{"id":33932,"date":"2026-03-13T08:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-13T12:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/teachmag.com\/?p=33932"},"modified":"2026-02-27T12:31:52","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T17:31:52","slug":"youth-led-conference-to-empower-canadian-students","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/teachmag.com\/youth-led-conference-to-empower-canadian-students\/","title":{"rendered":"Social Media, Identity, and Power in the Digital Age: Youth-Led Conference on March 22"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Ripple Foundation is proud to announce its upcoming <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.ripplefoundation.ca\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Beyond the Feed<\/a> youth conference\u2014a free, virtual, national event designed to spark conversation, creativity, and critical thinking among students in Grades 8\u201312.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlike traditional youth events shaped by adult organizers, this conference is 100 percent youth-led. Students selected the theme. Students chose the discussions and keynote topics. Students organize the registration process, and event experience. From concept to execution, young leaders are at the helm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Taking place on Sunday, March 22, 2026 (12:00\u20134:00 p.m. EST), the conference will bring together students from across Canada to explore how social media influences identity, power, culture, entrepreneurship, and digital well-being. Highlights of the conference program include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Youth in Business: How teens are using digital platforms to build brands, share ideas, and pursue entrepreneurship.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Navigating Negativity Online: Strategies for handling pressure, comparison, and online hate with confidence.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Internet Culture and Identity: Discussions on the role of trends, creators, and communities in shaping self-expression online.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Behind the Algorithm: Insights into how social platforms decide what appears in users\u2019 feeds\u2014and why it matters.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis isn\u2019t adults talking at youth about social media,\u201d said Christine Meng, Youth Team Lead (ON). \u201cThis is youth shaping the conversation about the platforms we use every day. We\u2019re not just attending the conference\u2014we\u2019re building it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/conference.ripplefoundation.ca\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"643\" src=\"https:\/\/teachmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Ripple_Foundation_conference_web.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-33936\" srcset=\"https:\/\/teachmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Ripple_Foundation_conference_web.webp 500w, https:\/\/teachmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Ripple_Foundation_conference_web-300x386.webp 300w, https:\/\/teachmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Ripple_Foundation_conference_web-233x300.webp 233w, https:\/\/teachmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Ripple_Foundation_conference_web-327x420.webp 327w, https:\/\/teachmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Ripple_Foundation_conference_web-150x193.webp 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>The conference is part of Ripple Foundation\u2019s youth-led programming that supports creative literacy, leadership, and peer-to-peer learning. Students will have opportunities to connect with peers from across Canada, engage in critical dialogue about digital wellness, and gain tools to confidently navigate and influence online communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This youth-driven approach reflects Ripple Foundation\u2019s core mission: to empower young people not just as participants, but as leaders. The Foundation was built on the belief that when youth are trusted with responsibility and given real platforms, they rise to the challenge\u2014developing confidence, communication skills, and civic awareness in the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cTechnology is shaping every aspect of our lives, especially in the creative fields. It\u2019s important we understand what this means for us today, and in our future as students and professionals,\u201d said Hanna Grover, Youth Team Lead (BC).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By placing decision-making power in the hands of students, Ripple Foundation ensures the content is timely, relevant, and reflective of real youth experiences. The result is a conference that feels authentic, dynamic, and distinctly peer-led.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Event Details <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>What: Beyond the Feed Youth Conference<br>Who: Students in Grades 8\u201312 (free to attend)<br>When: Sunday, March 22, 2026 | 12:00\u20134:00 p.m. EST<br>Where: Virtual Registration at <a href=\"https:\/\/conference.ripplefoundation.ca\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">conference.ripplefoundation.ca<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About Ripple Foundation <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ripplefoundation.ca\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ripple Foundation<\/a> is a volunteer-run Canadian educational charity dedicated to empowering youth through free, accessible programs that build creativity, leadership, and communication skills. Through writing initiatives, workshops, and national events, Ripple creates opportunities for young people to amplify their voices and lead meaningful conversations that shape their communities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This free virtual event for Grades 8\u201312 will explore how social media influences identity, power, culture, entrepreneurship, and digital well-being.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":33943,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4129,2958,2998],"tags":[3187,4335],"class_list":{"0":"post-33932","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-education-news","8":"category-mental-health","9":"category-technology","10":"tag-social-media","11":"tag-student-led-initiatives"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Social Media, Identity, and Power in the Digital Age: Youth-Led Conference on March 22 - 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