We are thrilled to announce we will be hosting Change Your World at York U on Wednesday, April 30, 2025
The goal of the Change Your World conference is to inspire youth in Ontario to be the next generation of environmentally active citizens. We welcome high school students and their teachers to this dynamic one-day conference that brings together youth and community organizations from across Ontario to discuss, collaborate and learn how to make sustainable and equitable change in our world.
SCHOOL REGISTRATION
Calling all Ontario High Schools! Book now for your school to attend CYW 2025. Space is limited and expected to sell out early.
RESERVE SPACE FOR YOUR SCHOOL NOW
Please note: No more than 60 students per school will be accepted this year to provide access to more schools. Cost per student is $10, teachers are FREE. Any questions? Email Lily at eaction@yorku.ca
CALL FOR WORKSHOP PARTNERS
Interested in hosting a workshop at CYW 2025?
Register to host a session today!
2025 Agenda
FEATURED WORKSHOP FOR ALL STUDENTS
Passion to Profession – Exploring Green Carees for a Just and Sustainable Future
This session will provide current trends in the environmental jobs sector and discuss the rising global demands for sustainability and policy professionals. Tailored to high school students, our career experts will answer questions, such as “what is a green career?”, “what education do you need to become a leader in the sector?” and will host a panel of current eco-professionals to share how they landed their dream career.
2025 STUDENT AND TEACHER WORKSHOPS
The conference would not be possible without the support of many community partners. This year’s student workshops are provided by:
COMMUNITY PARTNER SESSIONS
| Organization | Workshop Tittle | Description |
|---|---|---|
| A Flourishing Common | Introduction to Forest Therapy | Forest therapy supports health and wellness through guided immersions in natural and semi-natural environments to promote the well-being of both people and the Earth. Forest therapy is inspired by the Japanese practice of forest bathing (shinrin yoku) which was created in the 1980s to address a national health crisis. In forest therapy walks, participants are guided through a sequence of invitations to slow down, engage with their senses, and participate with the environment in reciprocal ways. |
| ALPHA Education | The Game of Nations: Power, Peace, and the Planet | What is the relationship between environmental sustainability and peace? This workshop will give students a hands-on opportunity to learn about the interconnections between natural resources and war in the past, present, and future. Through an immersive group board game, the “Game of Nations,” students will make decisions on resource use, allocation, and procurement as leaders of separate island nations. Will they choose conflict or cooperation with others? How will climate and geography shape decisions? |
| Credit Valley Conservation | Gone Fishin’ | Participants will learn about how ecosystems are protected, monitored and restored by conservation staff at Credit Valley Conservation (CVC), about local environmental issues facing urban watersheds, and how collecting fish samples help us understand the health of our watershed. Youth will take part in a hands-on “mock” electrofishing activity where they will identify fish as indicator species to determine the health of creeks and rivers. |
| EcoSpark | Become a Citizen Scientist | Use professional equipment and handy apps to support healthy ecosystems with environmental monitoring! School Watch introduces students to the world of citizen science monitoring with on-site activities tracking Tree Benefits and local Biodiversity. Changing Currents introduces students to their local watershed and teaches them about water science through the exploration of a river or stream closest to their school. Data collected by students is contributed to public citizen science databases and can support sustainability initiatives at your school. |
| Enviromentum | How to change a mind | If you can’t change a mind — how can you be an eco-change agent? This workshop will put you in the driver’s seat, practicing evidence-based approaches to help those you communicate with to locate and walk pathways for change. Please note: This is an experiential learning workshop. Learning approaches include: *Memory Retrieval: Build learning from your own starting position. *Active use: Testing approaches with fellow students. *Debriefing: Exploring what worked and what didn’t. *Practice: Setting up a pathway for you to both see and explore how your skill in curating change can be improved beyond the workshop’s limited time. |
| Forests Ontario | Hands-On With Envirothon | Get your hands dirty with the Ontario Envirothon program! This workshop will provide some insight into this unique environmentally-themed academic competition that immerses students in hands-on learning and discovery. Led by Forests Canada, the facilitators of the Ontario Envirothon, students participating in this workshop will learn some wildlife and tree identification skills, discuss the impacts a changing climate has on forests and forestry in Ontario, and will culminate in a group activity that will get you thinking about how to tackle local issues facing our forests. |
| Headwaters Wilderness Program | Immersive conservation experiences for a better tomorrow | Going beyond high school biology class, online activism, and public demonstrations, how can on-the-ground, land-based learning develop the environmental leaders of tomorrow? Our innovative “Immersive Conservation Training Program” takes up this challenge. At this workshop, discover how “Immersive” educational programs — going into the places we’re learning about, rather than just reading about them — can help turn the tide on the climate crisis and lead to a better future for all of our planet’s species. |
| Learning for a Sustainable Future (LSF) & the Aga Khan Foundation Canada | Spark Stories & The SDGs | In this workshop, students will reflect on their personal experiences and the “spark stories” that ignite their passion for making a difference. We will explore key issues such as food security, education, sustainable cities, and life on land, and consider ways to take meaningful action. As a final reflection, we will watch a video that demonstrates how small, thoughtful actions can lead to positive change. |
| North York Community House | Unlock Change: Sustainable Crafting | This is a creative and meaningful workshop designed to inspire youth to reflect on their role in creating a sustainable and equitable world. Participants will craft keychains using paper beads that they will make from recycled materials like old magazines and newspapers, symbolizing the beauty and potential of reusing what might be considered waste. During the 15-minute activity, they will roll beads out of recycled paper, and use them to decorate their own keychains, while considering the symbolism behind their designs. The workshop includes a brief discussion about North York Community House’s mission and how volunteering can drive change, followed by a closing message emphasizing the keychain as a daily reminder of their power to carry responsibility, unlock solutions, and stay connected to their values. Through reflection, purposeful design, and storytelling, youth are encouraged to think about actionable steps for sustainability and equity. |
| Relay Education | Climate Change and Renewables | The Climate Change and Renewables workshop is designed to inspire deeper thinking of the impacts related to climate change and the use of renewable energy technology to alleviate those impacts. The main ideas discussed during the first half of the workshop are climate change adaptation in the context of climate change impacts. Students deliver live responses on questions proposed by the facilitator dealing with the different impacts of climate change. The second half of the workshop exposes students to renewable energy technology using questioning linked to the functionality of the technology. Students engage with wind turbines models and solar panels to perform hands-on experiments. Students stay engaged by answering interactive questions about both types of renewable energy sources. |
| Toronto and Region Conservation Authority | Rain to Runoff: A Stormwater Story | Where does the rain go? Follow the journey of stormwater runoff from our roads and parking lots to our waterways. Learn about the impacts of stormwater in a changing climate, and discover how to take action to protect drinking water, wildlife habitat, and more. This is an interactive presentation for teachers and students. Free resources will be shared to support climate action projects that can be organized at school or at home. |
| Toronto Youth Environmental Council | Technology and the Environmental Movement: Changing the Narrative | Technology has become both the driving and limiting force of progress in the environmental movement. From sustainable agriculture and climate prediction to the E-Waste crisis and digital energy overconsumption, this workshop explores the complex relationship between technology and the climate crisis. Through case studies and team activities, TYEC wants to foster an interactive, discussion-based workshop. Additionally, attendees will engage in a hands-on activity to develop ways to use technology for a greener future while dealing with its consequences. |
| Urban Minds | Sustainable and Equitable Streets: Redesigning Streets for a More Green and Just Community | How might street design help us create more environmentally friendly and socially just communities? In this workshop, we will invite students to think like an urban designer, landscape architect, and transportation planner! Students will work in small groups to redesign a street in their neighbourhood (perhaps the one in front of their school!). Students will learn how to assess the safety, accessibility, and sustainability of a street based on its current design and use, as well as principles and examples of great street transformations. At the end of this workshop, students will present their new and improved street designs, with a newfound understanding of how environmental and social justice can be applied to our urban infrastructure. |
| York U – EUC Ecological Footprint Initiative | Footprinting the Future: What is needed for change? | Have you ever wondered how much you consume per year? Or how much your household, neighborhood, or country consumes per year? Have you wondered if the Earth’s lands and waters can keep supplying this consumption? This is all possible to measure using the Ecological Footprint and Biocapacity accounting framework! In this session students will be introduced to the concept of Ecological Footprint and Biocapacity as a measure of sustainability. This workshop will showcase how the data has been applied to different scales, including globally, nationally, and even to your own municipality! Students will be able to interact with data, learn how the data is generated, and ask our team of world-leading expert data analysts about astonishing data points they’ve encountered. |
| York U – EUC Indigenous Justice Project (IEJ) | Listening to the Land | Description coming soon! |
| York U – EUC Professor Joshua Thienpont | Lakes and Climate Change | Description coming soon! |
| York U – EUC Professor Mahtot Gebresselassie | Transportation | Description coming soon! |
| York U – EUC Maloca Community Gardens | Regenerative Gardening as Climate Action | Seeding Gardens for Community – regenerative farming on campus and in your neighbourhoods to bring social and ecological change. This workshop gets us down and dirty with soil and seeds as we explore working with plants as climate action. |
| York U – Office of Sustainability | SDG Jeopardy | Get ready for a fun, interactive experience at our SDG Jeopardy event, where you’ll test your knowledge on everything from the 17 Sustainable Development Goals to climate action, sustainable lifestyles, and more! Join us for an engaging afternoon of trivia, teamwork, and friendly competition. Whether you’re a sustainability enthusiast or just starting to explore the SDGs, this event is a great way to learn, connect with like-minded peers, and spark new ideas for a greener, more equitable future. Bring your curiosity and team spirit—this is your chance to show what you know! |
| York U – EUC Wild Garden Media Center with Professor Lisa Myers | Creative Food Justice Workshop | This session unpacks food justice from your grocery bag. Learn about food justice in Toronto and explore the connections between social justice, and food. Participants will examine how food systems impact communities and discuss solutions for more equitable access to healthy food. As part of the Environmental Arts and Justice program, this workshop creates an introduction into food studies to help participants envision and learn more about just food systems. Perfect for activists, artists, and anyone passionate about food sovereignty and environmental advocacy. |
| Youth Climate Report | Documentary Filmmaking for the United Nations | This workshop trains participants in the filmmaking process of the UNFCCC’s Youth Climate Report. Shooting techniques, story themes, resource material, deadlines, and showcases at the annual climate summits known as the COP conferences will be examined. At the end of the workshop, participants will be ready to produce their own 3-5 minute film on climate change for this UN database. |
| YouthSpeak Charity | Empowering Minds | This youth-led interactive session will help students learn about self-care and why it is important. Youth speakers will share personal stories about navigating our current times and steps they have taken to integrate self-care practices that work for them. Students will better understand coping tools and ways to build resilience during difficult times. |
TEACHER WORKSHOPS
We have developed a professional development day for teachers attending the conference that centers on bringing environmental education into your classrooms. All teachers will participate in the following session during both workshop periods on our conference agenda:
Coming Soon
Description to Come
Integrating Climate Education in Your Curriculum: Getting Started
Learning for a Sustainable Future (LSF) will host a one-hour interactive session for teachers focused on addressing climate change in the classroom. The session will include an overview of resources for climate change education, and an activity for teachers to share ideas on how best to support and engage students in climate inquiry and action through a justice lens and make a difference in their communities.
Contact
Who
Lily Piccone
Change Your World | Event Producer | Faculty of Environmental & Urban Change