In this episode of the SDG Series of Between Two Flags, hosts Sophia and Grant had the pleasure of speaking with two Generation SDG alumni, Mashkura Tabussum Tathoye and Daniel Bersyniow. Mashkura and Daniel share their perspectives on how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected them, their service initiatives, and their vision for what a post-COVID-19 world will look like for youth.
The Low Waste Project
The Star of Life Project
UNA-Canada
Generation SDG
Sophia Mirzayee 0:00
You're listening to the SDG Series of Between Two Flags; a bilingual podcast series for the United Nations Association in Canada. UNA-Canada's mandate is to educate and engage Canadians on the work of the UN and international issues of importance to us all.
Grant Mask 0:00
On this podcast, guests discuss a wide range of issues related to the Sustainable Development Goals and the UN's work. The 17 SDGs are a global call for action providing a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity, for people and the planet. Tag us as you listen with #BetweenTwoFlags
Sophia Mirzayee 0:00
Hi everyone and welcome to today's episode of Between Two Flags with UNA-Canada. I'm one of your hosts, Sophia,
Grant 0:12
and my name is Grant, and it's our pleasure to introduce Mashkura Tabussum Tathoye, and Daniel Bersyniow. It's a pleasure to have you with us. Daniel, how are you doing today?
Daniel 0:23
I'm doing very well. And I'm really glad to be here today. So, I want to thank all the hosts for this wonderful opportunity.
Grant 0:31
Thank you, Daniel. And how are you doing, Mashkura?
Mashkura 0:34
It's my pleasure to be here. And I want to thank all the hosts for having us.
Grant 0:40
Thank you for being here. Both Mashkura and Daniel participated in the Generation SDG program as youth SDG ambassadors. For anyone who may not be familiar with the Seneration SDG program, Generation SDG is a youth volunteer program designed to help grow global citizens and activate civic engagement by building youth capacity to take meaningful action on issues that are important to them within their communities, and to support youth action on the SDGs.
Sophia Mirzayee 1:07
Yes, and actually, the Generation SDG program is now in its third cohort, which is super exciting. From what I know about both of you, Mashkura and Daniel is you were both actually Youth Ambassadors in the very first cohort of the Gen SDG program. So you're both basically OG ambassadors, which is pretty cool, because this is our very first episode of the Gen SDG series. And we just happened to have two OG ambassadors on with us. Now, I want to start with you Mashkura. Can you tell us a little bit more about yourself, and what your experience was like in the Generation SDG program? Because I'm curious to know.
Mashkura 1:49
Yeah, for sure. So I initially joined the Generation SDG thinking it was model UN, but I wasn't sure what I was really getting myself into. When I went to my first camp, I guess the first time we I met everyone, it was very nerve-wracking because I really didn't know anyone. We did a lot of breakout games. And I was able to meet a lot of amazing,SDG ambassadors and people who were just very passionate and to learn and to be informed of the Sustainable Development Goals and get an in depth understanding of the 17 SDGs that many countries are trying to reach by 2030 is a great opportunity that not everyone gets. And I've been very fortunate enough to be part of the first cohort, and be in person and really see each other and experience the whole program. And I started my own initiative through the SDG. And I'm still continuing it. So yeah, and I hope to continue it as I go through life throughout the years.
Sophia Mirzayee 2:53
I actually want to ask you a question about your initiative, can you tell our listeners about what your initiative was and how you decided that that's what you wanted to focus on, because you could have chosen to do anything, right?
Mashkura 3:07
During grade 10. That's when I was notified of this new program. I was actually doing my business summative in school, my grade 10 business summative. And we were to create either business or social enterprise, something as your final project. And mine was the Low Waste Project, which I created and presented in front of my teachers. And, you know, given the opportunity of starting my own initiative, I thought it was the idea to actually carry out the Low Waste Project, as I already had knowledge of it. So from everything I could have chosen, it was kind of like my business class really did teach me something. And I'm forever grateful for that assignment. I don't really like assignments, but I guess this one really worked out for me.
Sophia Mirzayee 3:53
Awesome! Thank you for sharing that. And I actually wanted to make a quick note, because you mentioned that your initiative is the Low Waste Shop or the Low Waste Project. And it's interesting, because when I first joined the Generation SDG team, I obviously wanted to learn as much as I could about what had been done in Cohort One because I was coming in in Cohort Two. And so I was looking at the UN dashboards and looking at the different initiatives, and your initiative was the very first one that I clicked and read about. So and I and I have a very clear memory of reading about your initiatives and being like, Oh my God, this girl, Mashkura. She's doing such amazing work. And anytime someone asks me to give an example of one of the youth initiatives, I always mentioned your Low Waste Shop like that's the first thing that comes into mind. So just wanted to throw that in there because, yeah there's a little connection between you and I even before we met today,
Grant 4:56
Mashkura, you mentioned that you felt very fortunate to be a part of this program and to have the opportunity to participate, but I just wanted to say I think the program is very fortunate to have you as well. And I wanted to ask you, so I understand that you started this initiative a couple years ago now. But can you tell us a little bit more about what you're doing with project now? I understand that you're still actively working on it.
Mashkura 5:17
Yeah, so the Low Waste Project initially started off with engaging youth in various workshops and events. But as the pandemic hit, we were faced with a lot of challenges of not being able to host these workshops in person, obviously, so we had to shift to this online setting. However, we were able to do a lot of fun activities, even over Zoom as well as in person. So a few months ago, we actually hosted our electronic recycling event where we collected a waste and refurbish them to donate it back to our community. So we collaborated with a company based in Vancouver, but they have offices all around Canada. So it was a great opportunity to be working with Canadian based companies on this initiative, where we're able to actually help our community as well as you know, focus on the Sustainable Development Goals as we're not throwing away all these electronic waste, as they produce a lot of toxic chemicals in the landfills. So it was great. We collected over 3000 items, and we're able to refurbish about 1500 and donated back to our community, it was a great initiative for everyone in our community to get involved in. But at the moment, we're actually doing a Plant Aid fundraising event Plant Aid, it's like you're helping plants, who are selling various vegetable or plants to raise money to actually help with deforestation, habitat loss. And again, we have collaborated with two companies. One is Plantables, who are helping us with the plants were receiving. And another one is One Tree Planted will be helping us with the planting of the actual trees and Ontario. So it's been going great. It's an ongoing event. And it has been two weeks and we've raised a lot of money. So far, I haven't counted how much. But I know we're very close to our goal, and we're gonna smash our 1000 trees, I hope to continue such initiatives as I go throughout the rest of university. And my life probably.
Sophia Mirzayee 7:20
That's amazing. I love that the pandemic has not slowed you down whatsoever, you're still continuing the mission of your project, and coming up with innovative ways to make it work even with the limitations of a pandemic. So really nice to get to know more about you and learn a little bit more about your initiative. Daniel, same thing. Tell us about yourself, tell us how you got involved with Generation SDG and what your initiative was focused on.
Unknown Speaker 7:49
Hello, everyone, my name is Daniel and I'm a grade 12 student here in Ottawa, I joined Generation SDG because of the saying that I've gone by my entire life "change doesn't happen by chance, it happens by choice". And this really was a driving factor. For me, as a youth, I really wanted to play a hands on role in helping my community and Generation SDG was a once in a lifetime opportunity where it inspired me to go out there gave me tools that I could use. And most of all, it was a program that really helped guide youth with these ambitions and dreams. And I was really, really happy with all the new people I got to meet. And all the experiences that I've had getting to work with so many like minded and change makers has just been phenomenal. Currently, I'm still working on my initiative, the Star of Life Project, we have now grown to an international level and have branches in over four countries around the world. We work towards one simple mission, and that mission is to ensure that all youth around the world have access to proper health care. Throughout our journey, we've worked with the Royal Hospital on mental health initiatives during COVID. Just recently, we had an interview with the CTV News about our latest initiative, where we were able to raise over 10,000 masks for rural Indigenous schools around Ontario, Nunavut and Quebec. And we're just hoping to continue the work we do inspiring youth to take action in their own communities, and most importantly, building towards a better tomorrow.
Grant 9:27
Daniel, I just wanted to say I really resonated with what you said there, "change doesn't happen by chance. It happens by choice." It seems like even in the face of the pandemic, your initiatives are growing. And I just wanted to thank you for all the effort that you've put into your work over the last couple years. And I wanted to say that that's really impressive. I think that the Generation SDG program is very fortunate to have had both of you as participants in the program. And both of you are a fantastic example of how young people can really make a difference.
Daniel 9:57
Thank you and I definitely agree and that was one of the highlights about Generation SDG. It was that it was giving youth the opportunity to take that change into their own hands, giving them the opportunity to dream big and to make their dreams a reality through the mentorship program through all the resources and trainings, and most of all, through inspiring them to believe.
Grant 10:20
Daniel, I understand that after your first year as an Ambassador, you also decided to come back and volunteer as an Impact Mentor for the Generation SDG program. Can you tell us a little bit more about your experience as an impact mentor?
Daniel 10:34
One of the key things I believe is you need to play a hands on role. And this was an opportunity for me to take the knowledge and experience that I learned for the program, and pass it on to others and help them achieve success with whatever project they wanted to do. It was personally a really, really great opportunity, I got to meet so many new people. And it was really inspiring to see other young people continue to try to make the world a better place. Seeing all the projects, and all the hard work and dedication really brings hope for me for a better future. And I would suggest anyone that's interested in being an Impact Mentor or joining the program should, it's a once in a lifetime opportunity. And it really does make a long lasting impact on your community.
Sophia Mirzayee 11:19
I think what you just said was said so eloquently and accurately, I love that the Generation SDG program was able to provide you with you know, this collectivity where you felt like you were being supported where you felt like you were being given resources and motivation. And you were seeing other young people be on that path with you at the same time. So that's amazing. Thank you for sharing that. Daniel, I really appreciate your perspective on that. So let's shift gears a little bit and talk about the pandemic. You know, this pandemic has, I think, really overstayed its welcome. And anytime I have conversations with people, the pandemic COVID-19, you know vaccinations, it always comes up, it's almost inevitable. And so I'm sure both of you are probably at this point, sick and tired of hearing about the pandemic or talking about the pandemic. But with that being said, I really do think that it's important to get a youth perspective on COVID-19 and the impacts of COVID-19, especially because youth are very unique group in the general population. And so I would assume that the pandemic has had some unique challenges for you. So my next question, and perhaps we can start with you Mashkura is how has the experience of being in a pandemic? What has that been like for you over the past year or so? And how have you been able to cope?
Mashkura 12:49
Well, I don't think the pandemic as people look at it is a disadvantage. I would say that there are obviously disadvantages, but from my point of view, I saw a lot of opportunities. And I took the initiative take advantage, I would say and be resourceful of those opportunities, even though we're at the worst that can happen in this world that we make sure that we do our best. So it did affect me in the sense that there were some issues with my grades. But I did bounce back in grade 12. And I was able to maintain really good marks and get into an amazing school and pursue the program I have dropped off since grade 10, which also aligns with my passion for the Sustainable Development Goals as I have always wanted to do something related as well as something in the engineering and pursued a program called architectural engineering, which really focuses on building structures with the concept of sustainability and conservation. So I'm very passionate and driven about that. But being able to take advantage of these resources and inspire people has been the highlight of my pandemic, I would say there were downfalls and it was stressful at times. However, I am grateful for what opportunities I was given. And I hope to continue with it with whatever challenges I face in the future.
Sophia Mirzayee 14:12
Thank you for sharing that. I certainly agree that this pandemic has impacted people in so many different ways. You know, Daniel, I want to throw out the same question what has your experience been like it over the past year or so with the pandemic? How have you been able to cope and adapt during this time?
Daniel 14:29
When I first started high school, I never expected my grade 12 year to be like it was this year, it's definitely been a challenge. It's definitely been difficult for everyone in the community. But in light of the difficulties. I think it also helped show the best in our community as well. Seeing people going out of their way to help others. even looking at the little things in life has been enlightening. And I think that this pandemic as much as it has affected people negatively. It's also helped strengthen family bonds. It's helped strengthen the power of friendship. And most of all, I think it's really brought a lot of unique opportunities to people. I know, at least for us with the Star of Life Project, one of the key things that we never thought of doing until the pandemic was virtual check-ins, virtual activities. And we realize that for a lot of retirement homes and hospitals, virtual activities are much more accessible than in person activities. And we're hoping that we can learn from this pandemic, see what works and what didn't work. And hopefully, when it's over, have a hybrid of all the things that work before the pandemic and that work during the pandemic, to create a better system to be able to impact our communities. I know for me, personally, school has been tough. I really enjoy seeing people, I really enjoy talking to people and having to stay home for most of my academic year has been challenging. But that being said, I have tried to make the best of it, seeing friends on Zoom instead of in person trying out different games, and just overall trying to look at the good and focus on the positives in my life.
Sophia Mirzayee 16:09
So I'm really happy to hear that both of you have been doing well despite everything and that you're trudging forward. And I personally feel like the pandemic has uncovered a lot of very deep seated issues in our community. Mashkura, you kind of talked a little bit about this. And I think it showed us that there are a whole lot of problems that we've got to work through. And the pandemic has not only revealed these historical, deep-seated issues, political, social, economic, environmental, but has also really exasperated them. And sometimes for me, it can be pretty overwhelming to see just the sheer amount of issues that we need to work through, right. But then on the other hand, as a Community Liaison working with the Gen SDG program, working with Youth Ambassadors, like yourselves, I've been so impressed by all of the incredibly innovative creative solutions and projects that young people have put forward and have taken on and really championed. And so at the same time, there's this incredible hope within me. And I really think that young people like yourselves are so capable, smart. You have so much potential, so many talents, so many skills, so much to offer. And I truly believe that youth should be at the forefront of creating a post-COVID world, you know, so what I want to ask you both now and we can start with Mashkura is how do you think young people can best contribute to the recovery efforts post-COVID? And what do you see the role of youth being?
Mashkura 17:42
So I think the best youth can do is try their best to get involved as much as possible, whether it be at a community scale, it doesn't have to be in person, it could be online, or over the phone. For example, I actually volunteered for Operation Ramzieh where I worked as I volunteered as crisis relief as part of a crisis relief team where I volunteered as a phone intake volunteer where I would answer calls, and I'd take orders for relief kits. So it's just a little things that you can do from literally the comfort of your home that makes a difference. Obviously, if you want to get involved in your community and do something hands on, that makes an impact with the situation of COVID-19. That's also great. However, I think we shouldn't forget the fact that there are issues other than COVID-19 continuing to impact us COVID doesn't stop global warming or climate change it doesn't end poverty. A lot of people seem to disregard those issues during this pandemic. However, as it's progressing, and as the vaccines are rolling out, and there have been improvements, a lot of youth have taken the initiative to tackle such issues. For example, I have with my initiative where we're doing a Plant Aid fundraising event. And you can see that the shift off from doing an initiative that's related to COVID itself in helping the community by playing various electronic gears to now shifting towards helping the environment to recover from the devastating impact of the Coronavirus is something that youth can do. Not everyone has to do an initiative and whatnot. You can just do something in this small scale where you donate to an organization that will do the work for you or you hang out with, you know, a senior home over Zoom or get involved in other initiatives as honestly in your community and there are many, so just ways youth can definitely get involved is through various virtual and in-person opportunities. And I think a little bit of Google researching can definitely help you with that and as well as social media. Definitely.
Sophia Mirzayee 19:52
I like that you mentioned that, you know, you don't need to go too far to do something because I think sometimes There's this misconception that you need to put in all this time and this effort in order to make a difference in some way, when in reality, there's a lot that you can accomplish without even needing to leave your house. Right? That it's actually a lot easier than it might sound and that there are already a lot of projects that are youth-led a lot of initiatives within the community that are youth-led, so people can easily join those projects that are already up and going and in support them and and get started right? All you have to do is get started. The same question to you, Daniel, what do you see being the role of young people in a post-COVID world? How can young people best contribute to the recovery process?
Daniel 20:47
Youth may only be 20% of our present, but they are 100% of our future. And youth are the dreamers of tomorrow. They're the ones that aspire to build a better Canada and a better world. And I think this is a great opportunity for them to bring these dreams and aspirations into reality. It's a time for us as a community to rebuild, but to rebuild with the visions of our youth. Now, these visions can be grand, or they can be small. But the end goal is to create synergy within our community and within our country. And I think it's important for youth to remember that when they talk about volunteering, when they talk about impacting others, something as simple as smiling and saying hello to someone who maybe haven't seen in a good six or eight months can make their day, as long as what you're doing is in the best interest of others, and you're trying your best to put your best foot forward. I think I think that's what counts. Everyone has different aspirations. Everyone has different goals. But if we all work towards one idea, one generation, one world, I think we can accomplish anything. That being said, I do think that it is important for youth to get back out there once the pandemic is over. To play a hands on role, we've done quite a bit of virtual activities. But personally, I feel there's nothing better, or more satisfying than actually going out to community and helping someone out and playing a hands on role throughout the throughout the community, especially for us during this time. One of the projects that we started back in September is called Wishing Star now at our school, we're one of the four schools in Ottawa that has a ASD programs on autism spectrum program for students. And for those students, it's been really tough. And it's been really difficult. So we started a program to do activities with them. And we're hoping that when the pandemic resides, we'll be able to take these activities that we did virtually, and actually do them in-person. These included activities like Zumba, crafts, baking, but we feel it's important to reconnect with those who haven't seen in quite a while and let others know around you that you're there for them that you care.
Grant 23:02
Thank you so much for sharing that insight with us, Daniel, and I have to agree wholeheartedly with you. I think one thing that I've learned, even just in the brief amount of time that we've been having this discussion is youth are very capable of finding solutions to address very complex problems that we're facing in the world. And even during a pandemic, it seems that both of you have taken these challenges and really spun it in a positive way, almost like you're looking at it as though it's an opportunity to really do work that is meaningful, where there is a need. And Daniel I'm just thinking that must be very interesting, like creating an initiative to ensure that all youth have access to proper health care a couple of years ago, and then suddenly were thrust into a pandemic. I think that that's just really fascinating. And in many ways, I imagine that your initiative has just continued to become more and more relevant. Mashkura you mentioned Plant Aid and helping to plant trees, and during a time where issues of climate change, global warming our biodiversity loss, you know, there's there's not often a lot of good news out there, I'm really impressed that both of you have found inspiration and courage to continue to seize this opportunity to do something about it. And while there are obviously many challenges and negative aspects to COVID-19, I've heard some say that there's also a silver-lining. And what I mean is due to the pandemic, the space in which we meet and have discussions has shifted to a virtual space. And this has enabled people to participate in conferences, webinars, podcasts *laughs*, any virtual opportunities, which they may not have otherwise had an opportunity to participate in. And there has been a lot of discussion about how we won't necessarily return to normal, but rather will return to a new normal because it's likely that after the pandemic young people may continue to study, work and volunteer from home. And I have another question for you both. Perhaps we could start with Mashkura What role do you think technology could play in the recovery efforts post COVID-19? How do you think we can continue to take something like the pandemic and how it has shifted us to a virtual format, how can we use this as an opportunity to help connect more with other people and to encourage others to also take leadership roles in working toward the Sustainable Development Goals?
Mashkura 25:16
I'm so happy you asked this question because I have done so many things personally. And with my initiative that addresses the advantage. And the opportunities are available through technology, especially in the generation where, you know, technology is so prominent and incredibly important in our lives, from social media to news, everything, nowadays we do is dependent on the small device in our hand and the computers and laptops we surround ourselves with. One of the greatest advantages of social media, I would say firstly is that you could see the positive impact of how social media has helped with the COVID-19 efforts. For example, if I would like to connect it to I'm guessing, Daniel, I'm not sure. Not sure how Daniel actually collected the people. I'm sure social media played a role where he attracted a lot of people to donate to this initiative. Similar to mine, when I was hosting that electronic e-waste event. I was able to attract a lot of people from all over Ottawa donate to my initiative. So to take advantage of just technology and social media itself, it was able to help carry out our projects. Another thing I would say is that with COVID, you'll realize that literally everything is possible in Zoom. You can have live concerts, you can meet your favorite celebrity, you can have school, and maybe it's not the best experience. But the point is, you know it's feasible. And this means that there are a vast amount of opportunities for people all over the world now. A funny funny example is that I took a course at Yale over quarantine because it was offered for free. And a lot of my friends were just joking around. And we took a course at Yale University because it was offered online and it was free. And we were just amazed by how you could say that, hey, I study at Yale, but not really. But you could just see that the opportunities you're given when you're faced with such challenges and how our community and the world comes together to seize everything that we're faced with. Definitely moving forward, I think a lot of the work we do won't be limited to in-person now that we see how versatile we can work with technology, and how you can really do pretty much everything online. I don't think there will be a lot of barriers for a lot of communities and also nations to collaborate over whether it be Zoom and whether someone from Bangladesh or India, you know, want to meet with someone in Canada and do an initiative together. I don't think there is a barrier to that any more. Obviously, there are circumstances. But I think through the pandemic, that's what I realized. And on a personal note, when I hosted an online event where we actually cooperated with an sustainable influencer from Italy. She lives in Italy. And we had this huge online event where we had participants from all over the world, learn about sustainable fashion and secondhand shopping. And then at the end, we did we did a workshop together where the participants brought like, we made a coffee scrub everyone made like a little coffee scrub with her like well, coffee and like sugar. And it's really easy to make. So everyone did that. And we did like international giveaway type of thing. So it just goes to show that we were able to really branch off and on an international level with our initiative and connect with people from all over the world we had people from then we had people from obviously America as well as like Chile, Portugal, India. So it was really incredible to see all these people coming together to learn about the same issues that are affecting themselves as well as the world as a whole. So yeah, I think technology will play an immense role moving forward. And I'm really excited to see what we do with technology and how it really changes the way we live at the moment.
Sophia Mirzayee 29:30
Absolutely, it's almost like it's broadened your horizons even more, I certainly have met so many people and taken advantage of a lot of opportunities that would not simply would not have existed pre pre-COVID because they all shifted online. So I love that through your initiative, you were able to collaborate with people on an international level. So in many ways, you know your opportunities actually open up in a sense
Grant 30:01
I really appreciate the perspective that you shared with us, Mashkura. And especially when we're interested in the Sustainable Development Goals, you know, these are pressing issues that they don't just concern us on a local level or a national level. We're facing these issues internationally. However, we do have to act locally. I think in a relatively short span of time, we have been forced to really explore the virtual world and our virtual opportunities. And I agree with you completely, that this has been a phenomenal opportunity for society to to explore these new tools, especially when we're trying to make progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. And we want to become more connected. And we want to, you know, inform others about the importance of these issues and help support them to get involved too. I think that technology has provided a wonderful opportunity for us to be able to connect with people on a much broader scale. So I really appreciate that perspective that you shared with us, Mashkura. And I wanted to also ask your thoughts, Daniel. So what role do you think technology could play in the recovery efforts post COVID-19? How do you think we can seize this opportunity to try to do more where the Sustainable Development Goals and to make the world a better place?
Daniel 31:15
I think one of the key things that we need to consider is what the benefits of technology were, and are. And throughout this pandemic, we've seen people be able to connect from around the world and connect on different levels, not just in-person, and I think in-person is definitely a different. It's definitely very different from online. But at least with me and our team at the Star of Life Project, we were able to host meetings with people from around the world, people from Poland, people from Israel, people from the Philippines, and being able to have so many different youth from around the world, all in one place, all working together for one common goal, it permitted us to bring so many different perspectives to the table that we would otherwise not have been able to bring. And I think that's one of the most important things about what technology has done in this pandemic, it has helped change makers connect with other change makers. It has helped like-minded organizations work together, it has helped make partnerships between others. And I think that's something that we need to continue doing in the long run, whether it's having online activities and seminars and webinars for people to come learn and explore whether it's having Slack groups or Slack channels, where different organizations can come together and brainstorm solutions to current world issues. Technology is a key role in finding solutions because it connects us, and it helps us bring those solutions abroad. For example, one of our initiatives, with letter writing again, we would not have been able to write 500 handwritten letters to four different retirement homes. But having the ability to scan them to work online, helped us have a greater impact. Because we were able to reach more people.
Grant 33:17
I really appreciate the perspective that you shared with us too, Daniel, and and I'm continually inspired at how both of you are continuing to look at these challenges and spin them in a positive way. I think it's really inspiring. And it's setting a great example for others out there about how we can really take something like COVID-19 and try to seize the opportunities that are coming from it rather than just thinking about the challenges. But the challenges are very real, too. And I know that earlier on in the call, it was mentioned that youth, you know may not be as successful learning in a virtual setting, for example. And I was just curious to ask you, what issues do you think young people will continue to face even after we get through the worst of the pandemic?
Daniel 34:01
I think there are a lot of different factors at play here. Everyone's situation is different. Everyone has been affected by the pandemic, in a different manner. And I think there are going to be a lot of long-term issues, especially when it comes to, like you said, education. I know at least for me, online learning has not been easy. I am someone that does much better with an in-person lesson. And it's definitely been a challenge. But there are also different challenges that we have to consider as well. Social challenges with people not seeing others for such a long time, the mental health crisis and it's unbelievable what is going on, specifically within our youth but also with in our communities. We see so many local businesses going out and not being able to recover from this and I think there will be a long-term impact on everyone. This pandemic has changed me and I think it's changed a lot of us but I think one thing we need to consider is what we want to do moving forward. Instead of focusing on what we missed out on, maybe focusing on what we can do in the future is a better outlook. And I think one of the key things that youth can do is just be there to support one another. If you haven't spoken to a friend, give them a call and check up on them, let others know that you're there and try and try and try to be supportive with those around you and aware, because a lot of times people are going through things that you don't know. And even if you don't see it, being there to support people and letting them know that they have a friend, and you can really make the difference for a lot of people.
Grant 35:36
I just really quickly wanted to say I really appreciate how the focus of this conversation has been very much on the solutions. Even when I asked you what are some of the lasting challenges you see, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic? Daniel, the response was that there are challenges, but there are also opportunities. Hearing that perspective from young people is incredibly inspiring. And I think that we all have a lot to learn from individuals such as yourself. So Mashkura, I also wanted to ask you for your thoughts on this, what are some of the challenges that you see that will be lasting as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic?
Mashkura 36:09
I would say that the greatest challenge youth who face even though we're so resilient, definitely is the mental health perspective and how it is impacting us. For a lot of the youth, this is a great impact, it will have a long lasting impact in their future and how it really shapes your future. Some people's career paths have been chosen due to the pandemic, you know, they were inspired by a different career path that they never thought they would pursue, there was an increase in Nursing and Health Science applicants. And you wonder why. And it's because of this pandemic, that there was an increase. And there are more people going into STEM and this huge increase in the positivity of more women in STEM and people going into health science and whatnot. But one of the greatest challenges has been the mental health effects. I think I have seen it kind of firsthand knowing that I'm constantly on Reddit. And every time I scroll through, it's just complaints and complaints of how youth, especially high school students, are at their breaking point with not being able to cope with the effects of this new quadmester model, university students just not having that social interaction with other students. And this falling behind in classes and not being able to stay motivated is definitely the greatest challenge. And there have been studies that shows that there will be a huge dropout rate, by the end of when we finish university, as a lot of the students who are admitted it was a lot of issues with grade inflation, and just people just applying to many programs that they didn't really feel passionate about, or that they just wanted to do it for the sake of doing it. And there's a lot of discussions on that. And it will greatly impact your career goals, I believe. However, on the positive side, I think it was Daniel mentioned, it creates a lot of opportunities for youth to also know that there is a lot beyond this world and what you're limited to, you're able to collaborate with people and learn about the world, just from the comfort of your home, and you're able to see everything in front of you now. And you can do, you can study at any university from just home at this point. So you're not limited as much as I would say, you will be faced with the challenge. And the thing is, youth adapt. And I've seen that how fast people can adapt. And if there's one group, it's youth, they can adapt, they have adapted so quickly. And of course, there's a small group that will face the challenges, but I feel us the vast majority has been able to adapt to the situations. And really, I would say take advantage of the opportunities that they were given and really harness the power of whatever opportunities they were faced with and challenges that they were again faced with. But yeah, I think the challenges will I would say not overpower the opportunities they will have in the long run. But yeah, with every pandemic or every devastating impact, there is a long lasting effect that will impact people in the future. But I think there are also opportunities that people have been granted and they will be able to see those. If they focus on that point in the positive perspective.
Grant 39:22
I think that the word you use "adaptation" is such a key word right now. And I think that you're absolutely right that our young people are extremely capable of adapting to learning on new platforms or studying in a different way. This is a call to action for many youth. And it seems that there's no hesitation for today's youth to really want to step in and get involved and make a difference. And I think that that is just really powerful and motivating and inspiring to know that we have young people who haven't caused issues like climate change, for example, but you're willing to step in and take steps to make a difference in a positive way. So I just wanted to say that I really appreciate how both of you have seized this opportunity to really take on a leadership role to make a difference towards the SDGs. And not only for yourselves, but also you're role-models for your peers as well. And for those who are following in your footsteps.
Sophia Mirzayee
Absolutely. And this kind of leads into our second last question. And I think it's a really important one. How do you think we can better support young people who want to create positive change in their communities? Whether it be on a local, national or international level? And how can we convince people to take youth seriously and allow them to step into real leadership roles, because what is very clear from this discussion that we've been having so far, is that youth are capable, they've got a lot to offer. And they are really, really, really committed to taking on challenges, and coming up with ways to build a more sustainable future. And so I'm really interested to know what policymakers you know, NGOs, parents, what everyone can do in order to help build youth capacity and support them?
Daniel
I think one of the most important things that we can do is to encourage them to think outside of the box to encourage them to believe and to dream. A lot of times solutions come from challenging the impossible. And I think that's one of the most important things we can do letting youth know that their ideas are valued, that their ideas will be taken seriously. And most of all, providing them with opportunities like Generation SDG to build upon those ideas. Once we were once we're able to actually provide youth with a means to bring those ideas to life. I think that's when we can truly say that we're successful, this pandemic has highlighted youth and their capability to make change. And hopefully moving forward, both different NGOs, government organizations can realize that, and have youth take part in more decision making. I know that Ottawa has a youth council. And I think that there should be more opportunities for youth to voice their concerns, and also their solutions to different governments and to different organizations. Because the key aspect is finding solutions. And I think if we give youth a platform to talk about what they want to see, but not only to talk about the issues, but the solutions will be able to create a better future. So hopefully more programs like Generation SDG can come up maybe even schools can run similar type programs for students that are interested in making change, and just encouraging students to get out there, try new things, and most of all play a hands on role in their community.
Sophia Mirzayee
Absolutely, I definitely agree that there are a lot of ways that youth are being supported. Generation SDG is a good example of that. But there is still a lot more that can be done. So Mashkura, do you want to chime in and add your two cents to this discussion as well?
Mashkura
Yeah, for sure. It's funny that Daniel brings up how schools can do it. And I've actually been working with the OCDSB board on this initiative, it's going to carry out within the next year, but we're working with youth Ottawa to actually create, because we have a civics and careers class. And what we're doing is we're focusing a lot of the careers classes towards the social enterprises, or NGOs, where youth can really be creative and do what they love while making a social impact. So the role I played was that I really create, I created this whole curriculum that focuses on my initiative and how I got involved, what resources and everything that Generation SDG provided me, and just highlighting the fact that we're joining such initiatives like Generation SDG, and the impact you can make in someone's life. I mean, I came from a country facing crisis of poverty and whatnot. And I was surrounded by all these generators, and garbage bags, and all these things, just my house, it was nothing like what I live now. And to see that contrasting difference in these two worlds, and know that the opportunities we're given are something that we should really, really be appreciative of, is really important. And I think that the way our school board OCDSB is taking on the initiative of inspiring youth to get involved when they're like 13-14 is really important as they're at the point of their life, where they're the most creative, and they want to get involved, and they have all these ideas, but don't feel that their voices are being heard. But when your school board and a class that is mandatory to take is really pushing you and challenging you to be creative and do whatever you want and present it and not be judged. I think that's when youth can really show what they're capable of. And in terms of how to involve youth, I would say that, again. It's really based on your community and what they provide. For example, I'm part of the Orleans Youth Council where we sit with the MP, every month and we discuss issues that are currently happening in our communities and what's going well what we can do and I never feel that my voice, you know, it's not important everything we say all the youth, they say they're in high school, university, and everything's being taken seriously, because these are issues that are happening in our community. So there has been a huge improvement in how youth are being seen. And I think that's a great thing, because I don't think a lot of youth feel the same anymore. And they really know that youth can make a difference. And I believe Daniel would agree with me that, you know, we have been given opportunities, and I believe my generation really feels that we can make a difference. And we're not afraid of embarking upon challenges and really facing those politicians and be scared, we're not, we're not afraid. And we're worried Well, we're willing to do it, if that's what it takes.
Sophia Mirzayee
That's amazing. I feel like there's so many different things that I want to respond to that both of you touched on. But I feel like that would add another like hour to our conversation. So I don't want to do that. But both of you did mention schools and Mashkura, you mentioned curriculum, I love that you're going in that route for your initiative as well, to get it, you know, integrated into the classroom space. That's something that I personally am so so passionate about youth social action, I think ultimately, what would be amazing is if we can have these sorts of discussions in classrooms on a regular basis, so that you don't have to just rely on NGOs, like UNA-Canada to create these sorts of initiatives that you actually become exposed to local, national, international issues in the classroom and you collaborate at school to create solutions. So that it's part of the framework that we use to teach young people and allow them this space on a day to day basis to learn and to grow and to propose solutions and to understand what works and what doesn't work in terms of tackling issues. So that I think is still a ways off, you know, because the education system is very slow to change. But it's fantastic for me to hear that things are moving forward that you do feel like they are capable and supported in sharing their ideas. That's fantastic. Mashkura and Daniel, thank you for sharing your thoughts and insights. And this is, in fact, the last question that I will be asking tonight. I feel like we've covered so much, this has been such a rich and deep conversation. I'm very, very happy that I got to be a part of it. And the last question Mashkura and Daniel, do you have any closing thoughts for our listeners?
Mashkura
I would say to anyone listening to this podcast that you shouldn't be afraid of embarking upon a journey you may be afraid of. I was definitely afraid, I never thought a school's business summative would turn into something so grand and something that I'll forever be grateful for. The timing of everything was great. And the opportunities you're given are for a reason. And you should definitely focus on those opportunities. Because not everyone is given those and to be able to use those opportunities to your advantage and realize that your career goal is what that becomes is truly inspiring. So just follow, I would say this is cliche, but just follow what you're truly passionate about and follow your heart because there's a reason you feel that way. And you should definitely follow that route no matter what people say. People face criticism all the time. But that's a part of life. But if you're truly passionate about something, the end result will be great, and no one will be able to stop you. I think if you're interested in learning more about my initiative, you can follow it on Instagram. The handle is on @the.Low.Waste.Project. So it's just the Low Waste Project but with dots acting as the spaces. We post a lot about our initiative and the one that's going right now and it'll be great to see if you want to get engaged in the future and our plans and workshop.
Sophia Mirzayee
Thank you for sharing some information about your initiative and how our listeners can get connected with the work that you do. That's fantastic. Daniel, do you want to chime in?
Daniel
I think for everyone listening today, I just want to kind of reiterate what MK said, it's important for you to get out there to believe in yourself and to dream. Nothing is done unless you think outside of the box and you try new things. Fail is an abbreviation that most people have a negative connotation to. But if you think about it, fail stands for the "first attempt in learning". You can never succeed if you don't try. So for everyone listening, put your best foot out there trying new things. Don't be afraid to make mistakes, learn from them, go back at it and just try to make the best of things. If you guys are interested in helping out with the Star of Life Project working within your communities to make sure that everyone has access to health care whether it's mental health resources, vaccination campaigns, raising funds for different countries abroad or different provinces, please do check us out at www.StarofLife.ca. You can also find us on Instagram as well StarofLife_Project, we're always looking for more members and more teammates to be able to continue to work the work we do. And hopefully you guys will be able to make an impact your community as well.
Sophia Mirzayee
And just a reminder for our listeners that we will include all of this information, all the links that were mentioned by Mashkura and Daniel, in our episode description box. And Daniel, just before we wrap things up, I did also want to say love the whole fail idea "first attempt in learning", I am writing that out somewhere and putting it everywhere because I want that to be my motto moving forward. That's amazing.
Grant Mask
I wanted to say that I certainly do believe in today's youth. I know Sophia does, too. And to all of our listeners, we really should continue to encourage our youth to dream as you were both saying. I think that right now we need out of the box solutions to a lot of these problems that we're facing. We need a new perspective. Business, as usual is not going to solve some of these complex issues that we have been causing over years and years and years. And so I really do believe that youth deserve to be in leadership roles. Not only are you inspiring youth and encouraging them to follow their passions and to try to work towards solutions. But you're inspiring adults too, and people of all ages. What you've shown is anyone really can can make a difference. And the fantastic initiatives that you have both been working on are very impressive example of what can be done if you set your mind to it. So I just wanted to thank you both for taking the time to join us and for sharing your thoughts with us. We really, really appreciate it.
Sophia Mirzayee
Absolutely as a parting word to both Mashkura and Daniel, you two are a wonderful example of why I do what I do. So thank you for reminding me of that today. It means so much and and so grateful for both of you taking time out of your day to be here with us. And I hope that whoever's listening to this podcast episode today has the opportunity to connect with you and the work that you all are doing, and have have learned because I certainly have learned a lot from this dialogue.
To learn more about Generation SCG and UNA-Canada you can visit our website and follow us on social media using the links provided in the episode description box. Thank you all for listening. Please stay tuned for more episodes. We have tons of content coming your way. So keep up with us on our SDG podcast series.