Prior to joining the Youth Champions Program (YCP), Lian Marie Sayno was an international student from the Philippines who had recently moved to Canada to study international development. Her interest in development evolved from many years of involvement in poverty-alleviation efforts in her local community in the Philippines. However, her awareness of the global interconnection of issues, particularly on the SDGs, was still something she wished to explore further. Despite being actively involved in the community, Lian had never had the opportunity to lead any initiative or participate in larger scale public engagement efforts to address these issues which led to her involvement in the YCP.
“During my time in the Youth Champions Program, I spearheaded the Youth LEAF (Leveraging Environmental Advocacy for the Future ) project. This project was inspired by my connections with international youth, particularly a YCP peer from Nepal, and by YCP sessions that piqued my interest in the environmental impacts of food waste. While living in Canada, I noticed a lot of food waste in households and restaurants. Curious about its broader implications, I delved into research and consultations with experts and partners. Surprised by the environmental impacts of this issue, I realized that many others might be unaware as well. The Youth LEAF project aims to improve Canadian youth's awareness, understanding, and action toward reducing food waste.”
The YouthLEAF project included several activities, mainly shared via Instagram. These activities included a motion graphic video called the “Food Waste Chronicles” to raise awareness on the impacts of food waste in Canada and on a global scale. Another series of infographics later delved more in-depth on the global food divide and food insecurity. Lian also launched a social media challenge through the Youth LEAF program to encourage youth to be active and share their strategies for reducing food waste.
“The YCP was an incredibly transformative experience for me. It equipped me with the confidence and skills to successfully implement the Youth LEAF project, covering every phase from need assessment and proposal crafting to implementation planning, reporting, and partnership building. I also connected with passionate youth from around the world, whose ideas and enthusiasm about the SDGs enriched my perspective and inspired me further.”
Further expanding on her experience, Lian noted the networking and opportunities for sector collaboration as a standout feature to understanding and expanding the scope of her project. Spurred by the YCP project, Lian engaged with the NGO Second Harvest to better inform her research on food waste and food systems. Likewise, Lian was able to connect with her local council, the Ontario Council for International Cooperation (OCIC), who provided additional support on ways to engage digitally with Canadian youth. Through her mentor SMO, Centennial College, she was able to connect with a professor specializing in energy, environment and sustainable development to better define the educational scope of the Youth LEAF project. Lian also mentioned the collaboration with other Youth Champions, such as Jecinta, Priscilla, and Tinuola, who had asked Lian to contribute to their Green Gen Guide, as another avenue for contributing beyond her own project.
“The mentorship and support network offered by YCP were invaluable, particularly when I encountered challenges in project implementation. Previously, my actions were limited to personal levels due to a lack of confidence in taking broader environmental actions. The training and support from YCP transformed this, empowering me to extend my influence from personal to global levels and actively contribute to the global dialogue on sustainable development and environmental conservation.”
Since the YCP has concluded, Lian continues to pursue opportunities to be a global citizen working towards the SDGs. She joined OCIC’s Youth Policy Makers Hub where she implemented another youth engagement project with a team that aimed to empower youth in advocacy and lobbying related to the SDGs. Similarly, Centennial College invited her to speak on a panel during International Development Week to engage the local college community.
Lian has also been engaged in other Spur Change activities, having participated in in-person workshops in Toronto, namely: Building Equity: Resource Mobilization for Impact and Project Design & Implementation. With the knowledge base provided by the YCP, Lian was able to more deeply engage in the workshop content which she aims to apply in continuing her Youth LEAF project. Additionally, the opportunity to connect with more SMOs based in her Toronto community at the workshops was also very valuable for her.
Lian’s engagement and passion throughout the Youth Champions Program was truly remarkable to see. The Spur Change team is very glad to have been able to support Lian on her journey and facilitate connections which will undoubtedly lead to great things to come. With that being said, let’s leave Lian with the final say:
“As the program ends, I'm left with a sense of accomplishment and renewed courage to take on important issues. I've realized that there is nothing to be afraid of when we work together. While this may be the end of the program, it's not the end of my advocacy.”
