Introduction to Youth-led Civic Engagement Project for Tikkun: A Developing Partnership Across Borders (Canada, South Africa and Kosovo)

Abstract

This paper serves as a brief introduction to a compendium of papers that focus on a Canadian-led collaboration for youth-led praxis (informed committed action) for Tikkun (healing and reconciliation) in local communities. This project and partnership crosses borders to include five sites, youth researchers, various community organizations, and university researchers from different disciplines. This participatory action research partnership promotes the skills that participating youth require to further their civic engagement and leadership potential. The specific objectives of this project are: (1) identifying the places and resources from which marginalized youth (in urban, rural, and indigenous milieus) become aware of injustices and seek opportunities for reconciliation in order to facilitate youth-led advocacy; (2) exploring the ways that these understandings are translated into their embodied experiences; (3) informing the development and mobilization of pedagogical models to repair injustices through youth civic engagement; and (4) expanding the partnership.