Facing A Challenge

“I believe that everyone in their lifetime faces a challenge that can dramatically change their own circumstances as well as those around them. It’s the decisions that we make in accepting those challenges that bring about change.”
                                                     ~ Rigel Pereira

It’s a quote that reflects exactly… to a T… what myself, and many others, are battling at this very moment. Personally, it has come at the perfect time when many difficult decisions have to be made, and even more tough realities have to be accepted. It was the opening sentences of a recent C2C submission from my good friend Rigel, whom underwent one of these experiences last year. As I read through his reflection on the youth leadership conference he coordinated, I am reminded of not just how much hope there is in changing this world for the better… but just how much action there is too!

I believe that everyone in their lifetime faces a challenge that can dramatically change their own  circumstances as well as those around them. It’s the decisions that we make in accepting those challenges that bring about change. When I look back at all my opportunities to instill change among my community, there is one significant time in my life that stands outs among the rest.

I’ve promised Ryan that I would write about my ‘challenge to change’ story for months and now that I’m starting to type, I find myself short of words to describe what would probably be one of the best experiences of my life.

The experience that I am referring to is being given the opportunity to coordinate a leadership conference for the youth of our community in southern Ontario. The conference is called Creating Leadership Among Youth (CLAY) and it is held at McMaster University. It’s a conference that has been really close to my heart for a few years, and in my graduating year of university, I was given the opportunity to lead this conference for which the overall impact on the participants of the conference is one that will not be forgotten.

A brief explanation of what this conference entails is providing students between the ages of 14 and 18, with the skills, courage, confidence and motivation to make changes within themselves and their community and teach them about the challenges faced in today’s society both globally and locally. Although it sounds easy, the process of bringing together such a high calibre conference was a feat that I myself was unaware I could accomplish. The process began with me hiring executive members and fellow leaders at my McMaster community to help facilitate the sessions that we provide to these students. The 4-day conference is then carefully planned, and incorporates a variety of events from coffee-shops to showcase their talents, to a wheelchair event to learn about the diversity among us. The best part of the conference is the discussion-based seminars where students learn topics ranging from leadership, empowerment, and self-motivation.

The best part of this conference is the end-result. This is the point where the phrase ‘challenge to change’ really gave me some perspective on what I had done. The students that participated in this conference usually fit either one of the following characteristics – they were either outgoing, confident, born leaders looking to strengthen their skills, learn new ideas and make new relationships OR they were introverted, insecure, lacked confidence, and were looking to belong. CLAY created an inclusive environment when both these types of students could meet, interact, and learn form each other, without the fear of being judged or ridiculed. At the end of the conference, students have told me with the following testimonials for which you can see a similar theme –

“CLAY has changed my life… I am more aware of the positive things around me and the amazing people I have in my life”

“This conference has motivated me to do something BIG at my school – I think I want to start a charitable organization or have a huge fundraiser”

“This was the best 4 days of my life, it has really change my perspective of the world and the things I take for granted”

As you can tell, all these quotes revolve around the idea of change and it is amazing to thing that all it took was a 4 day conference to leave such lasting impression on our youth. Above all, it was the more personal stories that affected me the most. I had students come to me and call me their role model… and that just meeting me, has motivated them to make changes in their life. I am still humbled at the thought that I am capable of creating such change and I still don’t believe that I am a role model of any sort but I know that when I accepted the challenge of bringing together such an amazing conference, I would be opening the door for other people to start making the same decisions. All it takes is one person, to say yes, to say that they can do it, that they can make a difference and it will create a chain effect. It will create a belief that everyone is capable of making a change, and this in turn, will bring about a better society for the youth of tomorrow to embark upon.