Across Alberta, young people are transforming beading, storytelling, and film into catalysts for justice. Through Intersections Youth: Arts-Based Pathways to Meeting Youth Legal Needs—a two-year initiative by the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights (JHC)—youth are reshaping how legal systems understand and respond to their realities.
Supported by the Department of Canadian Heritage, Alberta Law Foundation, and Johansen Larsen Foundation, the project is releasing a research report, documentary, a podcast and a youth legal resource tool that amplify youth experiences and highlight systemic gaps in access to justice.
The youth involved—many aging out of care, experiencing homelessness, or navigating life in rural and northern communities—use creativity to reveal inequities and share solutions rooted in lived experience.
Findings show that most legal and support services are concentrated in Calgary and Edmonton, leaving many areas of the province underserved. Geographic isolation, limited resources, and lack of awareness continue to keep timely help out of reach.
The report calls for a coordinated, community-based approach that links legal services with broader social support and ensures accessible pathways for youth in every region.
“I’ve been couch-surfing since I was 12. It’s like you’re invisible because you don’t ‘look’ homeless.” — Participant
Launched alongside the research and film, the new Youth Legal Resource Tool provides an accessible, province-wide guide to help young people understand their rights, find legal support, and connect to community-based resources.
This work is rooted in community and collaboration. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the young people who shared their stories with courage, creativity, and honesty. Their openness reminds us that discomfort can spark growth and that youth are at the heart of transformative change.
The John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights advances dignity, freedom, justice, and security through collaborative relationships and transformative human rights education.