MEET THE OCIC 2014 Global Changemakers
Every year during International Development Week, OCIC recognizes remarkable young people who are creating positive change through their work. Nominated by Organizational and Institutional members, we interviewed the 2014 OCIC Global Changemaker Award recipients.
Dignitas International HIV/AIDS Awareness
What makes you want to get into international development work? What was the catalyst?
The push forward in this direction was definitely the Dr. James Orbinski book “An Imperfect Offering: Humanitarian Action in the 21st Century”, but I think along the way I kept finding opportunities that kept fuelling the passion in me. It led me to Dignitas very early on in my university studies and it has turned
out to be extremely rewarding. Now I serve multiple roles for Digntias, both as their National Coordinator for Youth, and Marketing & Communications intern while continuing to serve as President at the University of Toronto Chapter for the third consecutive year.
I don’t like getting too comfortable in one area because I don’t think that’s where innovation happens. Innovation doesn’t stay confined. Innovation continually breaks down traditional thinking and boundaries. This happens best when we harbour an environment that is inviting to interdisciplinary thoughts, ideas, and different people coming together. While completing my undergrad, one of my jobs was to be a Youth Health Navigator through the University of Toronto Dalla Lana School of Public Health. I piloted a new role in using youth to help cancer patients navigate the healthcare system using information communication technologies (ICTs). It was very novel and really made me reconsider the way I thought about youth involvement and public/global health. We’re known as Generation Y because of our tech savvy nature. It’s a shame that we’re not better engaging youth especially through ICTs to help solve some of our impending worldwide issues such as our aging population.
It’s hard to say which one is the key catalyst because I feel that everything that I’ve done has a catalyst of its own – continually propelling me forward and staying fresh to new ideas. Although challenging, I always find joy learning about different organizations, how to best be involved, and finally learn how to bring everyone together not only through commonality but also differences.
What advice do you have for young people that feel disengaged?
As a student at the University of Toronto, I’ve noticed that there is sometimes this culture where students attempt to get involved with many organizations for the sake of being able to put it on their resume. It’s difficult to get them engaged if they come in with that mentality. When I first got into university I wanted to get involved but I just didn’t know how. I threw myself out there in various types of organizations to learn about their initiatives and different levels of involvement for students. I continually let my passion guide me and in the end, that led me to Dignitas International. I
12 iAM Youth as... Global Citizens
found the best way to be better engaged is patience and genuine commitment; To stay with an organization, to learn what their needs are, and to act on how you can best help them. At the same time it’s important not be afraid to be involved even though you know you don’t have that skill-set yet. That’s what university is all about - figuring yourself out and figuring out what your passion is. There is a wealth of extracurriculars at your disposal to help you develop skills that you don’t have yet. My undergraduate degree didn’t have any public or global health component. That’s how I grew to learn about global health, and its related fields, by staying committed and helping to innovate alongside Dignitas International for the past six years.
Do you have a favourite quote? What is it? “ What’s your verb? ”
– Dr. Alex Jadad
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