Jeewan Chanicka is from Toronto, Canada and has been involved in working with youth, education, and social services issues since 1993. He graduated with his BA with honors in Individualized Studies at York University with a focus on conflict resolution and culturally appropriate forms of mediation and completed his BEd at the University of Toronto. His focus has been working with at-risk youth both in and out of the school system. He has done much work with both youth and adults, especially around parenting, teenage/youth issues and bridging the gap between generations.
He has lectured and run workshops across North America on various issues of Islamic relevance: youth, domestic violence, family, self-esteem, conflict-resolution, and da`wah, among other issues. Jeewan has counseled both youth and adults in areas dealing with employment, housing, mental health, suicide, drugs, racism, physical and sexual abuse, immigration and integration issues, marriage, and family problems.
As a program counselor, Jeewan worked with at-risk students in high school and middle school, to develop new and healthy habits that would eventually lead them to academic success. He currently runs a part-time consulting business focusing on equity and empowerment through education.
He is currently pursuing graduate studies in the field of education. He is the member of the Executive Committee of Masjid Toronto responsible for social services programming through the work of the mosque. He is a member of the Muslim Association of Canada Youth Division, among other associations and groups.
