As a part of this camp, Ann and Chantay worked with peers from around the globe to discuss issues like migration, sustainability and the future of work. In addition, they drafted a declaration proposing solutions to these problems; you can watch the full video here.

Read below to hear the inside scoop:

Why does the voice of youth matter?

Both Ann and Chantay deeply care about representing the youth’s voice. They believe that with the growing diversity in our workforce, these issues need to be addressed to create better working conditions and an improved standard of living.

“The voice of the youth is important for the positive transformation and progression of the future. The choices that today’s leaders make, impact a future that today’s youth will need to address,” said Chantay. While Ann said that it is important to highlight the voice of the youth because, “youth who feel competent are more likely to participate completely and acquire leadership and teamwork abilities.”

Why were these issues highlighted at the WFCP conference?

For Ann and Chantay, belonging to a diverse group of students is what inspired them to talk about issues like migration, sustainability and equity and inclusion.

As an international student from a Southeast Asian country, Ann encountered a never-ending list of these issues. “These issues inspired me to work diligently. I got the chance to prove that even women of colour have what it takes to be an outstanding student while juggling various jobs and activities,” she said.

According to Chantay, these issues affect everyone regardless of their race and geography. “Because these issues impact so many people, it makes these issues necessary to address, especially when there are groups of people who are disproportionately affected by them,” she said.

So what’s the solution?

As a part of their WFCP 2022 World Conference Youth Camp, Ann and Chantay, along with students from around the globe, crafted a declaration that was presented to the WFCP congress.

This declaration presented “the recipe for a better future”. It called on leaders to be more passionate, committed and empathetic when it comes to dealing with these issues. Inclusive communication, transparency and diversity among staff were also a part of this recipe.

Ann and Chantay are proud to have represented Humber College at the WFCP 2022 World Conference. They are also extremely grateful to have experienced this unique opportunity. For Chantay, the experience was illuminating. “More than anything else, I’d say sharing that space with peers from around the world was nothing short of enlightening. It is an honour to have [contributed] to the Gold Award of Excellence for Global Citizenship,” she said.

Meanwhile, for Ann, the win for Humber means an opportunity to advocate for fellow international students. “These proposed programs will help international students, like me, to grow and achieve different aspirations in life. I am honoured to [have witnessed] and [been a] part of a once-in-a-lifetime experience outside [of] Canada,” she said.

Humber College remains at the forefront when it comes to advocating for issues like migration, diversity and sustainability. This win for Humber College is a proud moment for all students and everyone associated with Humber.

*This interview was edited for length and clarity.

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