This summer, young newcomers in our Multi-cultural Youth Circle program discovered the power of storytelling through film through a special digital youth project co-led by ISSofBC and Thrive Refuge. The initiative invited participants to explore filmmaking as a creative way to share their journeys of arrival, adaptation, and belonging in Canada.
The project was supported by the City of Vancouver’s Building Safer Communities Program (BSCP), part of the 2023–2026 Youth Safety and Violence Prevention Strategy funded by Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada. Through this partnership, ISSofBC continues its work of improving community safety, well-being, and inclusion for young newcomers.
Learning to tell newcomer stories
Over 12 sessions, participants learned the fundamentals of filmmaking, including storyboarding, framing shots, editing, and adding voice-overs. With mentorship from Access to Media Education Society (AMES) instructors and guidance from Thrive Refuge, youth gained both creative and technical skills. Thrive Refuge generously provided iPads for filming and editing, while ISSofBC facilitators Parnian Akrami and Sana Sharifi co-led the program alongside film mentor Sammy. Volunteers from UBC and ISSofBC staff also played an essential role in helping participants shape their projects.
For many participants, this was a new experience. “I didn’t know all the techniques or details I had to focus on while filming,” one youth shared. For 16-year-old Marina, who arrived in Vancouver from Moscow just two months before the program began, the sessions offered a chance to connect her media studies with hands-on practice. For others, it sparked a new passion. Sammy reflected, “That was the first film I ever made, and now I’m working in the film industry. Having a mentor back then showed me how to be a mentor myself.”
Building confidence and belonging
Beyond learning skills, participants found confidence, friendship, and a sense of community. They spoke about connecting with peers, celebrating their identities, and discovering the strength that comes from sharing personal stories. Sana expressed, “This program not only celebrated our culture and identity, but it also highlighted the strength of community and the feeling of belonging. So, this is home, and we are at home.”
Mentors also reflected on the experience. Sammy shared, “I think the biggest lesson is that not every student is the same and not every story is the same. There’s so much technical stuff you can learn and try to repeat, but the uniqueness in every student is what makes each story different.”
Celebrating the creativity of young newcomers
The program concluded on August 23 with a community film exhibit, where participants premiered their short films to family, friends, and community members. The event was a heartfelt celebration of youth creativity, courage, and self-expression.
For those thinking about joining future programs, participants Sarah and Muzhda offered simple but powerful advice: “Take that risk. It’s fun. Once you do it, you’ll want to keep doing it. It helps you connect with more people than you expect.”
Through film, newcomer youth at ISSofBC have shown that storytelling is a pathway to belonging and empowerment, helping them share their experiences in their own voices while inspiring others to listen.
