Digital illustration showing the word "VIA" with small people and objects inside and around it, representing communication or connectivity, with a stylized globe in warm tones in the background.
Logo for Voice Linking Association featuring a globe with interconnected lines, a microphone, and an open book. The text 'Voice Linking Association' appears below in multicolored letters.

Linking Voices

Lighting Future

  • Four surfers riding waves in the ocean with seagulls flying overhead and dolphins jumping in the water against a colorful sky.

    Growth Club

    A year-round program with more than 35 youth-initiated events. In just two hours, participants can:

    ——Share reflections on selected readings.

    ——Join community-engagement activities designed and led by youth.

    ——Take part in peer-led discussions on ideas that matter.

  • Top-down view of a business meeting with four people at a large wooden conference table, surrounded by office supplies and laptops.

    Featured Projects

    Young members discuss what topics they want to explore, decide what information they hope to hear, and invite mentors to share their expertise.

    ——Reading Club.

    ——AI & Robotics.

    ——Data Analysis & Visualization.

    ——Leadership and public Speaking…

  • Three young adults with wings levitate in a bright, colorful sky. The girl in the center wears a yellow shirt and blue shorts, and is holding hands with a girl on the right who wears a striped yellow and white shirt and blue pants. The girl on the left wears a blue shirt and gray pants. All three have their eyes covered with blindfolds, suggesting a sense of freedom and fun.

    Think Tank

    An initiative fully operated by the VLA Youth Committee:

    ——Host monthly thematic seminars.

    ——Design personalized social-research projects.

    ——Present findings at our Youth Think Tank Forum.

    ——Support each other to publish our research in journals and websites.

  • World map made of interconnected nodes with people icons, centered around a word cloud featuring UN and CND acronyms and related terms about the United Nations disarmament negotiations and efforts.

    Engaged with UN

    Youth can serve as UN youth delegates — thinking, speaking, and acting on global issues.

    ——Collaborate with UNESCO and UNICEF on public-service.

    ——Conduct social research and publish youth-authored reports.

    ——Grow into global citizens by directly observing and understanding world affairs.

  • Illustration of a group of six people having a discussion in a living room with a coffee table, cups, and snacks, with a large window and a potted plant in the background.

    Parents Salon

    VLA‘s parents is a community for learning and growing together. Parents:

    ——read and discuss books together, exchange insights.

    ——share real stories, explore real solutions.

    ——exchange information, coordinate carpools, and support each other in the same neighborhood or community, making it easier to coordinate with the youth.

Voice Linking Association

(VLA)

About VLA

Voice Linking Association (VLA) is a community-based non-profit organization that helps newcomer youth and their families build a sense of belonging through meaningful community participation, mentorship and real-world learning. We empower young people to develop essential soft skills, build lasting connections and become active contributors to their local communities.

For youth, this is an immersive growth community. Through diverse experiences such as cross-cultural exchanges, interdisciplinary learning, and debate workshops, young people can transcend classroom boundaries, broaden their international perspectives, and forge skills in expression, critical thinking, and cross-disciplinary innovation—preparing them for future opportunities and challenges.

For families, VLA’s Parent Salon creates an interactive environment for shared exploration and cognitive growth, enabling parents and children to evolve together with our community. They share the joy of discovery while building the collective capacity to navigate future transformations in this AI era.

VLA’s primary location is Toronto, Canada.

About VLA Youth Committee

The VLA Youth Committee is the core youth-led operational team within VLA, composed entirely of young members who design, lead, and implement community-centered initiatives. As the organization’s youth leadership hub, the Committee transforms ideas into action through youth-led projects, collaborative learning, and real-world community engagement.

Here, youth take ownership of meaningful work: they conduct social investigations, write research reports, explore global issues, and launch innovative projects that respond to community needs. Through activities such as public dialogues, cross-cultural events, newcomer family support, and local community collaborations, youth members actively strengthen social connections and help build a more inclusive environment for newcomer families.

The Committee also serves as a space where young people reflect on the role of education in the AI era. Learning is not limited to acquiring knowledge—it is discovering personal values, practicing civic responsibility, and understanding how technology can support human-centered decision-making. While youth collaborate with adults as equal partners and invited contributors, they uphold the belief that human judgement, empathy, and imagination remain irreplaceable.

Through these experiences, the VLA Youth Committee empowers young people to grow from participants into community contributors—moving from receiving support to supporting others, and shaping a future where youth leadership and community engagement thrive together.