Now that you have learned about some of the common experiences of Black youth in Canada, you may now be better prepared to work with partners to develop opportunities according to guiding principles and practices of Actua’s National Black Youth in STEM Program.  

Actua’s National Program for Black youth in STEM is designed to create safe, culturally-relevant and engaging learning environments where Black youth can visualize themselves in science, technology engineering, and math, and gain the skills and confidence needed to fulfill their important role in STEM. 

The programming may be delivered in a number of ways such as camps, clubs and workshops. Regardless of the mode of delivery, the guiding principles of the program are as follows: 

1. To provide diverse role models and mentors for Black Youth so that they are able to visualize themselves within STEM roles. 
2. Engage Black youth to see STEM within their own communities by engaging with families and communities. It is imperative that Black Youth feel empowered to identify problems in their everyday lives and that could be solved through science and innovation. 
3. To set the foundation for STEM Literacy in Black Youth by exploring the wonder of natural phenomenon through hands-on exploration of the world around them. 

Participants should leave with a stronger sense of STEM identity and with the understanding that science is inherently part of their everyday lives.

Below are brief descriptions of successful practices that can be employed to follow the guiding principles:

• Increase the visibility of Black professionals in STEM fields.
• Highlight the history of prominent Black inventors in technology and any historical Black figures that were prominent in innovative fields, while acknowledging that Black figures have historically been left out of the dominant narratives in STEM.
• Meet the needs of Black youth interested in STEM in places where Black communities tend to gather such as neighborhood centres.
• Content should be presented by instructors and mentors with similar lived experiences to ensure there is a high level of relatability between the youth and the content shared.
• Programming should be developed with community partners whenever possible to build strong and lasting relationships.
• Ensure that you are familiar with Actua's Anti-racism in STEM training. 
• Strive to make your learning spaces a place for creating a positive STEM identity.
• Use a structured process to create culturally relevant content for youth. 

Much of the information you are about to read below emphasizes the importance of following the guiding principles and successful practices for this program. The goal is for you to come out with a greater understanding of the journey Black youth embark on when engaging in science learning and how these experiences can have a big impact on their futures. As a program leader or instructor, it is your responsibility to simply create an environment where the youth can thrive as they learn.