Project mobilizes youth into activism

Header image for Interrobang article
If you've got an idea to help your community, then the United Way has got a way for you to make it real.

The Youth in Action program gives people between 13 to 24 years old the chance to develop a plan that helps the community and provides the funds to get it going.

The project must fall under one of United Way's impact areas of poverty, mental health, beginnings and transitions and must focus on newcomers and youths.

The YIA program is all about finding solutions rather than spotting problems.

"We're good as a community at seeing what's wrong," said the United Way's community mobilizer, Jeff Preston. "We see poverty, we see it downtown, we know people are falling through the cracks. But we often feel helpless and often that's where people stop."

"This program provides them the opportunity … to make a difference." In addition, YIA also lets those involved learn project management and how to write a grant proposal, among the other details of starting their own program.

YIA has been funding projects large and small for around eight to 10 years, said Preston. The projects can range from homework clubs, to starting a multicultural festival because racism was identified as a problem at one school. One girl noticed high schools never talked about mental health, so she organized the Dream Project. It was picked up by the Thames Valley District School Board and won a national Top 20 Under 20 award from Youth in Motion

So the options are limitless as to what can be done in terms of projects, as long as they focus on bettering the community.

"We believe in the phrase (that) we want to create a community where everyone matters and we can't do it alone, but united we can," said Preston.

Applications are up on http://uwlondon.on.ca. There are two rounds of applications. The first deadline is November 5 (for more winter-focused projects) and the second is March 4, 2011 (for summer projects). At least 50 per cent of the team has to fit into the age stipulations.