PORTFOLIO CARA JONES
ABOUT CARA
CaraJonesisawriter,podcaster, award-winningphotographerand shortdocumentaryfilmmaker.
PassionateaboutDigitalEquityandbridgingthe digitaldivide,Caracollaborateswithvarious nonprofits,governmentagencies,andeducational institutionstodesignandimplementstrategic initiativesthatpromotedigitalinclusion.
Asastoryteller,Caraoftenvolunteerstoorganize workshops,webinars,andcommunityeventsthat empowerindividualswithdigitalliteracyskills, ensuringtheycanconfidentlynavigateonline platformsandharnessthepoweroftechnologyfor personalandprofessionalgrowth.
CarahasbeenfeaturedontheTEDxstageandthe HotDocsCanadianInternationalDocumentary Festival.Sheworkswithdiverseclientsand organizationsacrossCanadaandInternationallyas aprojectmanageranddigitalmedia&equity collaboratoronvarioustopics,includingIndigenous Truth&Reconciliation,Disability&Inclusion,theCooperativeMovement,andtheRights&Freedomsof 2SLGBTQ+youth
AgraduateofNSCADUniversity,BFA,Caraisinthe finalsemesterasaMasterofBusinessAdministration inCommunityEconomicDevelopmentstudentat CapeBretonUniversity,NovaScotia
Follow: @carajonesspeaks
Yirgacheffe Coffee Farm, Ethiopia
Storytelling For Social Good Grande Prairie Chamber of Commerce
YouthEmpowerment& Engagement
ThePeyakôskânPodcastInitiativebringstogetherhighschoolstudentsand post-secondarystudentsfromdiverseculturesandbackgroundstolearnthe artofpodcasting,collaborationandthepowerofstorytellingtoaddress complexsocialissuessuchasracism,discrimination,truthandreconciliation.
Theteamlearnstoconductresearch,interviews,andyouth-leddiscussions whilebuildingawarenessofissuesaffectingsocietyandtheeconomyrelated tocultureandethnicity.
Throughtheprogram,youthsharedtheir culturewithpeers,learnedthebusinessof podcasting,andexperiencednetworking opportunitieswiththelargerbusiness community
GrandePrairieFriendshipCentre–Program Coordinator,PeyakôskanPodcast(2022–2023)
Designedacurriculumtoteachpodcastingto highschoolandpost-secondaryyouth. FacilitatedworkshopsonDEIandstorytelling. ProducedpodcastsandorganizedaYouth SummitforSocialImpact.
DigitalEquity
FromRedneckToRainbow
I started my position with the City of Grande Prairie and Community Social Development as the Youth Services Supervisor in August 2014 My role included facilitating and recruiting City of Grande Prairie Youth Advisory Board members
A few months into my new role, the students arrived at our bi-weekly meeting upset and in tears over the news of the provincial bill, Bill 10. This Bill directly impacted the rights and freedom of 2SLGBTQ+ youth in Alberta.
Background
There is a long-held debate in Alberta around protecting parents' rights regarding their child's education, including sex education programs, religious freedoms and the inclusion of Gay-Straight Alliances (now called Gender & Sexuality Alliances) in schools.
In 2009, social conservatives introduced amendments to the Alberta Bill of Rights that required school boards to give written notice to parents informing them when educators would teach material about sexuality and provide parents with the option to remove their children from class. (Calgary)
Bill 10, an Act to Amend the Alberta Bill of Rights to Protect our Children, a Progressive Conservative attempt to balance students' rights, parental authority, and religious freedom, was controversial because it gave school boards the final say on GSAs.
The initial bill allowed school boards to deny GSAs. Amendments to the bill would have given the Minister of Education the authority to approve a student group's request to form a GSA if a school board rejected it, but the club would not After the Youth Council expressed their concern and frustration around how reckless adults could be when protecting 2SLGBTQ+ youth, I asked them one question, "What are you going to do about it?" It was a simple question and the beginning of a transformational journey of empowerment.
YouthAction
The Youth Council began holding meetings with other youth advisory boards across the province to help each other prepare to go before their City Councils and demand letters of support to amend Bill 10. Brave in their vulnerability in expressing and identifying as allies and members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, the youth presented statistics demonstrating how GSAs are instrumental in saving lives.
After a lengthy debate on the evening of December 3, 2014, the Legislature amended Bill 10, purporting to address these concerns.
As Bill 10 currently stands, the school board's decision to support or refuse a student-led gay-straight alliance is final. However, if the board rejects the student's initiative, that student can send a request to the Minister of Education. The Minister is obligated to facilitate and support the establishment of the organization (see section 2(4) of Bill 10 as amended). (Bill Battle)
In.BusinessProgramCoordinator(2020–2022)
Deliveredayouthmentoringprogramfor IndigenousstudentsacrossMi’kma’ki. Organizedvirtualandin-personyouth conferences.
Providedprojectsupporttostudentsand mentors
In.Business is a high school mentorship program facilitated by Unama’ki College at Cape Breton University(CBU).In.BusinessteamsIndigenoushighschoolstudentswithIndigenousbusinessmentors, whoareeducated,workingprofessionalswithabackgroundinbusiness.In.Businesswasestablishedin 2011 by the Purdy Crawford Chair in Aboriginal Business Studies at CBU. The Nova Scotia pilot of the In.Businessprogram(formerlytheBusinessNetworkforAboriginalYouth)comprisedthirtystudentsand sixmentorsfromNovaScotia.Since2011,In.Businesshasexpandednationally,andhundredsofstudents havecompletedtheprogram.In.BusinesscurrentlyoperatesanAtlanticCanadian-basedprogramthat includesstudentsandmentorsfromNovaScotia
Throughout the program year, students actively engaged with a dynamic business curriculum In 2021, the program introduced a hybrid approach that enhances the learning experience. Challenges are shared on social media, and we also host monthly webinars featuring industry-leading guest speakers. Theseexpertsprovidevaluableinsightsrelatedtoeach challenge, empowering students to deepen their understanding and connect theoretical concepts with real-worldapplications.Thisinnovativeformatnotonly boosts learning but also inspires students to elevate theirbusinessacumen
Public Speaking
CaraJonesisapassionatepresenter whomergesherpassionfordigital equity,entrepreneurship,andstorytelling todrivesocialimpact.Withafocuson bridgingthedigitaldivide,Cara championsinitiativesthatempower communitiesthroughtechnology.Asa captivatingspeaker,Caraignites conversationsondigitalinclusion, encouragingactiontowardsequitable accessandinnovation.Herdedicationto fosteringamoreinclusivedigital landscaperesonatesthroughpowerful conversationsthatinspireindividuals andorganizationstoharnesstechnology forpositivesocialchange.
