
Young Professional Capacity Building and Collaboration Workshops on Water and Climate Change, inclusive of Traditional Knowledge
3 VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS
Between
FEB 16 – MARCH 2, 2023
Applications Open To:
Youth between the ages of 18-30 from Canada, Mexico and the United States
Simultaneous interpretation between English, French and Spanish will be available
DEADLINE to apply: Wednesday, February 8, 2023
About WIL NORTH AMERICA
Waterlution – in partnership with The Canadian Embassy in Mexico and the Commission of Environmental Cooperation – will co-host the WIL North America workshop series highlighting the commitments from Canada, Mexico and the United States toward environmental stewardship, particularly with respect to climate change, resilience and water. The workshop series will comprise of 3 two-hour sessions taking place across three days in early 2023 (see below for dates and times across 3 different weeks).
This event offers an important opportunity to showcase collaboration and engage with young leaders at a regional level to promote leadership, raise awareness and share experiences about water access and management and its relationship with climate change, importantly including practices and approaches by Indigenous communities.
OUTCOMES SHARED AT 2023 CEC COUNCIL SESSION AND 2023 NALS
This event will be an opportunity for youth and young professionals to develop and exchange ideas and potential solutions to innovatively and efficiently face challenges with respect to climate change and access to water. The outcomes of this workshop, such as the creation of new youth networks in North America, could be shared at the 2023 CEC Council Session and 2023 NALS to be held in Canada in the summer of 2023.
STAY CONNECTED
Core Themes
- Flooding/Drought
- Traditional Knowledge
- Agriculture and Water
- Coastal Erosion
- Aqua-Culture
- Water-Energy-Food Nexus
- Wastewater
- Conservation & Monitoring
- Storm Water/Infrastructure
- Innovative Solutions (including Nature Based)
KEY INFORMATION
36 Youth and Young Professionals from North America/Turtle Island
Platform: Zoom, three sessions, two hours per session
Language: Interpretation to English, Spanish and French will be provided for all sessions.
OUR Water in NORTH AMERICA needS
INNOVATION
The Water Innovation Lab, known as WIL, is a front-running, immersive leadership training designed to accelerate collaborative innovation, fast-track global knowledge-sharing and devise new innovations that improve water security. WIL supports emerging leaders and entrepreneurs across water and climate change disciplines to learn and innovate together. WIL develops future water leaders to think holistically, design innovatively, and communicate effectively across cultures.
WIL NORTH AMERICA takes place within the traditional and ancestral lands of First Nations people across Turtle Island. Indigenous youth of all Nations are highly encouraged to apply.







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PROGRAM DETAILS
ABOUT WIL NORTH AMERICA
Facilitate opportunities/organizations/ways to foster trilateral cooperation among young North American environment and climate change professionals, this initiative will bolster the priorities of the three North American partners with respect to these specific environment-related issues: gender, youth, and traditional knowledge.
WIL North America
WHO CAN APPLY (Criteria for selection)
- Youth or Young Professionals between ages of 18-30
- Applicants will have a keen interest (lived experience and/or academic background) in water, climate, and related fields, multi-disciplinary (environmental, socio-cultural, policy, technical, etc.)
- Applicants share why they wish to attend, what they can bring from their experience and perspective, contribute to the discussions
- Applicants current work and/or academic experience and/or lived experience
- Applicants will be selected from diverse backgrounds (Indigenous, racialized, LGBTQ2+)
- Also seeking youth from rural and more remote communities (one’s own access to internet is needed)
- Assets: experience across the region, multi-lingual (English, French and Spanish)*
- Applicants should review the 3 workshop series dates and times and be available to ATTEND all THREE.
* Section in application form for multi-lingual individuals to receive additional training to facilitate breakout rooms (where simultaneous interpretation not available).
Schedule
WORKSHOP
DATE (THURSDAYS)
TIME
WORKSHOP #1
FEBRUARY 16, 2023
1:00 PT / 2:00 MT / 3:00 CT/
4:00 ET / 5:00 AT
WORKSHOP #2
FEBRUARY 23, 2023
1:00 PT / 2:00 MT / 3:00 CT/
4:00 ET / 5:00 AT
WORKSHOP #3
MARCH 2, 2023
1:00 PT / 2:00 MT / 3:00 CT/
4:00 ET / 5:00 AT
FRAMING OF EACH WORKSHOP
WORKSHOP #1
The role of youth in water innovation in North America Setting the Stage- Opening by Indigenous Leaders
- Youth Connections
- Indigenous Traditional water/climate perspective
- Speaker Series
- Facilitated discussions in breakout rooms with youth building upon topics from speakers
WORKSHOP #2
Diving into the Pressing Water & Climate Issues across North America Collaborating and Partnering Across Regions and Topics
- Opening by Indigenous Leaders
- Youth Connections
- 6 Speakers sharing insights across themes and future needs/skills to inspire youth in the sector across disciplines
- Breakout rooms building off the content
WORKSHOP #3
Looking to the future: next steps- Welcome
- Facilitated discussions between youth
- Looking at Innovative Solutions, Approaches, Projects
WHY JOIN?
Past WIL Participants
“The experience that WIL offers you will change the way you come to solve water problems, as it forces you to think outside the box and challenges you to run at the same speed in which the current world runs.”
- LUIS ALBERTO BOJÓRQUEZ RODRÍGUEZ
Program Director, Conselva, Costas y Comunidades, A.C.
“WIL really fosters an opportunity for youth to spend time on changing the way we do business. It’s unique space for ideas and innovation to flourish and we don’t protect that kind of sacred space nearly enough.”
- ELIZABETH HENDRIKS
VP, Freshwater Conservation, WWF-Canada
“Participating in a Water Innovation Lab by Waterlution is a life-changing experience. You will meet amazing people, learn incredible new knowledge, and leave deeply inspired. If you have the opportunity to participate in a WIL, do so. You'll be glad you did."
–WIL India 2017 Participant
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WIL NORTH AMERICA
Guest Speakers
Amazing guests will be added soon
WIL NORTH AMERICA 2023 Team

Karen Kun
President & Founder, Waterlution

Karen Kun
President & Founder, Waterlution
Karen Kun is the Founder and President of Waterlution, and co-founder of Greatness – The Great Lakes Project. She credits her time two decades ago living among Indigenous communities in Latin America as the inspiration behind applying water as a metaphor for everything essential in caring for and preserving ourselves and our planet. Seventeen years later, Karen continues to incorporate the practice of storytelling, building personal connections, peer-to-peer social engagement, and empathy as the fundamental tools in creating meaningful water dialogue. She is well known for her motto, which is to simply show up. Showing up has given Karen the opportunity to develop unexpected partnerships and to experiment with a variety of viewpoints and approaches. As a woman, mother, entrepreneur, risk-taker, mentor and Waterlution’s leader, Karen proudly supports all aspects of youth development. Growing the development of future global water leaders with the necessary tools to approach complex water issues has become a monumental aspect of Waterlution’s ongoing work and driver for change. Along with her water background, she is a skilled business leader who from 2005-2012 was publisher of Corporate Knights magazine.
- Email:karen@waterlution.org

Megan Cornall
WIL Coordinator

Megan Cornall
WIL Coordinator
Megan has a passion for facilitating spaces for innovation, mentorship, networking and collaboration between young leaders and entrepreneurs in the water space. Megan began with Waterlution in 2019 at WIL Canada, then went on to coordinate WIL Global 2020 with 15 virtual interactive skills and capacity building workshops sessions over 5 months for 80 participants. For two years, she has led skills training for AquaHacking challenge Expedition, training Canadian entrepreneurs on 21st century skills on water innovations. Most recently, Megan led the evaluation process on testing a new innovative approach focused on adolescent girl empowerment through capacity building and water innovation in Northern Mozambique. Megan enjoys developing water-centric programming that bring people together across sectors, and creating space to break down and address complex problems.

Helena Vallée Dallaire
Project Manager

Helena Vallée Dallaire
Project Manager
Helena is an artist and educator who loves to create spaces for discovery and connection between people of all ages and backgrounds, and believes in the power of storytelling to awaken deep care and understanding towards all forms of life. While her role at Waterlution will be working in both official languages, she will assist the team on francophone youth engagement. She is excited to join Waterlution and contribute to new possibilities for reconnection and learning.
- Email:helena@waterlution.org

Adriana Caudillo
Environment, Development and Health Officer at Embassy of Canada in Mexico

Adriana Caudillo
Environment, Development and Health Officer at Embassy of Canada in Mexico
Adriana has held the position of Environment, Development and Health Officer in the Political Section of the Canadian Embassy in Mexico since December 2012. She joined the Canadian Embassy in June 2002. Prior to her current position, she was Political and Congressional Relations Officer and Congressional Relations Assistant. She was a legislative advisor in the Chamber of Deputies of the Mexican Congress during the LVII and LVIII legislatures. From 1996 to 1999, she was a researcher for a project on human rights and social conflict, which was a collaborative initiative between several human rights organizations in Mexico. She holds a Master's degree in Political Sociology from the University of Kent in the United Kingdom and a Bachelor's degree in Social Communication with a concentration in Semiotics and Political Discourse Analysis from the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana Unidad Xochimilco in Mexico City.

Lucie Verreault
Intergovernmental Affairs Counsellor at the Embassy of Canada in Mexico

Lucie Verreault
Intergovernmental Affairs Counsellor at the Embassy of Canada in Mexico
Lucie is Counsellor of Intergovernmental Affairs in the Political Section at the Embassy of Canada in Mexico and the Manager of the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI). She covers Human rights related files such as migrations, Indigenous affairs and reconciliation, environment and diversity and inclusion. She is a Canadian diplomat and has previously served in Turkey and Haiti. She holds a Master's degree in International Affairs and a Bachelors degree in Political Science. She also studied journalism and holds a minor in Philosophy. Prior to joining Global Affairs Canada, she worked for research centres and international organizations in Canada, Italy and Finland and her area of expertise was the implementation of public participation in the management of natural resources.

Melissa Gonzalez Soto
Melissa is a program designer and process facilitator. Melissa participated in WIL Netherlands in 2015, joined as facilitator for WIL Mexico 2019, and joined again as facilitator for this intercultural experience. Her goal is to open spaces for cooperative learning, collaboration and co-creation, particularly around topics of environmental sustainability. To make it happen, Melissa designs and facilitates programs based on methodologies such as LEGO(R) SERIOUS PLAY(R), Oasis Game, Business Modelling, Ontological Coaching. She has designed programs such as “Campamento: La Ciencia del Fútbol Americano”, CampIdeas Mexico and Scape Rooms for Science Learning. Melissa has extensive experience working and living abroad (Canada, Germany, China, Finland and Brasil). She is based in Mexico City and enjoys visiting the neighboring mountains.

Georgina O'Farrill
Head of Unit, Outreach and Partnerships

Georgina O'Farrill
Head of Unit, Outreach and Partnerships
Georgina O’Farrill has more than ten years’ experience managing and leading international projects and programs with strong stakeholder engagement. As Head, Outreach and Partnerships for the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, Georgina oversees all opportunities for outreach and partnerships. She strongly believes that cooperation is the key to finding solutions to environmental challenges. Georgina holds a Ph.D. in Ecology and Conservation from McGill University (Quebec, Canada) and was born and raised in Mexico City.

Bhan Gatkuoth
Coordinator, Diverse and Inclusive Outreach and Engagement

Bhan Gatkuoth
Coordinator, Diverse and Inclusive Outreach and Engagement
Bhan Gatkuoth is the Coordinator for Diverse and Inclusive Outreach and Engagement at the Commission for Environmental Cooperation. Endlessly motivated and inspired by community-led efforts to create a more just world, Bhan works at the international level to build, strengthen, and facilitate opportunities for the protection of the environment. She comes to this crucial climate moment with a background in communications planning and strategy, public policy, environmental justice, media, and youth engagement.
FAQs
YES, as long as the timezones work from where you will be based during the workshops series delivery dates.
Unfortunately, this workshop series is only open to citizens of the three countries. Indigenous youth and young professionals whose traditional territories are across Turtle Island are encouraged to apply.
We prefer applications from those that meet the criteria and can attend all three sessions.
YES, we can offer a letter if required.
Participants will be notified by February 10, 2023.
We encourage you to apply! Tell us about how you’ve been engaged with this topic, and the reviewers will see if you have the right background to be included. This is a young professionals space, and if you really feel you want to be there, put your best effort in. Diversity of experiences adds richness to the WIL program and we encourage applicants that have unique backgrounds.
At Waterlution, speakers and experts are usually referred to as Resource Guests, where the role is to elevate the knowledge and skills of the young professionals participating. If you think you have a strong set of skills to contribute, please email megan.cornall@waterlution.org with your background and she will be in touch.
PARTNERS


QUESTIONS ABOUT WIL North America?
Megan Cornall