You’re invited!
HUM, our Hearing Unheard Moments initiative, is based on SCC's 4 Pillars: Respect, Listen, Understand, Communicate™, and a core truth: when young people feel unheard, the results can be dangerous — not just for them, but for all of us.
You are invited to join a national collaboration striving to interrupt polarizing, anger-fuelled cultures and echo-chambers. You are invited to use HUM resources, HUM core messages, and HUM programming offered by a growing number of partners and communities.
Our shared goal is to provide healthier, safer spaces off-line and on-line for all children and youth to grow and thrive; spaces to be heard, explore differences and still belong, spaces to talk, process, and act on challenges they face, spaces to voice grievances and concerns and prevent them from turning into hate and violence. You’re invited...
Spotlight: Prince Edward County Collective
This project initiated by Greater Than County Youth Collective in Prince Edward County, Ontario, is a model for local HUM collaborations. With funding from various sources, the Collective brought together youth to hear their challenges and support the processing of their grievances with adult allies and professional artists. Youth interests in the issues and artistic expression merged in a song. The creation process gave space for the exploration, sharing and increased understanding of challenges. It was an empowering experience for youth and what adults heard shocked and galvanized them. At the youth-led launch party in May 2025, adults discussed the issues raised in the song and an outpouring of community support followed. A youth community meal program was launched; in-kind donations of studio time and a performance venue to showcase youth talent were made, with more projects in development. Check out the #Homesick song here.
How to get involved
Joining us can be as simple as selecting some of the key HUM messages and incorporating them into your speech, behaviour, conversations with others at work, home, school and recreation. Resources, workshops, training are available and described in the links below. You can use these to incorporate into your own programs or classrooms and/or you can contact us to check out availability of delivery, either in-person or virtual by a member of the HUM collaborative. The HUM collaborative is also supporting local initiatives to set up their own HUM projects. We currently have 14 underway. Contact us to find out if there is one in your community, and/or for help in setting one up.
HUM at a glance
The Students Commission of Canada has convened a national network of partners who are dedicated to Hearing Unheard Moments with a shared vision and objectives. This focused collaboration between multiple projects, organizations and academics is designed to scale for societal impact and protect youth against grievance-based violence, polarization, and radicalization. You are invited ...
HUM National Partners
BGC Canada supports its clubs across the country to tackle relevant social issues, encourage and empower youth, and help set them on a path to success.
Child Development Institute (CDI) provides services in child and youth mental health, early years and childcare, and gender-based violence. CDI creates safe spaces for children and youth and their families.
CIVIX strengthens democracy through civic education (e.g., Student Vote) and provides curricula for educators to support difficult and polarizing conversations with youth, as well as tackle the challenge of "fake news" and disinformation.
GoodBot is an interdisciplinary community of professionals in tech, law, design, social sciences, and policy who share a commitment to ensuring that digital and AI systems are fair, trustworthy, transparent and accountable.
Moonshot is a globally recognized counterterrorism organization that focuses on providing people the tools to protect themselves from online manipulation and disinformation.
National Alliance for Children and Youth (NACY) brings organizations together in a collaborative network dedicated to enhancing the well-being of children and youth in Canada.
Next Gen Men are experts at reaching and engaging boys and young men to change how the world sees, acts and thinks about masculinity.
Pathways to Education Canada is an award-winning program which supports youth to graduate from high school.
Per Se Brand Experience provides marketing services and brand experience consultancy that mentors youth to develop media products.
The Students Commission of Canada purposefully works with others to ensure that young people are valued, heard and their ideas for improving themselves, the lives of their peers and communities are put into action. Four Pillars: Respect, Listen, Understand, Communicate™ guide its work as principles and process.
Co-creating change: young producers
HUM highlights the importance of co-creating. By talking, listening and producing together, we progressively created safer spaces for deeper listening. Curiosity and motivation to communicate versus defensiveness and self-protection emerged.
At the start, we gathered a diverse group of youth representing various identities and experiences in an initial workshop. Over a year, across Canada in various ways, these young producers working with caring adults co-created HUM’s media products. Their purpose was to help others meet the challenges they face. Their work exemplifies how youth from different political spectrums can collaborate to create meaningful change. HUM is designed to be replicated in local community organizations and schools. You are invited to use these tools and resources in your work.
An “edu-tainment” magic show goes on the road
One of the young producers, Magician Lachlan performs a series of card tricks that engage youth audiences, while connecting themes of deception and media literacy as the producers begin to share their work.
Exposing new forms of deception
A series of PSA-style videos written by Alex, and co-produced with SCC staff, highlight issues like astroturfing, bots, and deepfakes.
Using animals and colors to represent race and language, this longer complex video has an accompanying question guide.
Exploring government policies through a family lens
A series of skit videos co-created by students of Alexander Galt Regional High School satirize family decision-making to critique divisive government policies, using humour to highlight absurdities.
Resources
The following resources will assist you in incorporating HUM processes and products in your work with youth. You are also welcome to inquire about assistance or SCC implementation of the program. Email info@studentscommission.ca
