Millennial Expert and Social Entrepreneur Ilona Dougherty is at the helm of an event trying to change the perception of millennials as lazy and entitled. The University of Regina’s Change Makers event this Thursday March, 22 invites young alumni to hear Doughtery (and others) share their stories of leadership and their potential to make an impact in their community.

As the Managing Director of the Youth and Innovation Research Project at the University of Waterloo, Dougherty says, “My work’s really all about recognizing the value that young people have.” She will be sharing research from her team that highlights how young leaders have historically made significant impacts on social issues in Canada and how they did it. “In Canada, we are facing a lot of economic and social challenges and we need everybody to be involved,” she says.

As stated in the Regina Leader Post, Dougherty said intergenerational collaboration is essential since results from a youth-led social change study have shown that young people can have more of an impact when supported by older generations. Another study on brain research found that the demographic of mid-teens to late-20s are wired for innovation and at the height of their creative and innovative potential. “We’re really trying to do the academic research that makes the case that, yes, young people are having an impact and also share lessons learned about how we can best support them,” said Dougherty.

Other topics of discussion from change makers will include mental health, a connected community, and creating a healthy environment.

For more information on this event, read the full article in the Regina Leader Post.