EIGHTEEN young British Columbians will have the opportunity to shape the policies and priorities of the Government of British Columbia as part of the first StrongerBC Young Leaders Council, the Province announced on Monday.
The council members include high school and post-secondary students, and workers who are passionate about a variety of issues, such as the environment, the economy, education and affordability. Members range in age from 15 to 23 and represent the diversity and vast geography of the province.
“The StrongerBC Young Leaders Council gives the next generation of leaders the opportunity to work directly with government on the issues that matter most to them, from tackling climate change to building a more equitable future for all,” said Premier John Horgan. “I want to thank everyone who took the time to apply. The future of our province is in great hands.”
Council members are appointed for a one-year term with the option to remain on the council for as long as three terms. More than 250 applications were received from youths throughout the province.
“I’m truly impressed with the range of life experiences, education, skills and accomplishments these young people are bringing to the table. Youth in our province have been advocating strongly on issues such as mental health, food programs, anti-racism, the environment and much more,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation. “These young leaders will now have a platform to further share their ideas and that of their communities to help us build an innovative, inclusive and sustainable economy that works for all British Columbians now and into the future.”
The council will be chaired by Brittny Anderson, MLA for Nelson-Creston and the premier’s special adviser on youth. The council will focus on identifying and providing advice to government on issues that matter most to young people.
“I am thrilled to get to work with our council members on how we can make life better for young people across the province,” said Anderson. “Our first council members represent the most socially active and community-minded young people in our province, and I know their work will make our province a better place for everyone.”
The first meeting of the council will take place in spring 2022. Regular meetings will take place in person or online as often as four times each year.
The StrongerBC Young Leaders Council supports the B.C. government’s commitment to an inclusive, innovative and sustainable economic recovery for everyone who lives in B.C
The current board composition effective January 1, 2022:
Sukhmanpreet (Harry) Bajwa
Harry Bajwa graduated from UBC with a Hons. Bachelor of Commerce in Finance and holds various roles in organizations that promote international development and community service. He supports youth in developing countries as the director of operations of Mannkind Charity, and as the co-founder of Knowledge Builders, an organization that provides remote learning access to youth in developing countries. He helps educate people experiencing homelessness through Unified 4 Change and has previously helped open a temporary emergency homeless shelter in Vancouver.
Hamza DariÂ
Hamza Dari is a 15-year-old secondary student living in Victoria. He is an active participant at his school, organizing fundraisers and school spirit activities, as well as being a member of the Principal’s Advisory, which is tasked with gathering student input and sharing this with the principal. He has pursued many opportunities to serve his community including raising funds for the Canadian Cancer Society, petitioning government to re-examine the feasibility of passenger service on the E & N railway, and being a key contributor in the creation of Victoria’s newest boulevard garden.
Dacian Filipescu
Dacian Filipescu is an advocate for social justice and building truly inclusive and engaged communities. While he is active in areas such as housing affordability and climate change, he is particularly passionate about improving accessibility and universal access. He would love to live in a world where people with disabilities can be as independent as anyone else. He was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy in kindergarten and has done considerable work advocating and raising awareness about the challenges and barriers faced by people in wheelchairs or affected by other conditions. In 2016, he participated in the Rick Hansen Foundation Youth Leadership Summit and co-presented with Rick Hansen at the Canadian Museum of History in Ottawa.
Aur Hager
Aur Hager is a first-year engineering student at Selkirk College and plans to go into environmental engineering to have a direct impact on communities and help design the solutions for the climate crisis. They are an active community volunteer and began volunteering at the Slocan Community Library at the age of nine years old. In high school, they created a peer mentorship program to assist students in grades 7 and 8 deal with the transitions and new challenges of high school and build a stronger sense of community within the school.
Eya Ibrahim
Eya Ibrahim is an ambitious and dedicated student that immerses herself in new experiences to get a more open-minded perspective of the world. She is heavily involved in numerous extracurricular activities at school and is an active member of her community in many different areas. Her top three areas of interest include: climate action, furthering BIPOC representation, and socioeconomic inequality. She has organized school-wide fundraising efforts for international aid relief and is the 2nd Canadian District Lead for Diversity-Our-Narrative, a student-led organization that promotes more diverse representation in the school curriculum. Ibrahim is also the environmental prefect for her high school, where she runs the environmental club and overseas all environment-related school initiatives.
Ripdaman Malhans
Ripdaman Malhans is the co-founder and vice-president of NeuTech Foundation, a nationally incorporated non-profit organization aimed at reducing e-waste in Canada. Prior to that, Malhans worked for a start-up known as GrantMe, helping students plan for their post-secondary education and graduate debt-free. He also took part in GrantMe’s mentorship program, a student-led initiative focused on providing valuable information to new students entering post-secondary. He has volunteered at Guru Nanak’s Free Kitchen in Vancouver, which aims to eliminate hunger in the Lower Mainland by distributing hot meals for people in need.
Alexandra Mandewo
Alexandra Mandewo is a high school student living in Coquitlam, who was born in Oklahoma and has Zimbabwean roots. She is active in school and community, serving as the vice-president of the school’s anti-racism club, and former captain of the school’s tennis team. She also volunteers time to teach sports to at-risk youth. Mandewo, who is very passionate about diversity and inclusion, has been featured on CBC News and spoken on the topic to numerous audiences including the Coquitlam mayor and city council. She is also the co-founder of BIPOC Young Girls Career Mentorship, an initiative created to provide career representation and mentorship for female students of colour.
Malia Mercado
Malia Mercado is a first-generation Filipino-Canadian from Maple Ridge. Through the stories and experiences of her parents, she has a stronger understanding of the challenges that people of colour and new immigrants face when they arrive in Canada and has learnt to embrace both her Filipino and Canadian identities. Mercado is passionate about the issues on youth mental health and bringing attention to domestic violence. She led her school’s participation in the Moose Hide Campaign, which challenges men and boys to stand up against violence towards women and children.
Andrew David Millage
Andrew David Millage lives in Abbotsford and has worked and volunteered with Fraser Valley non-profits from an early age. They wish to see a British Columbia where mental health, addiction and social inequalities are better managed by providing supports to people who are struggling to be themselves. At 15, Millage was interviewed by CBC Radio about a workshop developed with coworkers, discussing the unspoken factors of addiction, and how it relates to the opioid epidemic. Andrew was a speaker at the 2018 BC Schools of Character Convention discussing the benefits and importance of volunteer work.
Jeanna PillainayagamÂ
Jeanna Pillainayagam is a University of British Columbia (UBC) student earning her bachelor of sScience in biology and is a tutoring assistant coordinator at the UBC Alma Mater Society. As a mental health advocate, she is currently involved in many initiatives such as volunteering for youth wellness organizations like Foundry BC and the Canadian Mental Health Association – BC. In addition to her mental health work, Pillainyagam also advocates for increased refugee supports and volunteered with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver’s Refugee Sponsorship Program. She is currently developing a textile-recycling businesses, which is expanding her understanding about every-day sustainability practices and the incredible green innovations taking place around the world.
Maya Provencal
Maya is 23 year old community organizer and graduate student from Rossland, a small mountain town in the West Kootenay Region of BC. She has a BA in Political Science and is currently pursuing an MA in Community Development at the University of Victoria. Her research interests include rural development and environmental communications.
In addition to being a student, Maya has been working in the non-profit sector as an organizer and advocate for climate justice since she was 18-years-old. She currently works with the West Kootenay EcoSociety, where she co-leads a campaign that aims to facilitate community-focused conversations about climate change across lines of difference. In her spare time, Maya can be found reading a book or walking her dog in the mountains.”
Damon Robinson
Damon Robinson is a Gitxsan man living in Prince George who grew up in the small northern community of Hazelton. With an interest in politics and social change, Robinson has pursued opportunities in student government as a member of his high school student council and as a staff member of the College of New Calendonia’s Student Union. He also works to advocate for student interests at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels as a member of the British Columbia Federation of Student. He studied Web and Graphic Design and Business Management at College of New Caledonia and is currently taking leadership courses from HarvardX.
Clea Schooner
Clea Schooner is a member of the Heiltsuk Nation and resident of Bella Bella. She has spent her life surrounded by knowledge keepers, who have instilled in her the great value of the natural environment. Schooner works to be cognizant of the impact she has on her surroundings and others and seeks to find ways to preserve the life and spirit of the people who have come before her. She wishes to preserve environmental sustainability and takes action through her personal life and in her professional role as the communications lead for Qqs Projects Society, a community-driven charitable non-profit focused on the Great Bear Rainforest.
Noor Shaker
Noor Shaker is a 2SLGBTQ++ youth that has lived with Cerebral Palsy her entire life. Her contributions to the Council will include her personal experience as a youth with disabilities and as an 2SLGBTQ+ young person. As political teen with a desire to change the world, she also has significant interest in improving British Columbia in the areas of mental health, the environment, and affordability.
Prabhnoor Sidhu
Prabhnoor Sidhu is a 16-year-old from Prince George who is passionate about the environment, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), history, sports, music, and leadership, among other interests. She is a 2021 SHAD Carleton University Alumni member and an active participant in many academic extracurricular activities, including Science Fairs and Heritage Fairs.
Jacob Tourand
Jacob Tourand is a Métis youth from Merritt whohas a passion for social change. In his professional life, he has successfully led efforts to infuse reconciliation and Indigenous ways of knowing and being into his traditional government workplace. He established and co-chairs his organization’s Indigenous Employee Circle and co-led a major consultation effort with Indigenous employees to understand their needs, challenges, and aspirations. Additional, as young person born and raised in rural BC, Tourand has an appreciation for the beauty and benefits of living outside B.C.’s urban areas, but also of the unique challenges that rural areas may face in the future.
Yi Nuo (Emmy) Wang
Yi Nuo (Emmy) Wang is the founder and president of the Maple Ridge chapter for GirlUp, a global United Nations campaign focusing on gender equity, women’s rights, and female empowerment. She is also the co-founder and current co-president of her school’s Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) chapter; the director of internal affairs for the Women in STEM global organization; and the publicity manager for her school student council. In addition to her work related to STEM outreach, Wang connects regularly with other young people on numerous topics including mental health, anti-discrimination, gender equity, and truth and reconciliation.
Thea Wells
Thea Wells is grade-12 student who has taken numerous leadership roles throughout their school and community. They have participated in the District Student Advisory Council and co-presented to the Board of Education regarding the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on schools. They are also part of the District Gender Sexuality Alliance, an organization that develops strategies to make schools more inclusive. Outside of school, Wells helped establish a new greenhouse in the community, volunteers at the local soup kitchen, and organizes kits for the women’s shelter. They also completed training to be a mentor with Big Brothers and Big Sisters and is a co-leader of their school’s peer tutoring program.
