A young Port Coquitlam resident is leading a legal conference for teens this weekend at the University of B.C.
The annual event will be the fourth for Mason Mattu, the executive director for the Youth Justice Link Society, who told the Tri-City News on March 26 that this year’s gathering will see more than 250 participants travelling in from all parts of the province to network and hear from legal experts.
Held at UBC’s Allard School of Law, this Saturday’s day-long conference opens with Mattu delivering a welcome before the breakout sessions involving human rights, corporate and technology law. Participants will also take part in a criminal law interactive case study and hear from Lali Pawa, the executive director of the South Asian Legal Clinic of B.C., at the free event.
Mattu, a graduate of the International Baccalaureate program at Port Moody Secondary and an international studies undergraduate at Simon Fraser University, said the conference is designed to inspire youth to pursue a career in law and educate them about legal advice available to them.
“We are bridging the gap between youth and B.C.’s legal system, which is very confusing,” he said, adding, “We want to make a change in our community in terms of how youth interact with the law.”
Mattu said he started the non-profit Youth Justice Link in 2024 after reading a federal government that asked more than 100 youth from diverse communities how access to justice can be improved. One finding, he noted, showed that young people want to understand their rights and what resources are around.
Last year, the City of Port Coquitlam honoured Mattu with an award for his volunteerism and achievements.
To learn more about Youth Justice Link and its programs, visit the organization’s , go to its Instagram or email [email protected].
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