📢 Last-Minute LiA Opportunity: Join Me in South Africa for a High-Impact Project at SOS Children’s Villages! 🌍
📢 Join Me in Cape Town for a High-Impact Leadership-in-Action Project!
I recently found out that SOS Children’s Villages Cape Town, where I ran my LiA project last summer, is in urgent need of volunteers this summer. Given my existing relationship with them, I’ve received approval to propose an initiative where I return with three fellow Laidlaw Scholars to lead a scholar-driven Leadership-in-Action project focused on education, mental health, creativity, and resilience-building for orphaned and abandoned youth.
đź“Ś About the Project
Last summer, I developed and implemented a comedy-based psychosocial intervention, using improvisation to build resilience, confidence, and emotional regulation among teenagers facing adversity. It was an incredible success—the youth gained confidence and emotional awareness, staff have continued running the program, and now SOS has asked me to return—this time with a team of scholars who will design and lead their own unique programming based on their skills and expertise.
I’m looking for three scholars to join me in leading their own skill-based interventions alongside my improv-based programming. Your project could focus on:
âś… Education & Academic Support (tutoring, mentorship, literacy programs)
âś… STEM & Coding (digital skills, engineering projects)
âś… Sports & Movement (team sports, dance, physical wellness)
âś… Mental Health & Resilience (mindfulness, emotional well-being workshops)
âś… Creative Arts (music, visual arts, storytelling)
✅ Propose Your Own Initiative (If you have a different skill set or passion, I’d love to hear your ideas!)
🔹 Your Role as a Scholar:
- Develop and run your own initiative based on your skills and interests.
- Work directly with SOS staff and youth in a meaningful, high-impact setting.
- Receive mentorship and logistical support from me.
- Contribute to a sustainable intervention that will continue beyond our stay.
🔹 My Role as Lead Scholar & Mentor:
As the lead scholar for this initiative, I will:
âś” Provide mentorship & leadership guidance throughout the project.
âś” Be the main point of contact for accommodations, safety, and logistics.
âś” Offer emotional support & counseling as needed, given the sensitive nature of working with youth facing adversity.
âś” Ensure a structured, impactful experience for both scholars and the youth we work with.
📢 Deadline to Reach Out: March 20, 2025
If this sounds like something you’d love to be a part of—or if you’re even remotely interested—please reach out by March 20th! This is a last-minute opportunity, and I’d love to connect and discuss it further.
đź“© Email me at: youness.robert.tahiri@mail.utoronto.ca
💬 Comment below or message me here if you’d like to learn more!
đź”— Connect with me on LinkedIn: Youness Robert-Tahiri
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Hello! I am a senior undergraduate student in the Psychology Research program at the University of Toronto. I am passionate about children's mental health and the many ways that youth can overcome adversity. I am especially interested in developing interventions that promote resilience for survivors of childhood adversity. I balance this emotionally heavy passion with a deep appreciation of the world of comedy. This entails performing comedic improvisations at various venues in the city. As such, I am also fascinated by the relationship between comedy and mental health.
My Summer 1 research project explored the relationship between childhood adversity, childhood aggression, and childhood self-regulation.
My Summer 2 Leadership-in-Action project involved me independently developing and implementing a comedy-based psychosocial intervention for teenagers experiencing adversity at SOS Children's Villages in Cape Town, South Africa.
Please feel free to reach out to connect :)
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Hi Youness, sounds great! I’ve sent you an email, looking forward to chatting to you about this.Â
Hi Tia, thanks for reaching out! I just replied to your email—looking forward to our chat! :)
This sounds like an amazing opportunity. I am already pursuing another project (geographically not too far from this opportunity, though). All the best with finding the right people to take part in it! :)
Thanks so much, Cothney! That’s amazing to hear—wishing you all the best with your project as well. Sounds like you’re working on something great! :)
This sounds like a fantastic initiative! I’ve just sent you an email and look forward to the opportunity to connect and discuss it further. :)
Thanks, Amanda! I just replied to your email—looking forward to our conversation! :)
Hi Youness, this looks amazing! I have emailed you regarding arranging a meeting to discuss this further - looking forward to hearing more about it!
Thanks, Helen! Just sent you an email—looking forward to chatting! :)