Team AF members at Capstone Day. Oluwatimileyin Aina, Chidindu Chikwekwem, Matthew Ko, Anantika Kohli, Irtiqa Zafar, Ariam Teklemariam and Tanuj Pandya
By Kimberly De Oliveira
One of the things I have learned after my three years at York University is that there are so many incredible opportunities to pursue a unique education. One of these opportunities is the Cross-Campus Capstone Classroom, also known as C4.
If this is your first time hearing about it, here’s a quick breakdown: since 2019, C4 courses have been offered with the goal of bridging the gap between education and positive change. These courses group students from different faculties together and connect them to project partners in an effort to respond to social issues of interest. You can find more information about the course and how to apply on the C4: The Cross-Campus Capstone Classroom website.
To understand more about C4 in practice, I interviewed two group members from “Team AF” who carried out their C4 project during this past FW term. Each group was assigned a name and task on the first day. Team AF was partnered with InfiniGuard Security, a local business dedicated to giving job opportunities to marginalized youth. Their challenge question was: “How, and how quickly could we create a genuine second chance for youth who have previous criminal history from mistakes in their past, that enables them to earn an income with dignity?”
Team AF and their project partner observed that youth with criminal histories are at a high risk of reoffending because job opportunities are scarce and employers are hesitant to hire them. The Ontario government has also noticed this and has been investing in programs to help these youth acquire skills and training to secure meaningful employment.
However, the greatest challenge is changing the persistent negative public perception of these youth. Skills and training only go so far if employers are not willing to give them a chance.
Team AF brainstormed and came up with the idea of a podcast called “Beyond Background Checks”. Through this medium, the group was able to interview a number of youth and subject matter experts to shed light on this issue. In addition to getting the perspective of community leaders and a York University professor, they also gave a voice to individuals who had personal experience with the stigma that came from the transgressions of their past and showed how these youth are genuinely interested in redemption.
By addressing misconceptions, tackling the hard questions, and breaking down myths in a widely accessible format, the team hopes to contribute to changing the negative narratives around youth with criminal records. Beyond the social impact, the team also enjoyed personal and academic development from working on this project. From producing new kinds of written materials to collaboration, and seeing good in humanity, the take-home benefits are long-lasting.
The entire C4 cohort showcased and celebrated their hard work over the year on Capstone Day held in late April.
One parting piece of advice from yours truly: take advantage of the unique learning opportunities available. It is worth it to seek out experiences that will challenge, inspire, and mark you.
Best wishes!