Experiences Canada is excited to announce our new partnership with Indigenous Sport & Wellness Ontario (ISWO)! ISWO is the designated Provincial/Territorial Aboriginal Sporting Body (P/TASB) for Ontario, which develops and delivers opportunities for participation in sport and cultural activities that promote wellness and positive lifestyles for Indigenous peoples across Ontario. Experiences Canada’s transformative Youth Exchange program funds youth exchanges that can build cultural understanding amongst Indigenous communities or between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. We look forward to providing Indigenous youth in Ontario with a funded opportunity to travel outside of their communities and make lifelong connections with peers through participation in our Youth Exchanges!
“We are excited to empower Indigenous youth in Ontario through participation in a reciprocal Youth Exchange with a group of their peers from another community. Our program provides a unique opportunity for experiential learning, enhancing cultural understanding, and building connections amongst youth. Experiences Canada’s culturally enriching exchanges encourage youth to explore Canada and connect with one another while building pride and respect for their communities through sharing culture, language, and traditions with their exchange twin group”.
– Darren Prashad, Senior Manager of Youth Exchanges and Partnerships
Experiences Canada is a national registered charity that has been offering youth opportunities to explore Canada through reciprocal youth exchanges, forums, conferences and other opportunities for almost 90 years. Youth Exchanges offer life-changing experiences: enabling young Canadians to build personal skills and self-confidence; form new connections with peers across the country; deepen their knowledge of a second language, of other histories and cultures, and inspire them to become more actively engaged in their communities. Groups can apply for a general youth exchange or choose from a variety of themed exchanges that have a focus on sports, music, language, and history, as well as Indigenous cultural exchanges.
“Indigenous Sport & Wellness Ontario is thrilled about the potential of this partnership with Experiences Canada. We look forward to collaborating and creating memorable experiences through enriching youth exchanges centred around sport and culture. Experiences Canada provides a unique opportunity that contributes to the development of young aspiring Indigenous leaders”.
– Zach Fraleigh-Whiteye, Sport, Events & Athlete Services Manager, Indigenous Sport & Wellness Ontario (ISWO)
Indigenous Sport & Wellness Ontario (ISWO) serves over 350,000 Indigenous peoples and communities across the province and plans, delivers and supports dozens of programs, tournaments, workshops, and events for Indigenous youth across Ontario each year. This includes multi-sport, cultural and leadership camps, sport clinics, invitationals, championships, the Ontario Summer Indigenous Games, youth leadership program, tryouts and skill development for Indigenous Team Ontario and the selection and delivery of Team Ontario to the North American Indigenous Games.
Experiences Canada covers the cost of group travel! Apply today to secure funding for a 2025 Youth Exchange: https://experiencescanada.ca/exchanges/.
Experiences Canada’s Youth Exchange Program is generously funded by Canadian Heritage.
