by Denise Campbell, TG Magazine youth journalist
by Denise Campbell, TG Magazine youth journalist
by Denise Campbell, TG Magazine youth journalist
"Oh youth, how nice!... Are you the dance troop?" This is often reaction of adults to young people in their spaces. Therefore, most young people have learned an important lesson: this is an adult world and fitting in it is a challenge.
To take up this challenge, 21 youth are here from across Canada wanting to prove that youth access to adult forums, especially those dealing with universal issues like the environment, is both vital and invigorating for all concerned.
Sponsored by Environment Canada and the fundraising efforts of youth from The Students Commission, this youth journalism team is coordinated by TG Magazine, a national on-line magazine written by young people for young people.
"Youth are here to communicate the issues of IUCN in language and media that are youthful and make the issues relevant", says Ruby De Avila, a high school co-operative education student.
By our actions and our presence here, "the process becomes the message," says Marc Bishop, youth webmaster.
"Young people know that emerging technologies and the popular media have the ability to connect youth and the issues we care about around the world: youth to youth," says Regina Flores, an environmental studies student at Trent University in Peterborough, Canada.
The youth team has designed and will produce the conference newsletter, and with students from Auburn Air in Halifax, Nova Scotia, will be doing live radio and teenline feeds, producing a video, several live web chats, and a CD-ROM.