As part of Light of Learning Programme, youth administrative co-ordinator Jessica Franey and Marketing Specialist Naomi Amayaevbo lead a fascinating youth event at the University of Guelph on October 27th. The event was an opportunity for youth to network, interact and have conversations surrounding the topic of “Changing your Mindset how to be Actively Positive in Challenging Situations.”

The event was held at Peter Clark Hall, University of Guelph in affiliation with The African Student Association.

The day began with a lovely introduction to the event and our organization initiatives, then we held a workshop breakout session where we guided a meaningful discussion regarding the topic. 
These were the discussion questions used for the workshop:

1. 1. Why is maintaining a positive mindset important in challenging situations, and how does it impact the outcome or your emotional well-being?
   
2. 2. In moments of stress or frustration, staying positive can seem impossible. What are some mental techniques or strategies that help in these moments?
   
3. 3. What does being positive mean to you, and how can someone cultivate genuine positivity in their daily life?
   
4. 4. What advice would you give to one another in moments when you’re struggling to stay positive or feeling discouraged, more specifically as it pertains to experiencing setbacks or failure in your academic journey?
   

Attendees were able to have discussions regarding the questions within small groups and then had the opportunity to share with the whole room. Youth engaged actively and listened intently to their peers.  
We held two raffles draws where the winners received prizes, a trivia game through Kahoot where the winner was also awarded with a prize. The day included an intuitive meditation demonstration from CCA team where people were able to follow along in peaceful unison, providing youth with a tool to help maintain positivity in their lives. 

Srinivas Arka, founder Centre for Conscious Awareness (CCA) Worldwide charities, shared a video – link below – addressing youth questions on: How to be actively be positive in challenging circumstances. Here is a quote from the talk: “We have to take one breath at a time, one step at a time and move with some enhanced courage.”