Fanshawe student makes a difference as YOUNGA Canadian Youth Delegate
CREDIT: COURTESY OF NICOLE BOLINFanshawe UX Design student, Nicole Bolin, represented Canada as a Youth Delegate with YOUNGA.
Fanshawe User Experience (UX) Design program student, Nicole Bolin, has been working with YOUNGA as a Canadian Youth Delegate. Organized by Bridging- TheGap Ventures, YOUNGA was created in response to the United Nation’s call for global dialogue in commemoration of the UN’s 75th anniversary.
Bolin discovered YOUNGA through social media after working with her community over the summer of 2023 on issues related to mental health in Canada. She applied to the Youth Delegate Program and was thrilled to be accepted.
YOUNGA Youth Delegates play a vital role in representing the needs and concerns of young people in essential dialogues and interactive sessions. As a part of this initiative, they receive a free, customized six-week training program on leadership and advocacy. Bolin explained that she got the certificate with distinction because she attended at least 18 live sessions and contributed to a community project on Take Action Day.
YOUNGA aims to develop solutions for a more inclusive and sustainable world. This innovative program focuses on five thematic tracks that align with 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and a plan for global impact by 2030: Climate Action and Sustainable Living, Equality and Inclusion, Future of Education and Work, Mental Health and Wellbeing, and Peace and Justice.
Bolin enjoyed designing for those goals, especially in the mental health realm, and she added that it is crucial to make the population understand that they need access to assistance in mental health to develop appropriate digital projects and solutions.
According to YOUNGA founder and Global Chair Kelly Lovell, the program seeks to foster collaboration among multiple stakeholders and generate intergenerational solutions.
“What you get out of it is what you put into it,” Bolin said.
Since its launch in 2020, YOUNGA has partnered with more than 290 global organizations, connected young people with over 200 high-level leaders (including senior UN officials, celebrity advocates, and policymakers), and provided skills training to over 5,500 Youth Delegates across 170 countries.
“It’s a chance to meet people worldwide and get exposed to many employers and cool organizations working to make their country and community a little bit better,” Bolin said. “And I found valuable insights and knowledge to apply to my education in UX design.”
This was Bolin’s last chance to be a Youth Delegate, as the age limit is 30 years old, but she encouraged others to apply.
“I encourage people to return year after year just because it helps you build different skills, and they have different guests.”
YOUNGA is an accessible and inclusive platform that empowers young people to share their ideas concerning the action required to achieve the 2030 Agenda. To discover more about YOUNGA’s initiatives, visit youngaworld.com.
