Amplifying Youth Voices: A Powerful Afternoon of Policy Change

There is something incredibly moving about watching changemakers connect over shared stories, research, and a mutual drive for justice. On June 3, 2026, we had the privilege of visiting the Office of the Child and Youth Advocate (OCYA) for an impactful session that brought together our team, an incredible group of young people, and their staff.

After a brief project introduction, we screened our Intersections documentary In Their Own Words, laying bare the realities that have defined our research over the past two years. This led into a powerful panel discussion featuring three brilliant youth from the project: Inara, Azalea, and Magpie.

The session was engaging, with panelists speaking candidly about how transformative it has been working with the John Humphrey Centre (JHC). They shared how art made it easy for them to open up about their struggles and share their stories on their own terms. In addition, they expressed that entering institutional spaces like this is often a major barrier for them. Having the chance to directly engage with an organization that can affect policy change was monumental.

The event was a success, completely free of challenges. We shared our research, only to discover it perfectly overlaps with the OCYA’s own youth consultations regarding service access barriers—findings they released at the end of June through their A Place to Belong Report. The OCYA staff were wonderful hosts; they asked thoughtful questions and even gave us a tour of their office.

We walked away with immense gratitude for our youth panelists and our hosts. Together, we are ensuring that youth experiences aren't just researched, but used to build a better system.