Aboriginal Youth And CED in Canada

Aboriginal Youth And CED in Canada

• 2.
   Introductions  CCEDNet’s Emerging Leaders  Aboriginal Youth and CED in Canada  How to make it happen in your own community  Closing remarks & questions
• 5.
  Your Name  What you do/ Where you work  Tell us something about youth in your community One thing you’d like to take away from this session
• 6.
  PURPOSE: “…toincrease the number and quality of young practitioners entering into the CED field and ensuring an active and meaningful voice in CCEDNet.” GOAL: “…to build a national movement of youth who are passionate about the future of their communities”
• 7.
  AREAS OF FOCUS: › Peer learning among youth practitioners › Advocacy for youth inclusion in CED and CCEDNet › Assemble research and resources to better understand youth-led CED.
• 8.
  Peer Learning Network  Approximately 200 members Standing Committee of CCEDNet  Members volunteer for 1 year terms (June to June)  In 2008-2009: 15 Members & 1 Support Staff
• 9.
  CHALLENGES  Capacity  Continuity  Direction  Outreach  Communication
• 10.
  OUTCOMES  Activism  “Inclusion” Lens  New Projects, programs & funding › Direct & Indirect to EL  CreateAction program
• 11.
   2008 CED National Conference › Exploring youth engagement in social enterprise in Canada with:  “Youth and Social Enterprise in Canada”  “Youth Engagement and Leadership in CED”  4th World Youth Congress, Quebec City › “Youth and Social Enterprise in Canada”
• 12.
   Canadian Youth Climate Coalition  Human resource national council
• 16.
   Fort WhyteCentre in Winnipeg, Manitoba Ndinawe Youth Resource Centre in Manitoba Garden River First Nations in Garden River, Ontario
• 19.
  http://www.fortwhyte.org/fortwhytefarms2
• 22.
   Youth resource centre  Recreation, art, outreaches. Since then expand and now have: drop in program, recreation program (organized hockey league – only fully subsidized hockey league in the city, provide free equipment, etc.).  Arts program, video and dance, cultural, computer programs
• 24.
   Challenge 1: engaging youth. Being able to provide them with tangible ways that they can contribute is as important as being “youth- oriented”.  Challenge 2: Make sure youth are giving feedback, providing direction. It is hard to get them to get involved in the first place. Youth will come there and participate but don’t want to join the youth board, steering the direction of the centre.
• 26.
   Success factor: being able to sustain themselves, instead of focusing on programs, outputs, inputs, tangible measurable things, focus on relationships. Every staff person – programming is secondary.  First role is to build healthy relationships with youth and show that we genuinely and legitimately care about them. On an average basis have 80-100 kids who come into the programs. Know the kids well.
• 28.
   That social activity was great to get people out and start to realize that we have a lot of strengths in community, worthwhile.    It was driven by negative things coming into the forefront. Parents having to pay respects to children – didn’t want to have to get to point to having to say goodbye to children because they are dying. A lot of people are quick to step up to the plate in terms of changes. Since then a few different committees that have started up.  
• 30.
   Having a consistent bi-weekly meeting and being able to maintain the community is important. All of the representatives from the leadership right down to youth. Great experience so far, hasn’t been all rosy because struggles at the end of the day.  Energy level isn’t as high as it used to be. Try to be more persistent and steadfast in keeping this type of group together to help with programming and healthy alternatives for kids but also the parents, elders … all offer positive things that we can use in terms of building healthy communities.
• 31.
   Break into small groups Identify which of the 3 highlighted projects could work in your community Role Play- Talking to Funders and Community Partners  How to ask questions and build relationships  Share it with the rest of us!