The Hope Network

Multicoloured bullseye with the words The Hope Network written on top. Text on the side reads Choosing brave conversations for complicated times.

 

The Hope Network

Choosing brave conversations for complicated times

Online via Zoom. Biweekly. For 18+ year olds across Canada. January – June 2026.

 

The Hope Network is an online network and pan-Canadian community moderated by educators and researchers. It started because young adults we spoke with were concerned about increasing levels of racial and religious discrimination.

It was intended for individuals who were 18 to 25 years old to gather for brave conversations related to religion, spirituality, and secular views in our complicated times. As we introduced this opportunity we received a lot of interest from those who are 25+ and we heard that it is hard for people to commit to the full eight sessions. With the challenges in our world today, we also realized that this is a great opportunity that we want to share with more people. As a result, we have revised the eligibility of the program so that anyone who is 18 years old and over residing in Canada can participate. Participants are welcome now to drop-in to one, a few, or all of the sessions as well.

**Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/aN6QbnDsTfaL1BUX5cHfOA

The Hope Network offers a space to discuss a variety of topics related to racial and religious discrimination by incorporating a full spectrum of religious, spiritual and secular viewpoints. It welcomes individuals from urban, suburban, and rural regions across Canada who are from different backgrounds (including Indigenous, agnostics, Buddhist, Christian, humanist, Jewish, Muslim, and Sikh, among other religious, spiritual, and secular affiliations).

Come meet people who are as curious as you. 

Participation is free.

Donations are welcome from those who are able.

Sessions and topics:

Tue, Feb 10, 7-8:30 pm ET: How do we respond to the climate crisis?
Tue, Mar 24, 7-8:30 pm ET: How can we work towards reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples?
Tue, Apr 7, 7-8:30 pm ET: Book bans, prayer bans, etc. Why is this happening?
Tue, Apr 21, 7-8:30 pm ET: Queering religion?
Tue, May 5, 7-8:30 pm ET: AI and spirituality
Tue, May 19, 7-8:30 pm ET: Wrap up + further discussions
Tue, June 2, 7-8:30 pm ET: How can we talk about Israel & Palestine with nuance?

 

Each 1.5-hour session includes:

  • Sharing and learning from others across Canada,
  • Guest speakers,
  • CCRL facilitators, and
  • Learning about religious literacy and how it can help individuals unpack each of the topics we will discuss.

 

What is civic religious literacy?

Religious literacy is not reading and writing about religion. Like media literacy, digital literacy, and financial literacy, religious literacy is about understanding how to navigate a broad topic.

It is an academic framework that includes knowledge, skills, and lenses to engage with religious, spiritual, and secular worldviews—topics that most Canadians shy away from or do not know how to discuss. CCRL introduces religious literacy in five specific principles described here in an intersectional way.

 

Purpose of the Hope Network:

  • Understand how to communicate and have dialogue across differences using religious literacy
  • Understand that religious literacy is a practical tool that you can apply in your life and/or work to help you live, work, and engage better with others

This is important because over 60% of Canadians affiliate with a religious group, but racial/ethnic and religious discrimination are consistently the most common motivations for police-reported hate crimes. More understanding is needed to prevent or respond to discrimination in our daily lives.

 

Outcomes:

  • Increased religious literacy knowledge, skills, and attitudes
  • Ability to begin to apply religious literacy in your life
  • Understand how religion, spiritual, and non-religious worldviews intersect with political and social events and their impact on communities
  • Learn or enhance existing skills to address racism and discrimination
  • Become more comfortable and confident to engage in discussions about these subjects
  • Have a network of people across the country who can support you in religious literacy learning and/or initiatives

Testimonial from a past participant:

Religious literacy matters: A young adult’s perspective

(A previous iteration of the Hope Network was called the Civic Literacy Youth Network.)

 

Past speakers include:

  • John Longhurst, Religion reporter & columnist, Winnipeg Free Press
  • Dr. Dilmurat Mahmut, International Support for Uyghurs
  • Dr. Willow Anderson, Director, Social Fabric Institute Inc.
  • Elder Phyllis Kretschemer, Intercultural Grandmothers Uniting, Regina
  • Representatives from Humanist Canada
  • Representatives from LGBTQ+ communities

 

 

Screen shot of a Zoom meeting showing the facilitators and participants from Cohort #1.

Cohort #1: Group photo of participants and facilitators with a few individuals missing (June 2023)

 

A screen shot of nine people from the CLYN smiling during a Zoom meeting.

Cohort #2: A few participants with CCRL facilitators during CLYN – a previous iteration of the Hope Network. (April 2024)

 

Questions? Contact info@ccrl-clrc.ca.