Pilot project aims to inspire and draw underrepresented groups to leadership roles

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“Inspiring Women Among Us has a unique approach in supporting and encouraging different people from all different backgrounds to come into any sort of leadership on campus here, and this project expands it further through the province of British Columbia.”

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Harding and fellow student Annie Pumphrey put together a suite of 16 videos as a way to encourage members of underrepresented groups to encourage people, particularly youth, to engage with leadership.

“This is for young people who might have never considered running for elected office, for mature students who need to see someone like themselves who is achieving at a higher level than ever thought possible, and that is who we created the resources for,” explained Harding, who is actually working towards her PhD in Natural Resources and Environmental Studies at UNBC.

Claiming Spaces resource page features candid interviews with known local political figures like Prince George City Councillors Susan Scott and Cori Ramsay, as well as Fort St. John Mayor Lori Ackerman.

“My particular message was about claiming space as a young person and making sure your voice is heard,” said Ramsay. “As young people, our experience tends to get negated because we don’t have any. But shifting the perspective and perhaps saying having an unbiased perspective is a really great benefit so then perhaps people can realize the value than young people bring to the table.”

Claiming Spaces is one of the pilot projects associated with FCM’s Toward Parity in Municipal Politics initiative, however, before the pandemic, the concept for the project was much different with workshops planned. Harding hopes the new online resource will be more accessible.

Claiming Spaces is a free resource, which is accessible to all with an internet connection and access to a computer.

A viewing party of Claiming Spaces videos will be held during IWAU 2020 on Tuesday, November 24th at 5:30 p.m. IWAU 2020 will be an all-online/remote series of events this year, and will run from November 18-25th.