01
Merit College — National Organizer
Event brand, rules, registration system, judge brief, national award review, charity-partner liaison, sponsor and partner framework, the Youth Voice Club national framework, and results archiving.
Governance
Who is accountable for what
A two-venue competition with national awards needs clear lines. Each role below owns a defined part of the program, and the adjudication role is deliberately independent of the organizing role.
02
Merit College Toronto — Main Venue
Main venue and kickoff, Toronto competitors and judges, on-site execution, primary stream and cross-venue link, and technical support for the National Panel.
03
Vancouver Venue Team
Vancouver venue, local school, student and partner recruitment, on-site execution, local judges and guests, live link and video upload.
04
National Awards Panel
Independently reviews shortlisted recordings across both venues and both divisions. Determines Middle School National Top 3, High School National Top 3 and the speech special awards.
05
Community & Selection Partners
Regional promotion, student reach and club support. In future years, hosting qualifiers to the national standard.
06
Youth Voice Clubs
Student-led listening, discussion, service and fundraising, local showcases, and the school Youth Voice Brief.
Independence
Why the award panel sits outside the venues
Founding edition
Where the program stands today
Canadian Youth Voice Challenge 2026 is the founding edition, organized by Merit College with a main venue in Toronto and a linked venue in Vancouver. The intent is an annual program that can be replicated in additional Canadian cities as community partners qualify to host local qualifiers.
Charitable-partnership details — wording, marks, certificates and club alignment — are proposed and pending written confirmation. Nothing on this site should be read as an existing endorsement by any charity.