Youth Leadership for Change

Description

Youth Leadership For Change is a project that aims to build a culture of service and volunteering among racialized youth in Ottawa aged 18-30, with activities that strengthen youth resilience, build an inclusive Canada and promote civic engagement. The Canada Service Corps (CSC) through the Social Planning Council of Ottawa (SPCO) will provide funding to youth, in the form of micro-grants, to take ownership of an issue that is important to them, propose a solution, and implement it at the local community level, while developing their leadership, budgeting and planning skills. The objectives of the project are to: Individual-Level Objectives

1. Increase participation of racialized youth aged 18 – 30 in civic engagement and volunteering around inclusion and resilience;
2. Increase skills of individual youth with respect to civic engagement and community improvement (anti-discrimination, how policy change happens, community development skills);
3. Build foundational skills of individual youth, particularly around leadership, resilience and networking, that are transferable to the labour market;
4. Improve the resilience of racialized youth aged 18 – 30, particularly with respect to the capacity to maintain mental wellness and participate effectively in the constant changes in the labour market. Community-Level Objectives
5. Increase opportunities for volunteering by racialized youth (# of hours and # of youth);
6. Increase the number and range of youth-led social-benefit projects addressing inclusion, youth resilience, anti-discrimination, equity, integration of newcomers, sustainable economic development and other issues;
7. Achieve concrete community improvements on inclusion, youth resilience, anti- discrimination, equity, integration of newcomers, sustainable economic development or other issues of high priority to racialized young people (demonstrated by increased awareness, increased assets/resources, new or enhanced programs/services and/or policy changes);
8. Support increased civic participation by youth aged 18 – 30, particularly racialized youth;
9. Increase understanding by mainstream services and decision-makers of the unique needs and assets of racialized youth with respect to youth resilience, advancing inclusion and civic engagement; 6. Increase access by others to resources that support volunteering and civic engagement of racialized youth aged 18 – 30. Application Guideline A grant of $3,000 to $5,000 will be given to the selected youth organizations to support their activities and projects. Who is NOT Eligible? • Youth-led groups living outside of Ottawa. • Youth-led organizations composed of individuals over the age of 30. • Youth-led organizations that are aiming for commercial or fundraising initiatives. • Individuals who are not part of a group. Review Process: The review committee will include at least one representative from each of the following groups: • Members of the SPCO Youth Employment program. • Members of the SPCO Youth Incubator program. • Community leaders. • Members of the SPCO Collective Impact Initiative Group. Reporting and Recognition of Funding: • All grant recipients must submit proof of their activities through social media posts and a brief description report. • All successful applicants must recognize the financial contribution received from SPCO.

Eligibility

Eligibility: • The proposed project must involve youth between the ages of 18-30. • All youth involved in the project must be living in Ottawa/Gatineau. • The project must be submitted by a group of more than one person. • Selected applicants must agree to participate in the Learning Event that will be organized by the SPCO on a later date.

Additional Information