By Olivia Woods – Contributor 

The Youth Public Engagement Champions (YPEC) is a cohort of six young leaders from across Canada, who are passionate about advancing Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) for young people globally. YPEC is run through CARE Canada and is a part of the public engagement branch of the Sexual and Reproductive Health and Economic Empowerment Supporting Out of School Adolescent Girls’ Rights and Skills (SHE SOARS) project. SHE SOARS is a seven-year project in Kenya, Uganda, and Zambia that aims to improve SRHR access, services and programming for out-of-school girls and boys. SHE SOARS aims to specifically work with out-of-school girls as typically they can have less access to support and can be left out of sexual health programming. 

To amplify youth voices within SHE SOARS, YPEC works to highlight the importance of global Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and draws parallels with Canadian youth in hopes of destigmatizing sexual health and fostering global citizenship. But why is it important to bring awareness to Canadian youth?

Many young Canadians still face barriers and stigma around accessing sexual health education. By amplifying stories, lived experiences and educational resources, YPEC is encouraging all youth to be informed about their own health and tackle common issues that youth face around the world.

YPEC works to raise awareness through digital storytelling on platforms such as the SHE SOARS podcast, social media content, blog posts, educational campaigns and advocacy events! On this season of the SHE SOARS podcast, the team interviewed Shania Bhopa, an influential young women’s health advocate in the space. We’ve had youth conversations around myth-busting and the importance of youth leadership and highlighted conversations with youth from the SHE SOARS project. 

I personally got involved because I had worked extensively at Bishop’s around sexual health and was interested in learning more and getting involved outside of the Bishop’s sphere. 

Before getting involved I founded the Menstrual Equity Project at Bishop’s and have been a member of the Sexual Culture Committee as well as their education sub-committee. From these experiences it really solidified my passion for sexual and reproductive health. I had many conversations throughout my various positions with students where I identified huge gaps in people’s sexual health education, things that people just hadn’t taught them.

 It is fundamental for individuals to have a safe, reliable and accurate access to sexual health education. Through this experience, I have been able to further my understanding of SRHR, engage with youth internationally, work within a supportive and inspirational cohort of peers and contribute to meaningful advocacy work. No matter what you are passionate about, there is always a space for you to make a difference. 

Youth voices are fundamental in our future! 

If you’re interested in something, I say go for it! Make it happen- Bishop’s has endless resources to support you and make your passion a reality!

Currently, YPEC is running a campaign for SexPlus Week on Care Canada’s Instagram! This will be a week to challenge misinformation and create space for learning more about sexual health. Make sure to check it out to meet the YPEC team and learn about sexual health education. 

Her Rights, Her Voice.