NATURAL RESOURCES FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF YOUNG CANADIANS

In the middle of what some are calling a climate crisis and what some are calling an energy crisis, it’s no secret that how Canada manages its natural resources has become a polarizing topic to discuss. Young Canadians for Resources (YCR) is a youth advocacy initiative created by students and young professionals for students and young professionals. YCR encourages young Canadians to have balanced and informed conversations about our natural resources and the environment. There are several ways YCR promotes such discussions, but three main focus areas are literacy, advocacy, and career development.

At its core, YCR, provides young people with resource literacy. If young Canadians don’t understand Canada’s resource sectors and all the positive things these sectors do for people and the environment, young Canadians can’t appreciate these sectors and become advocates for them. For this reason, YCR creates informative content on Canada’s natural resources that is made in ways that young Canadians can understand and enjoy. We regularly post blogs, infographics, short videos, and other con-

By Young Canadians for Resources

tent. We have also hosted panels, done speaker series, and recently started a podcast where we talk to leaders in Canada’s natural resource industries. What makes our content different is that it is all done by young Canadians for young Canadians. It’s not written by PhDs or industry veterans, but by young Canadians who are also just learning and who understand the importance of making information simple and digestible for people who don’t know the first thing about natural resources.

This past summer, the literacy component of our program saw new heights. We were able to take our summer students on educational field trips to places including Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park, an oil & gas drill site, and a functioning Cattle Ranch where a pipeline was also being constructed. Another literacy focused element of our program that grew to new heights this summer were our three summer student advocacy team competitions. Firstly, the case competition had students research and propose their solutions for addressing Canada’s federal oil & gas emissions cap. Secondly, the Dragons Den competition had students propose their resource advocacy campaign ideas to executives from downtown Calgary to develop unique ways to reach young Canadians. Lastly, students adopted the perspectives of different countries and attempted to develop resolutions on balancing global energy security with emission reductions in our Model United Nations.

Once young Canadians feel comfortable and informed talking about Canadian natural resources, YCR provides them opportunities to spread awareness for natural resources through advocacy. An example of one such campaign we did last year was to “Choose Canadian Energy, not war oil”, which has received more than 12,000 signatures on change. org. An example of a more recent campaign we have been working on is a series of videos on university campuses across Canada where we do trivia with students to see what they know about Canadian natural resources and maybe share a few things with them they didn’t know.

Finally, YCR is working to address labour shortage concerns by attracting more young professionals into resource jobs. YCR provides a career development space for young Canadians hoping to find work in natural resources. By giving young Canadians a space where they can work on projects like presenting at our summer competitions or creative writing skills through blog writing, YCR provides a space for young Canadians to develop soft skills they may not have the opportunity to prac- tice in school or at their summer jobs. YCR also provides young Canadians with plenty of opportunities to network with senior executives and hiring managers in the resource sector at our own events and at the various industry conferences we send young Canadians to.

If you or anyone you know would be interested in getting involved with YCR, the best way to start is by checking out our website, following us on our social media (@ycresources), and by attending events. We have representation from across Canada, but if you’re struggling to find an invent in your area, reach out to us. We are always looking for new ambassadors for our organization! ✘