Anjum Sultana
Director of Youth Leadership & Policy Advocacy, Plan International Canada
The Power Within, a project from Plan International Canada, in partnership with Unilever’s Dove brand, strengthens leadership potential in Canada’s youth by fostering self-esteem.
There is an inextricable link between self-confidence in youth and leadership in adulthood. This is a fact shared with Plan International Canada by many of its Youth Ambassadors and supported by research.
More specifically, Dove’s 2021 Detoxify Beauty Research points to some alarming stats:
- Forty percent of girls in Canada wish they could be prouder of their body and everything it can do.
- One in five girls have felt anxious about school because of negative comments they have received.
- Two in three girls in Canada “wish the world would focus more on who I am instead of what I look like.”
All in, more than half of Canadian women wish information on how to build their self-esteem was more readily available.
To bridge this gap, Plan and Unilever’s Dove brand developed The Power Within, a project aiming to provide 1.5 million Canadian youth with education and resources to support their self-esteem.
The Power Within rallies young people, educators, parents and social influencers around lifting each other up
“One of the most important considerations for a young person pursuing leadership roles is for them to feel a sense of comfort in their own skin,” said Anjum Sultana, Director of Youth Leadership and Policy Advocacy at Plan. “The goal of The Power Within is to foster their resilience, confidence and skills. By giving these young people, their peers and their communities tools to build self-esteem, we can remove a significant hurdle from their journeys.”
Now in its third year, The Power Within offers free workshops, an online youth community, and downloadable resources for educators, parents and caregivers, and youth aged 10 to 17. With a special emphasis on girls and female-identifying youth, it has already assisted over 600,000 young people.
To reach young people in Canada, the project collaborates with schools, youth organizations, community programs and social influencers. Plan also invites young people to shape the project itself and share feedback.
One of the most important considerations for a young person pursuing leadership roles is for them to feel a sense of comfort in their own skin.”
Anjum Sultana, Director of Youth Leadership
and Policy Advocacy at Plan International Canada
“We have included youth as part of our curriculum review committee and advisory board,” said Sultana. “Young people help design this project and drive this work forward.”
As a young person who has participated in several of Plan’s youth programs and is involved in shaping The Power Within, Arissa R. can attest to this and the importance of the project’s goal itself.
“It is critical for youth to develop body confidence and self-esteem, as those feelings directly impact an individual’s mental health and overall well-being,” said Arissa R., a Plan Youth Ambassador and member of the Task Force and Steering Committee for The Power Within. “In a world that is so challenging and often filled with judgment and obstacles, one must feel comfortable with themselves before being able to lead others.”
Supporting generations now leads to a better and more equal future for all
The workshops and resources, which are free and available at plancanada.ca/powerful, teach youth important concepts like the role of media and popular culture in determining “ideal” beauty standards, how to change a negative inner narrative, and strategies to resist image pressure and stop comparing themselves to others. There are also programs for educators, parents and the LGBTQ2SIA+ community. These interactive sessions and spaces were designed by experts in health, education, and psychology to equip others to support young people and communities in situations where self-esteem and body confidence is a challenge.
In terms of downloadable resources, educators can choose from the Confident Me workshops for their classrooms. Young people can download the True to Me workshop and the Proud to be Me workshop for LGBTQ2SIA+ youth. The project also offers a Confidence Kit for parents and caregivers to support the youth in their lives. Ultimately, The Power Within aims to help build better and more equitable societies.
“Our hope is to support this generation of young Canadians in strengthening their confidence and body image, so that they can be the change,” said Sultana. “When they reach positions of leadership as they grow, the next generation of young people can follow their lead. We already have alumni from previous workshops leading some of the workshops this time around, so we’re seeing it already.”
Similarly, Arissa also believes in the impact of lifting others up and spreading The Power Within’s message.
“My biggest takeaway is that every conversation matters,” said Arissa. “As part of this initiative, I’ve noticed that sharing a positive message with one young person has a ripple effect that can influence change on levels beyond what I ever imagined.”
To learn more and access the free resources provided by The Power Within, visit PlanCanada.ca/Powerful and join the movement to make a positive difference in the lives of youth and create a more equal world for all.
