By Aaliyan Khan, Founder of The Positivity Project

A few weeks ago, I had the very fortunate opportunity of attending the Forum For Young Canadians. It is a week-long program held in the nation’s capital, where students from across the country learn about how the political system in Canada works, alongside networking with the Canadian government and peers at the Forum. 

This program offered me a lot, ranging from new insight on politics in Canada, to gaining new social entrepreneurship skills that have made a big difference to me. Right from the beginning, I got to network with 92 other students from across the country, coast to coast. I gained perspectives that were very unique to me. Everything from a person living in a town of 10, to people living in the city, these perspectives really showed the diversity that our country possesses, and how fortunate we are to have so many innovative minds in Canada.

During this week-long program, I was able to engage in many valuable activities. These included: running an election simulation, partaking in a trade simulation with the EDC, learning the relationship between provincial and federal government, having round table discussions with Senators on a multitude of issues in the Senate, taking part in workshops on advocacy and change, having a panel discussion with well known journalists on the impact of news, giving statements in the House of Commons, and meeting MPs and the Speaker of The House, all while catching a glimpse of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau! These opportunities truly gave me better insight on Canadian politics, but more importantly these skills have helped me to become a better social entrepreneur.

By being in an environment where open discussions were taking place on issues that directly affected our country, a lot of emphasis was put towards finding solutions for these issues, something I believe that all entrepreneurs must focus on at the core of their businesses. By meeting a multitude of people from across the country during the program, my network had increased for my business as I now have people who support me beyond where I live. Best of all, speaking about the importance of social entrepreneurship and youth-run businesses to members of parliament and the senate really showed me the importance that this all has in our society, and why we should never be afraid to pursue our entrepreneurial passions. By giving people the space to take action on issues that are important to them, only then can we make the world a better place.

This program has changed my life. It has given me so much support for my business that reaches throughout the country and it has made all the difference. I want to thank TakingITGlobal for sponsoring the opportunity for me to attend this amazing program. To learn more about Forum For Young Canadians, visit forum.ca!