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During the program Rural Change Makers will engage in experiential learning activities including:
- LEARNING JOURNEY
6-8 Learning Labs covering 14 foundational skills including self-development, leadership and community-economic development essentials.
Curriculum delivery begins in September with bi-weekly learning labs until December.
- PRACTICE
An Ignite Action Lab follows the learning journey where change makers put learned skills into practice, form committees and begin to define their Community Economic Development Pathway.
Ignite is held in January following curriculum delivery.
- COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES
Rural Change Makers define their community economic development pathway in collaboration with each other, partners and community. Youth also form regional committees to support the planning and development of regional engagement activities.
These activities can include:
- Regional "RuralPOP/Teaching Lodge": temporary regional hubs for youth engagement activities & community projects promoting knowledge shareing, skills building, economic, business and community development stimulus.
- The development of a Rural Youth Summit
- Partner-aligned activity
- New or existing inititive or entrepreneural/enterprise project
- Independent/peer group community activity:
Change Makers wishing to engage independently with community for their community economic development pathway will undertake 2 core requirements:
- A Discovery Session with local stakeholders and community members focusing on an asset-based approach and linking them with allies in their mobilization efforts.
Community Discovery activities will begin in February-March 2024 following the Ignite Practicum.
- A Community Action Lab” event or planning session oriented at producing an action plan towards a short-term concrete project/activity that will be the focus of change maker's initial steps in effecting the change they want to see in their community.
Community Action Labs will follow the Discovery sessions March-April 2024.