It’s a bit of a cliché really, but we wouldn’t be anywhere without the people involved in these projects. We have had nothing but eager volunteers and committed staff, and we intend to continue working with them in a collaborative environment to ensure that their gifts, energy and vision are fully enabled.

Those who have stepped forward bring considerable expertise as activists, trainers, capacity builders, researchers, community networkers, all committed to the full and equitable participation of newcomer youth in society. The Ontario-wide Committee will be working with the four youth project staff at OCASI in Toronto to conduct community-based research on needs, information priorities and the values which should inform services with newcomer youth. They will also be champions in their communities, helping to increase the reach and profile of the projects and engage youth wherever they are in their settlement process.

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The Advisory Committee Members:

The Advisory Committee is composed of youth and newcomer youth workers with diversity of age, language, immigration background, ethnicity, gender and geographic location.  

We realize most of our members are from Toronto - if you are outside of Toronto and wish to join our Committee, let us know! We are always looking for new members, and prioritize those outside of Toronto, (newcomer) youth, and French speakers.

Interested in joining the committee? Check out what the AC does here.

Here is a list of our current advisory committee members, click here for short bios and pictures.

  • Aqeel Saeid – Toronto
  • Gigi Conrardy – Hamilton
  • Halime Celik – Toronto
  • Husayn Dharshi – Toronto
  • Julia Beltrano – London
  • Lorenzo Vargas – Toronto
  • Marilyn Ize-Dukuze – Toronto
  • Martin Zhang – Thunder Bay
  • Michelle Suchiu – Windsor
  • Muntaha Sakhi – Toronto
  • Rhobyn James – Toronto
  • Sheila Ingabire – Toronto
  • Tinashe Mafukidze - Toronto
  • Victoria Jmourko - Toronto
  • Natasha Ryan-Shepherd - Toronto
  • Yasmine Moussa - Ottawa
  • Fabrice Yoboua - Ottawa

Towards Creating an OYN Youth Engagement Strategy

After attending a youth engagement seminar hosted by United Way, there was a collective decision by the OYN crew that our project was not being true to its youth-led mantra. At the moment the Advisory Committee is the only avenue for people to get involved, and the average age of its members is above 20, [...]