You’re about to read a piece authored by Sagid Abdelrahman, as they reflect on their experience of being a summer student with Peacebuilders.
My experience at Peacebuilders has been exceptional. Throughout the circles we’ve had this summer, we created a safe environment for kids to feel heard, to be seen, and to be able to openly share stories about their personal life and speak their mind. From making strong connections with my coworkers to bonding with the kids in our circles, being a part of this team has been such an eye opening and meaningful experience which has helped me understand what and how restorative justice empowers youth to resolve conflicts, build trust, and grow as a leader.
This summer, I had the opportunity to work with youth from various communities such as BGC, Scadding Court, Tropicana Square, Circle, and Toronto Community Housing (youthworkxs). In the beginning of program planning, it was difficult for us to get the kids engaged because we were still in the process of building our skills, but with the help of our coordinators and more practice, we got better which allowed us to better engage our youth. While some youth were initially hesitant to share, I found ways to bring them into the circle instead of out of the circle through sharing personal stories and relatable answers to the circle round questions.
Collaborating with my team was a monumental part of my journey. My team and I supported each other through it all and balanced out our strengths and weaknesses to create a strong working environment and effective team. In addition, the BBSLP team served as a pillar for our circle. While they were not peacebuilders, their impact on the circles was equally appreciated and important to our circles.
In our circles, we covered fascinating topics which were chosen by the sites such as social media, communication, music, toxicity, friendships and healthy relationships. Thankfully, our coordinators do not directly facilitate which gives us the opportunity to grow and become leaders. As for program planning, they did give us valuable feedback on our questions and games which heavily improved the flow of our circles when presenting to the youth.
Within these last two weeks, my favourite workshop was with Abdulfatah from Wanasah who educated us on drugs. It was informative and deeply personal as we talked about our stories and ways to reduce addiction. On the other hand, we had a financial literacy workshop which, at first, was boring, but when our
coordinators took it upon themselves to change the program as they understood that it was not as informative for us so, we had a discussion about it and made a budget plan which made me realize that I need to work on saving.
Another highlight of the summer was the City Hall meeting. In this workshop we focused on the youth employment crisis in Toronto, listening to the youth talk about their experiences of not being able to find a job, and the challenges that they faced were shocking and had me deeply engaged. By the end, the event showcased the 10,000 jobs that will be opening up for the youth in the summer of 2026, emphasizing the importance of youth and their input in shaping these opportunities.
Overall, my experience at Peacebuilders was unforgettable. I met incredible people, had eye opening experiences, and loved every second. Not only was I a part of important discussions that were bigger than me, but I was able to learn and grow into a leader who can support with restorative justice issues moving forward, building towards a solution.