Canadian youth advocate Tanner Bergsma, an Explorer selected to represent North America at the International Forum “We, the Youth” (IFWY) Final Conference in Seoul, was recently profiled in StratfordToday.ca for his contributions to global youth policy and his leadership in mental health advocacy. The feature, published on 11 November 2025, highlighted Tanner’s role in representing Canada at the IFWY Final Conference in Seoul, where he joined youth leaders from six world regions to co-develop policy proposals addressing some of the most pressing challenges facing young people today.
Tanner holds a degree in Community Psychology from Wilfrid Laurier University and is an emerging voice in Canadian youth leadership. His work spans mental health support, community resilience, disability inclusion, and social innovation. Having experienced significant adversity earlier in his life, he has grounded his advocacy in empathy, practical support, and a commitment to strengthening systems that help young people overcome barriers.
In StratfordToday’s coverage, Tanner explained how his involvement in IFWY began: through contributing to the North America Regional Dialogue and later being selected as one of the region’s 25 Explorers to advance to the Final Conference. This selection positioned him among the global cohort of 141 youth delegates who met in Seoul from 26–29 October 2025 to merge diverse regional recommendations into a unified global youth agenda.
He spoke about the intensity and depth of the IFWY process, recalling long days and nights where participants collaborated on policy frameworks touching on economic justice, mental-health access, environmental responsibility, peacebuilding, digital ethics, and inclusive community development. Tanner emphasised that the strength of IFWY lies in the diversity of its participants, not only in nationality, but in lived experience. He shared that many delegates brought powerful stories and reshaped his understanding of global policymaking.
The StratfordToday feature highlighted Tanner’s perspective on the importance of Canadian representation in global youth spaces. Following his return from Seoul, Tanner continued working with youth networks, community stakeholders, and the United Nations Association in Canada to amplify the IFWY recommendations and integrate them into ongoing national conversations on youth well-being, mental-health equity, and social inclusion. His advocacy aims to translate global discussions into accessible, actionable change at the local level—especially for communities that have historically faced systemic barriers.
Tanner’s story continues to inspire young people across the region. His journey from local advocacy to the global stage in Seoul reflects the spirit of IFWY: a platform where diverse youth voices are not only heard but are instrumental in shaping pathways toward a more just, inclusive, and compassionate future.
