Next Up

Taking place August 17-20, 2017 from 10am-5pm daily
Vancouver Maritime Museum, unceded lands of the Musqueam, Tsleil-Waututh and Squamish First Nations

Next Up and IndigenEYEZ are excited to announce the return of Indigenous Youth in Action, a free four-day leadership program that welcomes First Nations, Inuit, and Métis young adults from across Vancouver, Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland and beyond to support the social and environmental justice work participants are doing in their communities. We hope you’ll join us!

We've just announced our speakers! Read about them here.

About the program

Humanity is in an unprecedented era of creation and destruction. This program is intended for activists, leaders, educators,changemakers and individuals interested in equipping themselves with the right tools, knowledge, and community necessary to walk through this challenging time in a good way. Creating opportunities for positive, actionable change have never been more vital.

Our sessions will take on a variety of formats. We’ll explore topics including land defense, campaigns organizing, media work, and state policy in the context of Indigenous rights. Select guest speakers with in-depth experience in campaigns and indigenous sovereignty work will present in addition to our team of core facilitators.

Through group collaboration, experiential activities and culturally-appropriate use of Indigenous tradition and knowledge, participants will begin to forge a vessel in which they can all explore their fullest and widest visions of themselves and the world. We hope that each participant will leave with a clearer sense of purpose, capacity and connection to his or her vision of change.

Should I register? Yes! If you are:

• Passionate about addressing issues like climate change, Indigenous sovereignty, economic inequality and other social justice issues
• Committed to being active at the centre of social and environmental change
• Looking for new tools and knowledge to bring into your work
• Willing to take a risk and learn more about yourself and your leadership pathway

The suggested age for the program is 17-32.

What important dates do I need to know?

Thursday, August 3 - The deadline to register for the program. The electronic RSVP and participant survey must be completed by this date. Missed the registration deadline but still interested in attending? Email [email protected] 

Week of August 7 – The program coordinator will be in touch with participants regarding travel, daycare, and local accommodation support available.

Thursday, August 17 to Sunday, August 20, 2017 - The program will take place from 10am-5pm daily.

How much does it cost?

It's free! The cost of the program is about $1,300 per participant. But the program will cover those costs, with the support of our sponsors and donors.

What level of commitment is required from me?

We expect participants to attend all four days, and ask that you take the program dates off from school or work.

I live outside Vancouver. Can I still attend?

We encourage registrations from people outside of Vancouver and we will do our best to help support travel costs, and find basic accommodation space in the homes of past graduates and other community supporters. We do not have funding available for paid accommodation. We will let you know what travel funding we can offer you once registration closes.

We have limited resources available to assist participants travelling from out of province.      

Is childcare provided?

We encourage registrations from participants with children and we will provide a subsidy to parents who request support in their participant survey. 

Will food be provided?

We will provide lunches throughout the program, and refreshments throughout the day. You will be on your own for breakfast and dinner.

Where does the funding come from?

Support for Indigenous Youth in Action comes from the Vancouver Foundation, the Catherine Donnelly Foundation, and countless individual donors! We are grateful for their support!

How do I register?

The best way to register is online. Your registration will be finalized once you complete the online RSVP on this page and fill out the online participant survey. You will be directed to the participant survey once submitting the below RSVP. The participant survey contains 9 questions, and will help us deliver a program best suited to the interests and experiences of participants. The survey will also give you an opportunity to identify if you require travel, childcare, or accommodation support. Please allow yourself sufficient time to complete the survey. 

If you are having technical difficulties, or if would prefer to fill out the participant survey via mail or email, please email [email protected] for a copy of the survey questions.

The electronic RSVP and participant survey must be received by Thursday, August 3, 2017.  

Missed the registration deadline but still interested in attending? Email [email protected] 

Where can I learn more?

You can learn more about Next Up here and about the work of IndigenEYEZ here. Don't hesitate to contact Sam, the Next Up Program coordinator, if you have any questions.  

We encourage registrations from people of all genders, Two-Spirited people, and people with disabilities. We acknowledge that systemic oppression and the realities of life may make participation difficult for some, and we will do our best to assist people who want to participate.