- L’application est bilingue français-anglais! Veuillez cliquer le bouton rouge «Soumettez votre demande ici» pour l’application!
The Youth Reconciliation Initiative (YRI) leadership program, has placed youth at the forefront of reconciliation work since 2012. The YRI builds the capacity of Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth to envision and realize their versions of reconciliation at a local, regional, and national level. We believe that supporting youth uplifts the community as a whole. Throughout the 5-month program, youth leaders (ages 18-29) will take part in an in-depth training building their skills and confidence to lead programming in their home communities. CRE staff provides ongoing mentorship and opportunities to connect with youth leaders across the country. Funding will be provided to help turn ideas into action, from local workshops, film screenings, panel discussions and more – youth take and make space for reconciliation.
From September to March, the YRI organize events for Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth in their community to discuss what reconciliation means to them, with the recognition that “reconciliation” looks very different between generations and across the country.
CRE Youth Leaders dedicate 10-15 hrs a month to the planning, coordination and delivery of workshops, events and programming in their communities, including intergenerational talking circles, film screenings highlighting Indigenous voices and filmmakers, and workshops on topics such as Treaty Rights, the History of Colonization, and Solidarity between Newcomers and Indigenous peoples.
Join us in taking up the challenge of reconciliation!
Rural (YRI)
This is a new initiative launched in recognition of the unique realities of rural, remote and northern communities. The Rural YRI was launched to create and uplift dialogue in regions of the country that do not have access to the same tools and resources as larger city centres.
The Rural YRI program allows for discussions around reconciliation to take place between Indigenous youth living on and off reserves in rural areas as well as non-Indigenous people in the surrounding communities. It also focuses on the implementation of on the ground reconciliatory action.
RYRI Eligibility Checklist:
- I am between 18 and 29 years of age;
- I am a permanent resident or citizen of Canada or have Refugee status (a requirement of the project funder);
- I confirm that I will be living in a community that is rural, remote, Northern or on Reserve.
- I am excited to work in a team of Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth;
- I can dedicate approximately 7-10 hours of volunteer work per month to develop and deliver community programming;
- I am motivated to challenge myself and others to learn more about diverse Indigenous histories, cultures and topics as well as the realities of non-Indigenous communities in Canada;
- I want to dispel harmful stereotypes and myths that divide communities on these lands;
- I am comfortable facilitating workshops, giving presentations, and organizing activities with youth in my region and would like to improve my skills in these areas;
- I identify as First Nations, Inuit or Métis OR I have some knowledge about First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities in my region, with a strong interest in learning more;
- I am available to attend weekly digital trainings.
- If selected, I take full responsibility to obtain and submit a Vulnerable Sector Check prior to the training (expenses covered by CRE)
National (YRI)
This program engages young leaders located in urban centres across Canada, ages 18 to 29, from across the country, building a national network of young leaders realizing their own transformative visions of community building and reconciliation. The National YRI is designed to develop relations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth seeking to build community and deliver reconciliation based programming in their communities. Youth Leaders will deliver programming designed to start conversations in their city on reconciliation.
Join the National YRI in one of two ways:
- Apply as an individual and join a team if you live in one of the following cities: Saskatoon, Thunder Bay, Toronto and Montreal
- If you live in an urban centre, apply as a team of 2-6 people and get training, funding and support to mobilize your community!

NYRI Eligibility Checklist:
- I am between 18 and 29 years of age;
- I am a permanent resident or citizen of Canada or have Refugee status (a requirement of the project funder);
- I am excited to work in a team of Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth;
- I can dedicate approximately 7-10 hours of volunteer work per month to develop and deliver community programming;
- I am motivated to challenge myself and others to learn more about diverse Indigenous histories, cultures and topics as well as the realities of non-Indigenous communities in Canada;
- I want to dispel harmful stereotypes and myths that divide communities on these lands;
- I am comfortable facilitating workshops, giving presentations, and organizing activities with youth in my region and would like to improve my skills in these areas;
- I identify as First Nations, Inuit or Métis OR I have some knowledge about First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities in my region, with a strong interest in learning more;
- I am available to attend weekly digital trainings.
- If selected, I take full responsibility to obtain and submit a Vulnerable Sector Check prior to the training (expenses covered by CRE);
For Coordinator Cities (Saskatoon, Toronto, Montreal, Thunder Bay):
- I can commit to delivering 2 workshops and organizing 1 community event with my team from October 2020 – April 2021, with the possibility of an in-person gathering in 2021 (COVID-dependant)
Themed YRI: Black-Indigenous Solidarity Project
Modelled and inspired by the 8th Fire video series, this project seeks to produce a series of educational videos documenting the histories of Black and Indigenous peoples across Canada. Youth leaders (ages 18-29) who identify as Black and/or Indigenous from across the country can apply to participate in a 12-week program (Oct – Feb) unpacking history and untold stories of Black Canada. The program will allow participants to develop tools and skills for practicing solidarity and paving a new way forward. Through a series of workshops and skill-building sessions, Youth Leaders will gain both knowledge about Canada and its relationship to Black and Indigenous realities. The educational videos developed will then be released to the public for Black History Month (Feb 2021).
YRI Application FAQs | Foire aux questions YRI (fr: Initiative réconciliation jeunesse)
What’s the difference between applications?
We have two programming streams, the National and the Rural YRI. Here’s what you need to know about both.
National YRI:
You can join the National YRI in one of two ways: Apply for Coordinator City* if you live in Saskatoon, Thunder Bay, Toronto or Montreal OR Apply as a team of 2-6 people if you live in an urban centre not listed above.
*NYRI Coordinator City is for applicants, applying as an individual, living in Montreal, Toronto, Saskatoon, or Thunder Bay. These applicants would join a team of like minded individuals and work on creating new projects as a team. Eligible applicants would be 2-6 youth (ages 18-29), living in any urban center.
NYRI Teams is for applicants that have a group of 2-6 members, with an actionable idea already in mind. This can include a direction for a project or more concrete plans for specific events/types of community engagement. Eligible applicants would be 2-6 youth (ages 18-29), living in any urban center.
Rural YRI:
Apply to the rural program as a team (2-6) or as an individual.
How do you define rural?
The government of Canada identifies it based on population size or proximity to an urban centre. This includes remote, Northern, and/or reserve communities that have limited access to resources and opportunities. If you are unsure – just ask!
The application portal just keeps loading, what do I do?
The application portal works best with the Google Chrome web browser. Download Chrome now. Please reach out to julia@canadianroots.ca or DM us on FB/Insta if you have any issues.
I’ve been accepted for an interview. What do I need?
Interviews will take place by phone or over Zoom. A phone and data/wifi connection will be needed. Please reach out to julia@canadianroots.ca or DM us on FB/Insta if you have any questions.
What is the deadline to apply?
We’ve extended our deadline to July 20 midnight EST but we encourage you to apply sooner rather than later as interviews start this week!
What do I need to know about COVID-19? Will all community programming be online?
All in-person programming will be dependent on health and safety regulations in your community. CRE will work closely with communities and health officials to ensure all programming is safe. This is a new challenge for us – a fully on-line training. We want to support you and discuss any barriers to participation (ie. technology, wifi, childcare) you may have. Please reach out to julia@canadianroots.ca or DM us on FB/Insta if you have any questions.
Is the age restriction flexible?
A little! If you turn 18 before the end of the training, let us know! If not, please keep an eye out for community programming in your area.
Can team applications add core members after the application deadline ?
Yes – You can add team members after the application deadline but the full team needs to be available for interviews and the trainings.
Quelle est la différence entre les demandes?
Nous avons deux volets de programmation, le National et le Rural YRI. Voici ce que vous devez savoir sur les deux.
YRI national :
Vous pouvez rejoindre le YRI national de deux façons : Faire une demande pour «ville ayant une coordinateur.rice» si vous vivez à Saskatoon, Thunder Bay, Toronto ou Montréal; Faire une demande en équipe de 2 à 6 personnes si vous vivez dans un centre urbain qui ne figure pas dans la liste ci-dessus.
*NYRI «ville ayant une coordinateur.rice» s’adresse aux candidat.e.s qui présentent une demande à titre individuel, vivant à Montréal, Toronto, Saskatoon ou Thunder Bay. Ces candidat.e.s joindrons à une équipe de personnes partageant les mêmes intérêts et travaillerons à la création de nouveaux projets en équipe. Les candidats éligibles sont de 2 à 6 personnes (18-29 ans), vivant dans un centre urbain, peu importe lequel.
Les équipes NYRI sont destinées aux candidat.e.s qui ont un groupe de 2 à 6 membres, avec une idée réalisable déjà en tête. Il peut s’agir d’une projet tentativement développé ou un projet ayant des plans plus établies. Les groupes éligibles sont composés de 2 à 6 jeunes (âgés de 18 à 29 ans), vivant dans un centre urbain, peu importe lequel.
YRI rural :
Faire une demande au programme rural en équipe (2-6) ou individuellement.
Comment définissez-vous le terme «rural»?
Le gouvernement du Canada l’identifie en fonction de la taille de la population ou de la proximité d’un centre urbain. Cela inclut les communautés éloignées, du Nord et/ou des réserves qui ont un accès limité aux ressources et aux opportunités. Si vous n’êtes pas sûr, demandez-nous!
Les pages du portail de demande ne chargent pas, que dois-je faire ?
Le portail de demande fonctionne à son meilleur avec le navigateur web Google Chrome. Télécharger Chrome maintenant
En cas de difficultés persistantes, veuillez contacter julia@canadianroots.ca ou nous envoyer un message sur FB/Insta.
J’ai été retenu pour un entretien. Que me faut-il ?
Les entretiens auront lieu par téléphone ou par Zoom. Un téléphone et une connexion data/wifi seront nécessaires. Veuillez contacter julia@canadianroots.ca ou envoyez-nous un message sur FB/Insta si vous avez plus de questions.
Quelle est la date limite pour appliquer ?
Nous avons prolongé la période de recrutement! La nouvelle date limite est maintenant le 20 juillet à minuit HNE, mais nous vous encourageons à postuler le plus tôt possible, car les entretiens commencent cette semaine !
Que dois-je savoir sur l’effet COVID-19 sur la programmation ? Tous les programmes communautaires seront-ils en ligne ?
Toute programmation en personne dépendra des règlements de santé et de sécurité de votre communauté. La CRE travaillera en étroite collaboration avec les communautés et les responsables de la santé pour s’assurer que tous les programmes sont sécuritaires. C’est un nouveau défi pour nous – celui d’une formation entièrement en ligne. Nous voulons vous soutenir et discuter des obstacles à la participation (c’est-à-dire la technologie, le wifi, la garde d’enfants) que vous pourriez rencontrer. Veuillez contacter julia@canadianroots.ca ou envoyez-nous un message sur FB/Insta si vous avez des questions.
La restriction d’âge est-elle flexible ?
Un peu ! Si vous avez 18 ans avant la fin de la formation, faites-le nous savoir ! Dans le cas contraire, nous vous invitons à garder un œil sur les programmes communautaires dans votre région.
Est-ce que les applications d’équipe peuvent ajouter des membres après la date limite du recrutement ?
Oui – Vous pouvez ajouter des membres de l’équipe après la date limite, mais l’équipe complète doit être disponible pour les entretiens et les formations.