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The Black Student Summer Leadership Program provides experiential learning opportunities to secondary students and introduces them to a variety of professional pathways. Students receive mentorship and training and are paired with a for-profit or not-for-profit organization that matches their area of passion. This program supports students in their development of social and professional networks, transferable skills and in the long-term aims to support the increase of the number of individuals identifying as Black in careers in which they may be underrepresented. Students enrolled in the Black Student Summer Leadership Program are paid for their contributions.

As a requirement of the program, students also participate in Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR). Through YPAR students are guided by an all Black research team where they develop their critical thinking, analysis and presentation skills.

Registration for this program opens in December of each year.

Background

The Black Student Summer Leadership Program (BSSLP) was first created in 2019 in partnership with the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora at York University’s Faculty of Education. It was developed to enhance Black students’ agency, activism, and leadership skills as well as their engagement with active citizenship. 

Through partnership with ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø’s Research and Development Department, Continuing Education’s Focus on Youth Initiative and recently, the Co-operative Education Department, the Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement facilitates this summer learning opportunity for Black students in Grades 10 to 12 at ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø.

Guided by the Graduation Coaches for Black Students, there are two focus areas tied to the engagement of Black students in the summer program. These include: (1) Experiential Learning (work placement) and (2) Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR).

Each year, the program aims to:

• Create experiences that foster learning, embraces community, encourages discovery, and inspires excellence for every Black student.
  
• Combine the concepts of research and real-world experiential learning, while focusing on improving their citizenship, agency, mentorship, and activism.

The Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement will continue to engage Black students through programs such as BSSLP to create ongoing opportunities. We are committed to honouring and affirming Black students’ aspirations, intersectional identities and strengths, as well as responding to the needs identified by students and their families.

Learn more:

• (written by and edited by students)
• Reflecting on the Third Annual Youth Participatory Action Research Conference: A Celebration of Black Youth Leadership
• ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø makes history with first student-led Youth Participatory Action Research Conference
• Westview Centennial graduate excels in post-secondary thanks to Youth Participatory Action Research