UNICEF Canada Youth Advocacy Program 2026 | Online Advocacy Training for Youth (13-24)

If you’re aged between 13 and 24, live in Canada, and have an interest in making change — whether locally or globally — the UNICEF Canada Youth Advocacy Program offers a structured and accessible way to build your skills and confidence as an advocate. This 10-month online program guides participants through understanding rights, influencing policy, and designing real advocacy initiatives.

 Program Overview

• Duration: 10 months, delivered mostly online. (unicef.ca)
• Participants: Young people aged 13-24 living in Canada. (unicef.ca)
• Sessions: Core monthly online sessions of roughly 1.5–3 hours, supplemented by self-organised group work and virtual meet-ups. (Funds for NGOs)
• Time commitment: Approximately 2-5 hours per month (including live sessions and additional group work). (Grants Database)

What the Program Provides

Participants will have the opportunity to:

• Learn how advocacy works — rights, decision-makers, policy, governmental structure. (Funds for NGOs)
• Connect with a national cohort of young people from across Canada, fostering peer learning and collaboration. (unicef.ca)
• Gain practical experience in developing their own advocacy plan based on an issue they care about — choosing the issue, mapping decision-makers, communicating effectively, planning actions. (unicef.ca)
• Engage directly with decision-makers and participate in UNICEF Canada’s advocacy initiatives focused on children and youth. (unicef.ca)
• Earn a certificate of completion for attending the core sessions and access an alumni network to stay engaged with peers and advocacy activities. (Funds for NGOs)

 Topics Covered

Core themes include:

• Self-care for advocates
• Advocacy 101: fundamentals of activism and rights-based practice
• Understanding legal rights, children’s rights and how advocacy connects to them
• How governments work (legislative process, roles of bodies, decision-makers)
• How to choose an advocacy goal, identify influencers and craft an advocacy plan
• Communication and raising awareness for your issue
• Additional topics defined by participants’ interests and emerging trends. (unicef.ca)

 Who Should Apply?

This program is designed for young people who:

• Are aged 13-24
• Live in Canada
• Have a passion for activism, advocacy, youth rights, social change or community-impact work
• Are willing to commit approximately 2-5 hours per month from February through December for the program
• Want to learn how to influence change, plan advocacy and engage decision-makers
• No prior advocacy experience is required — beginners are welcome. (unicef.ca)

Application & Timeline

• Typically, applications open mid-November for the next year’s cohort (for example, the next intake opens 20 November 2025) and close in mid-December. (unicef.ca)
• The program runs from February through December of the following year. (unicef.ca)
• Applicants should be ready to commit over the full duration and ensure their availability for monthly core sessions and additional group work.

Why It Matters

• Empowers youth voices and builds capacity for meaningful advocacy and civic engagement.
• Helps participants understand systemic structures (government, policy, rights) and gives tools to engage them — valuable for future leadership roles.
• Offers national peer network and linkages with an international organization, boosting experience and résumé relevance for future study, jobs or activism.
• Accessible online format makes it suitable for youth across Canada, balancing school, work or other commitments.
• Strengthens youth leadership in children’s rights and social justice issues — aligned with key global development goals.