The annual report summarizes CYAN's activities in 2015. It highlights that CYAN expanded youth programming while engaging new community partners. Programs allowed youth to build skills and volunteer, benefiting both youth and the community. CYAN partnered with YMCA Oakville to deliver a volunteer training program. The report provides statistics on youth volunteers and hours contributed. CYAN will focus on fundraising to continue and grow youth programming.

1. Y
B
_
@
2 0 1 5 A n n u a l R e p o r t

3. Message from Chair & Executive Director
As we reflect on the past year, there is so much to celebrate. We continued to expand and enhance program opportunities for youth
while engaging new community partners.
Northridge Long Term Care continued to provide invaluable opportunities for youth to build intergenerational friendships through
volunteer programming. CYAN Youth Ambassadors assisted weekly in volunteer reading and homework help for children in our
community while Leaders Now provided new opportunities for grade 6-8 youth to get involved and be inspired through learning and
community exploration. CYAN Day of Action programs allowed youth to build skills and connect with meaningful volunteer experiences
over the summer and throughout the year. This not only had an impact on youth but our partner organizations and the clients they
serve.
CYAN was proud to partner and work collaboratively with YMCA Oakville for the second year as we delivered the March Break Volunteer
Ready Program. The Volunteer Ready program maximized resources from both our organizations and provided youth with free skills
and training along with networking and meaningful volunteer experiences over the week.
We continued outreach to school partners and delivered curriculum matched programming and presentations within the school
community and classrooms. Additionally, we actively participated in several community initiatives such as the PanAm Torch Relay, Town
of Oakville Youth Friendly Initiative – Gold Status and Halton Regional Police Services TRACK program.
Over the last year the Board of Directors completed a strategic recruitment process along with the undertaking of policy review to ensure
strong governance, diversity and long term sustainability. It has also developed a strong commitment to fund development and over the
next year will be strategically focusing on this area to ensure long term growth and continued opportunities for youth in our community.
We have an incredible team of volunteers, staff, community partners, supporters and funders. It is with heartfelt gratitude that we thank
you for your time, energy and commitment to building an inclusive community of engaged youth. To our youth participants and their
families thank you for continuing to inspire us everyday, it is an honour to be part of your journey. Together we can make a difference!
Chis Alexiou Roger Bartlett Erin McAllister
Co-Chair Co-Chair Executive Director

4. Treasurers Report
Thanks to the support from our community, volunteers and partners along with
our funders: United Way Oakville, Ontario Trillium Foundation and Community
Foundation of Oakville, fiscal year 2015 was a year of growth, development and
opportunity.
Over the course of the year we built on our incredible foundation, created new
partnerships and continued to expand programs. Most importantly, as shown
through outcome measurement and evaluation, together, we are making a
difference in the lives of youth in our community.
It is with sincere gratitude we thank Billie MacCaull, Neat Books Plus for her
ongoing contributions and volunteer bookkeeping services. Your commitment,
dedication and service is so appreciated.
As we move into the next phase of our strategic initiatives, CYAN will focus on
fund development as a means to diversify revenues while allowing us to continue
to respond to the need for high quality youth led programming in our community.
We enter the next fiscal year with a solid foundation, a diverse board of directors
committed to strong governance and leadership, a high level of accountability and
transparency and high impact programming. We look forward to continued success
together!
Lee Hartwell
Treasurer, Board of Directors
“I learned the real purpose of volunteering: it’s not all about
the hours, it’s about having fun in the process and changing
somebody’s life.”
“I felt like I can do many things that I couldn’t have done
before, like cooking, etc.”
“It was an amazing introductory course for volunteering, which
made me eager to contribute to my community.”

5. 85% of youth report
feeling
valued through
volunteer
programs.
100% of youth gained and
applied new life and volunteer
ready skills through
CYAN programs.
75% of youth report
gaining positive new
friendships.
90% of
youth report an
increase in confidence
as a result of
volunteering.
480volunteers
2156volunteer hours
Reached more than
4000people in our community
Youth volunteers say that they feel better:
Physically
Youth who volunteer experience better health in later years
CYAN delivers quality, high impact, preventative community programs for youth
ages 12-18. Through our programs, youth are inspired to engage in a lifetime of
volunteerism, skill building, initiative and civic leadership.
Value of $24, 255 in community
investment (*based on minimum wage of 11.25 per hour)
www.youthinspire.ca
Our Impact
Emotionally Mentally
Youth place
high value on
helping others
and are less likely to engage in high risk behaviors
Our Footprint

6. “I saw Flynn transform before my very eyes.
It was the first day of the Volunteer Ready program, a March Break program for youth and run collaboratively between CYAN and
YMCA Oakville. The room was packed full of teens, many of whom were just meeting for the first time. The room was filled with a
feeling of nervous energy and excitement as the kids began their ice-breaker activity. That’s when I noticed Flynn. Instead of taking
joining in, he sat back, reluctant to participate, sizing up the crowd. Everything about his body language indicated he was
apprehensive about being here, like he wasn’t sure he belonged. He even kept his coat on and his backpack on his shoulders as
though at any moment he might walk out the door.
I tried to encourage him but still he remained hesitant. Rachel, one of the program coordinators tried too. Still he wouldn’t engage.
Then Rachel took a different tactic. She had a hunch he liked sports so she found a basketball and encouraged him to play.
Flynn began to play. As the icebreaker activity began winding down, the other kids began to notice Flynn, admiring his basketball
skills. That was the turning point – the opening that Flynn needed. The moment he felt there was a place for him here, with these
other kids. Throughout the rest of the week, I saw Flynn transform before my very eyes. He was learning, growing, making
friends, embracing challenge, gaining confidence and becoming a leader. It’s hard to believe that a one week experience
may actually have changed the trajectory of a young person’s life. And yet, here it was.
The Volunteer Ready program provided Flynn, a teenager on the cusp, with the right circumstances and the right support and
encouragement to help him make positive choices, find
purpose in giving back, joy in helping others and believe in
himself in a way he never had before.”
Tammy Smith
Supervising Manager, YMCA Volunteer Ready program

7. CYAN extends a special thanks to our community partners who have not only provided incredible opportunities but demonstrated a strong commitment
to youth in our community. Thank you for your collaboration, commitment and dedication!
2015 PanAm Games
Big Brothers Big Sisters
Burlington Humane Society
Canadian Cancer Society
Centre for Education and Training
Community Living Burlington
Community Living Oakville
Covenant House Toronto
Darling Home for Kids
Distress Centre Oakville
Eden Food For Change
Grace House
Habitat for Humanity
Halton Catholic District School Board
Halton District School Board
Halton Regional Police
Hamilton Tool Library
Hope Suite Hope
In A Heartbeat First Aid
Kerr Street Mission
Kids4Kids
Knox 16 Presbyterian Church
Munns United Church
Neat Books Plus
Northridge Long Term Care Centre
Oak Park Neighbourhood Centre
Oakville Arts Council
Oakville Green Conservation Association
Oakville Parent-Child Centre
ROCK Reach Out Centre for Kids
Rolling Horse
S.E.N.E.C.A.
Sheridan
Springridge Farms
Town of Oakville
United Way Oakville
University of Guelph
Volunteer Halton
YMCA Oakville
An agency of the Government of Ontario
Un organisme du gouvernement de l’Ontario
Funders
Community Partners

8. 40 Developmental Assets®
for Adolescents (ages 12-18)
Search Institute®
has identified the following building blocks of healthy development—known as
Developmental Assets®
—that help young people grow up healthy, caring, and responsible.
This page may be reproduced for educational, noncommercial uses only. Copyright © 1997, 2006 by Search Institute, 615 First Avenue N.E., Suite 125, Minneapolis, MN 55413; 800-888-7828;
www.search-institute.org. All Rights Reserved.
The following are registered trademarks of Search Institute: Search Institute®, Developmental Assets® and Healthy Communities • Healthy Youth®.
ExternalAssets
Support 1. Family support—Family life provides high levels of love and support.
2. Positive family communication—Young person and her or his parent(s)
communicate positively, and young person is willing to seek advice and counsel from
parents.
3. Other adult relationships—Young person receives support from three or more
nonparent adults.
4. Caring neighborhood—Young person experiences caring neighbors.
5. Caring school climate—School provides a caring, encouraging environment.
6. Parent involvement in schooling—Parent(s) are actively involved in helping young
person succeed in school.
Empowerment 7. Community values youth—Young person perceives that adults in the community
value youth.
8. Youth as resources—Young people are given useful roles in the community.
9. Service to others—Young person serves in the community one hour or more per
week.
10. Safety—Young person feels safe at home, school, and in the neighborhood.
Boundaries &
Expectations
11. Family boundaries—Family has clear rules and consequences and monitors the
young person’s whereabouts.
12. School Boundaries—School provides clear rules and consequences.
13. Neighborhood boundaries—Neighbors take responsibility for monitoring young
people’s behavior.
14. Adult role models—Parent(s) and other adults model positive, responsible
behavior.
15. Positive peer influence—Young person’s best friends model responsible behavior.
16. High expectations—Both parent(s) and teachers encourage the young person to
do well.
Constructive
Use of Time
17. Creative activities—Young person spends three or more hours per week in
lessons or practice in music, theater, or other arts.
18. Youth programs—Young person spends three or more hours per week in sports,
clubs, or organizations at school and/or in the community.
19. Religious community—Young person spends one or more hours per week in
activities in a religious institution.
20. Time at home—Young person is out with friends “with nothing special to do” two or
fewer nights per week.
InternalAssets
Commitment
to Learning
21. Achievement Motivation—Young person is motivated to do well in school.
22. School Engagement—Young person is actively engaged in learning.
23. Homework—Young person reports doing at least one hour of homework every
school day.
24. Bonding to school—Young person cares about her or his school.
25. Reading for Pleasure—Young person reads for pleasure three or more hours per
week.
Positive
Values
26. Caring—Young person places high value on helping other people.
27. Equality and social justice—Young person places high value on promoting
equality and reducing hunger and poverty.
28. Integrity—Young person acts on convictions and stands up for her or his beliefs.
29. Honesty—Young person “tells the truth even when it is not easy.”
30. Responsibility—Young person accepts and takes personal responsibility.
31. Restraint—Young person believes it is important not to be sexually active or to use
alcohol or other drugs.
Social
Competencies
32. Planning and decision making—Young person knows how to plan ahead and
make choices.
33. Interpersonal Competence—Young person has empathy, sensitivity, and
friendship skills.
34. Cultural Competence—Young person has knowledge of and comfort with people
of different cultural/racial/ethnic backgrounds.
35. Resistance skills—Young person can resist negative peer pressure and
dangerous situations.
36. Peaceful conflict resolution—Young person seeks to resolve conflict nonviolently.
Positive
Identity
37. Personal power—Young person feels he or she has control over “things that
happen to me.”
38. Self-esteem—Young person reports having a high self-esteem.
39. Sense of purpose—Young person reports that “my life has a purpose.”
40. Positive view of personal future—Young person is optimistic about her or his
personal future.

9. 2015 Board of Directors
Chris Alexiou
Roger Bartlett
Brian Beatty
Karin Batev
Brian Gardiner
Lee Hartwell
Grace McTear
Honourary Member: Nicole Kelly
Staff Members
Anamaria Barbul
Youth Program Leader
Erin McAllister
Executive Director
Emma Zaozerakaia
Youth Program Manager
Our Beliefs & Commitment
Opportunities for youth are important, we are committed to finding solutions to facilitate these opportunities to
empower youth to make a difference
As a community, we have the responsibility to educate and mentor youth, to open doors for community
engagement, and to lead by example
As a youth-led organization, we are committed to giving youth a voice and the means to become our future leaders
CYAN
Oak Park Neighbourhood Centre
2200 Sawgrass Drive, Oakville ON L6H 6M8
CYAN is a United Way Oakville Funded Agency & funded by The Ontario Trillium Foundation, an agency of the Province of Ontario

10. Canada Public Relations
Created by
Oakville Ontario. Canada
Tel: 647.864.4664
e-mail: scarlet@conectar.ca
skype: scarlet.estrada
facebook.com/conectar.ca
www.conectar.ca