Recruiting: Canadian Risk Outlook Youth Working Group
- Alexander Zelenski & Max Peacock
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
Help define how Canada navigates a turbulent world
Recruiting now |
The Challenge: From Global Risks to Local Realities
Every January, the World Economic Forum (WEF) releases its Global Risks Report, a definitive forecast of the threats facing the world, from climate tipping points and AI-driven misinformation to geoeconomic confrontation.
While this report sets the global agenda, it lacks a critical lens: How will these risks land in Canadian communities?
The Institute for Collaborative Innovation (ICI) is launching a 3-month rapid response fellowship to answer that question. We are convening a cohort of emerging leaders to co-author the Canadian Youth Companion to the 2026 Global Risks Report.
Canada's Unique Position
The global order is shifting. As Prime Minister Mark Carney stated in his address to the WEF in Davos on January 20th, 2026, the "old order is not coming back." However, Canada is not powerless. We have a unique opportunity to build resilience and forge a new and pluralistic path forward.
The powerful have their power. But we have something too — the capacity to stop pretending, to name that reality, to build our strength at home, and to act together." — Mark Carney, Davos, Jan 2026
This Working Group is your opportunity to "name reality" for Canada. We are looking for youth who are ready to translate global threats into actionable, domestic policy solutions that build our national strength.
About the Working Group
This is a pilot initiative for the ICI Youth Committee. Selected members will collaborate to produce a briefing — The Canadian Risk Outlook 2026 — using ICI’s Risk Outlook Methodologies. See more here.
Core Focus Areas: You will collaborate across five risk domains to map impacts on Canadian people, knowledge, and resources:
Geopolitics: Global power shifts, security, and institutional trust.
Technology: AI governance, digital infrastructure, and innovation capacity.
Environment: Climate resilience, adaptation, and resource systems.
Society: Affordability, labour markets, and social cohesion.
Economy: Productivity, competitiveness, and fiscal risk.
The Timeline:
January: Intake & Training (Bootcamp on Systems Analysis).
February: Analysis & Drafting (Collaborative writing).
March: Publication & Knowledge Mobilization (Presenting to stakeholders).
Why Join?
This is not a simulation. You will be doing real analytical work with real policy implications.
Co-Authorship: Your name will be on the published Canadian 2026 Risk Outlook.
Certification: Receive an ICI certification in "Global Risk Translation and Systems Analysis"—a tangible asset for your CV.
Access: Present your findings directly to senior policy experts and stakeholders in the ICI network.
Impact: Build on the momentum of our previous work, such as our Co-Creating Canada's Future initiative, which brought youth voices directly to federal decision-makers.
Who Should Apply?
We are looking for MA/PhD students and early-career professionals with demonstrated capability in policy analysis, economics, international affairs, environmental studies, or technology policy. If you have a passion for citizen-centered innovation and systems thinking, we want to hear from you.
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