An initiative by one of the councils has been launched and it aims to enhance the capacity of educators and small/medium-sized organizations (SMOs) to engage school communities in global citizenship education (GCE).

The pilot program launched in rural Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia, where schools often have limited access to global education resources. The goal was to:

• Train teachers to integrate the SDGs into their classrooms.
• Engage students in real-world global citizenship projects.
• Center local Indigenous & rural perspectives in climate and social justice education.

Public Engagement Strategies Used

• Teacher Training & Capacity Building
  • Indigenous Elders & community leaders co-designed lesson plans to blend Western & Indigenous worldviews. Teachers learned how colonial histories impact global justice conversations.
• Decolonizing the Curriculum:
  • Workshops on Global Citizenship & SDGs: They partnered with local school boards to host teacher training sessions on SDGs. Sessions covered climate action, gender equality, Indigenous rights, and ethical global engagement.
• Youth-Led SDG Projects
  • Student Action Committees: Grade 6-8 students formed SDG Action Committees to address climate change, food insecurity, and gender equality in their communities. Projects included:
    • Sustainable school gardens (SDG 2: Zero Hunger).
    • Water conservation campaigns (SDG 6: Clean Water & Sanitation).
    • Gender equality awareness days (SDG 5: Gender Equality).
• Cross-School Virtual Collaboration: 
  • The council connected rural schools in Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia via virtual exchange projects. Students shared research, problem-solved together, and hosted peer-led discussions on global issues.
• Centering Local Communities in Global Issues:
  • Community-Led Storytelling & Knowledge Sharing: Schools invited Indigenous Elders, farmers, and local activists to share their lived experiences on:
    • Climate change & traditional land stewardship.
    • Food security & sustainable farming practices.
    • Gender dynamics in rural & Indigenous communities.
• Student-Led Town Halls & Public Engagement
  • Students organized town halls where parents, teachers, and local leaders discussed global challenges from a local perspective. These events built intergenerational conversations on global citizenship.