Today, young people are better educated and more connected to the globe than any past generation. But they don’t necessarily know the ins and outs of Parliament.

Enter the Forum for Young Canadians — a weeklong program that fosters leadership skills in Canadians aged 15 to 19. Its participants have the opportunity to learn about government, democracy and citizenship, to meet various actors in the Canadian public sphere and to connect with other young people.

For decades, senators have hosted the Forum for Young Canadians for a morning in the Red Chamber. This year, senators also joined participants in smaller groups to talk about specific policy issues.

Indeed, it was an opportunity for participants to learn from the expertise of senators — and for senators to get the youth angle on the work done by Parliament.