UPEI ClimateSense hosts Waterlution’s Youth for Resilient Communities collaboratorium
A group of 90 youth from across Canada were on PEI from May 27–June 1, learning to tackle water and climate change challenges through Waterlution, a national non-profit organization which focuses on water sustainability, climate change, and leadership development.
UPEI ClimateSense, PEI’s initiative in Natural Resources Canada’s Building Regional Adaptation and Capacity Expertise (BRACE) program, hosted Waterlution’s Youth for Resilient Communities (Y4RC) Collaboratorium 2 as part of its committment to providing climate change adaptation learning and development, specific to PEI.
The youth, whose ages ranged from 18–30 years old, were led by Krystal Pyke, UPEI ClimateSense Program Manager and Karen Kun, Waterlution President and Founder. The group, which was gathering on PEI to share experiences, gain new skills, and learn together, created community projects focused on resilience relating to water, climate, nature, and culture.
“It’s called a ‘collaboratorium’ because it is a bit of a consortium, a bit of a collaboration and with all of the ideas swirling around, it’s not just a conference,” said Pyke during an interview with CBC Island Morning. “We had a fantastic week of learning, exploring, and connecting with resilient communities across PEI.”
During their time on Lennox Island on Friday, May 29, the group visited a greenhouse and the Lennox Island Mi’kmaq Cultural Centre, where they discussed food security and sovereignty, learned about Mi’kmaq history, participated in a forest restoration tour with the Lennox Island Natural Resources Team, and participated in quilling and Bannock making. Chief Tabatha Bernard of the Lennox Island First Nation joined the group for a portion of the day. She welcomed the youth to Lennox Island and encouraged them to learn about Mi'kmaq culture and our shared history, highlighting that youth are the future leaders for resilience in their own communities.
On the morning of Saturday, May 30, half of the group met with the PEI Watershed Alliance at UPEI’s Performing Arts Centre (PAC), and the other half toured the Legacy Gardens at the PEI Farm Centre. In the afternoon, they worked on their service projects at the PAC.
On Sunday, May 31, the group toured the UPEI Canadian Centre for Climate Change and Adaptation in St. Peter’s Bay where they learned how to tell the narrative of their service projects through impactful storytelling. They also went for a hike at Greenwich – Prince Edward Island National Park and were joined by Bob Harding and Kylee Bustard from Parks Canada.
“Thank you so much for organizing and bringing us all together. I learned a lot and more importantly I got a sense of who I am,” said Janvi Patel, Y4RC participant. “I am taking confidence, growth, many new friendships and connections with me, and I feel like I have a new direction in life.”
Y4RC invites youth across Canada to serve communities by raising awareness and building resilience through community-centered action projects. National in design, Y4RC’s immersive experiences build insights into Canada’s climate and water challenges across seven provinces. For details about the group’s activities, go to https://waterlution.org/y4rc-cohort-3/
