The youth I have spoken to over the years have described Toronto's shelter system as a dangerous place for LGBTQ youth because of prolific homophobia and transphobia. I have heard stories of youth living in parks because they did not feel safe in the shelter system due to daily threats of homophobia and transphobia.

In an economy in which employment is increasingly scarce, Canadian youth need hard and soft skills to create their own opportunities. The Otesha Project, the youth-led non-profit where I work, combines experiential learning and bicycle tours to foster personal and professional development.

In recent weeks, we have heard statements from leaders on the international stage that we are on the path to eradicating absolute poverty in the next two decades. I'd prefer we wait to 2030 to really celebrate how much we did to close the gap and assure that these numbers reflect all countries and the people in them -- and that no one gets left behind.

With the help of a grant from Canada's International Development Research Centre, Rebecca Chiao is using online tools to help change Egyptian attitudes to sexual harassment and make the streets safer for women and men. It's called HarassMap.

Parents would agree, the well-being of our children is crucial. That is why it is important to raise awareness about mental health issues affecting youth, to remove the stigma attached, to create a safe space in schools, so that treatment can be sought. Also, directly related to this, improved services for mental health issues facing children and youth is essential.

During the Asian Heritage Month in Canada, The Historica-Dominion Institute hosted an event that focused on the children of first-generation Asian Canadian immigrants. Sunny Uppal was one of its two speakers. Here is his story.

The Duke of Edinburgh Awards Canada celebrates a great milestone today. For the last five decades, it has enriched the lives of Canadian youth from walks of life. It changed mine. It also took away my shyness and gave me the confidence to explore many initiatives and goals in my life.

In the course of my work at Plan I see so many young people with great potential of their own who have so few opportunities to explore or express it. Still, they bravely persist in striving to make their mark on the world, even in contexts of deprivation and conflict. Programs like Girls Making Media and International Youth Day, youth are changing the world.