Strategies for Working with Youth

Welcome
to our
Presentation!
Strategies for
Working with Youth
BRIANNA ROSE BILLING
Age: 17
When did you begin with the Youth Council? Almost 7 years ago. I began on the Youth Council as soon as I could, when I was 11 years old. ☺
How man years have you been involved in the Youth Centre? I’ve been involved with the Youth Centre since I was 10 as a program participant and then a volunteer.
Volunteering at the Centre? I’ve been part of Youth Council, SLNRC Board of Directors, Canada Day, Winter Carnival, Youth Friendly London, National Youth Week, Summer Sunsation, Fun Day in Westminster, Summer Slam, Community Day, Halloween Events and I could go on and on…
Volunteering outside of the Centre? Famine Participant, Student Council, Grad Committee, Safe Schools dance troupe, Dance Company, Earthy Day tree planter, Peer Mediator.
Interests and Hobbies? Singing, painting, fashion designing, piano, hiking, astronomy
Future Aspirations? Fashion Designer, Entrepreneur/Boutique Owner
Most memorable moment? Seams of Green as fashion is where my heart is, as well as the kids that participated.
KAYLA LEEANNE MCDOUGALLREEB
Age: 17
When did you begin with the Youth Council? In Grade 8.
How man years have you been involved in the Youth Centre? For 5 years
Volunteering at the Centre? I’ve been part of Youth Council,, Canada Day, Youth Dances, Shine and Dine, AGM’s, Winter Carnival, Youth Friendly London and National Youth Week…etc.
Volunteering outside of the Centre? President of Grad Committee, Violence Prevention Drama Productions, Dance Company, Social Justice Alliance Committee.
Interests and Hobbies? Dance, drama, fashion, hanging out with friends and family.
Future Aspirations? Wedding Planner
Most memorable moment? Seams of Green
NICOLE DANIELLE DEMARCE
Age: 17
When did you begin with the Youth Council? Almost 4 years ago!
How man years have you been involved in the Youth Centre? I’ve been involved with the Youth Centre for 4 years.
Volunteering at the Centre? I’ve been part of Youth Council, SLNRC Board of Directors, Canada Day, Youth Dances, Shine and Dine, AGM’s, Winter Carnival…etc.
Volunteering outside of the Centre? Keystone Centre (Serving Christmas dinner ), Grad Committee, Student Council, Violence Prevention Drama Productions, Dance Company, Assistant Art Director, Social Justice Alliance Committee.
Interests and Hobbies? Dance, acting, music, modeling, fashion, friends and family.
Future Aspirations? In the future I plan on going to Ryerson University for dance, travel and continue to volunteer and help others.
Most memorable moment? Seams of Green when I saw how excited some of the kids were on the runway, most who have self‐esteem issues.
MADISON RAIN MOLEN
Age: 13
When did you begin at the Youth Centre: 2 years ago
What have you volunteered at: Canada Day, Shine and Dine, Youth Dances, Young Moms, International Women’s Day, Winter Carnival, Breakfast with Santa, South London Olympics, National Youth Week, Seams of Green, School’s Cool.
Volunteering outside of the Centre: Sports Council, Breakfast Club, Office Helper, Student Parliament Helper, Captain of the Basketball/Volleyball teams, choir, band, floor hockey and soccer coach, teachers helper, referee soccer.
Interests and Hobbies: Dancing (hip hop), singing, guitar, drawing, volunteering, hanging with friends, snowboarding, running, sports, eating and meeting new people.
Future Aspirations: Volunteer and get more involved, travel, be all I can be plus more!
Most Memorable Moment: Being involved with Seams of Green, creating new outfits out of used clothing, meeting new friends and finally….strutting my new designed clothing down the runway. And of course singing Oh Canada at International Women’s Day!
CATHERINE ANN DEVRIES
(Cathy)
Job Title: Co‐ordinator of Youth Services (oversee all youth programs and initiatives of the South London Neighbourhood Resource Centre)
Started: Have been with the SLNRC since 1995
Hired as the Co‐ordinator of Youth Services in 1999
My Favourite Memory : There is so many but I think overall the Seams of Green initiative for 2009 National Youth Week!
1.How many of you work with youth in your organization?
2. Do you have a Youth Council that monitors all program decisions? 3. What would you like to get out of this presentation?
South London
Neighbourhood
Resource Centre
Our Mission….
The South London Neighbourhood Resource Centre operates as a Family, Child and Youth Community Enrichment Centre. The Centre supports and fosters the development of community based and community driven projects that nurture and enhance a healthy quality of life for residents of South London.
• Formed in 1988
• This is the largest Youth Council we have
had for this 2009‐2010 term
• Youth Centre Council has legal by‐laws that they have to maintain and follow
• Youth Council currently consists of:
‐ 6 Elementary School Aged Youth (11‐14 years)
‐ 11 Secondary School Aged Youth (15‐18 years)
‐ 1 Post‐Secondary School Student
‐ 1 Representative from the Jalna Branch Library
‐ 2 Representatives from the London Police Department
‐ 1 Representative from the Optimist Club of White Oaks
Currently we have: 3 Co‐Chairs
ALL YOUTH POSITIONS
1 Vice Chair
Secretary
Treasurer
3 Board of Directors Youth Representatives
The Youth Centre Council:
•Meets on a monthly basis to discuss:
‐ All finances of the Youth Centre
‐ Issues and problems that arise
‐ Evaluate effectiveness of all youth programs
‐ Creation of new programs and services
‐ Update on sub‐committees (Fundraising, Special Events and Random Acts of Kindness) Youth Programs
Youth Services
Power Hour – Afterschool Drop‐In
Advocacy, Support and Referrals
For Girls Only
Employment Assistance
Time 4 Teens
Canadian Tire Jumpstart Program
Get With the PROGRAM
Tutoring
Youth Chefs
Empowering Youth through Volunteering Neighbourhood Youth in Charge/Westminster Youth Council
Laurier Afterschool Program
Settlement Services in Schools
Summer Sunsation
Westminster Teen Club
Teens of Southdale
Summer Sunsation
Fundraiser – Youth Dances are run monthly during the school year and bi‐weekly in the summer. With all of the proceeds we are able to run the red coloured programs. 2009 /2010 Youth Centre Council
Fundraisers and Special Events
17 Youth Dances
Chocolate Sucker fundraiser
Shine and Dine – Spaghetti Dinner to showcase youth in South London
Seams of Green
Art on the Hill
Rock Band Competition
Neighbourhood Youth in Charge BBQ
Canada Day Sports Day
Summer Slam
Halloween Family Night
Haunted House
•Breakfast with Santa
•Youth Dinner and a Movie
Skiing/Snowboarding Program
Jammin’ with Justin
Winter Carnival
Big Blue Show
2009
There were 46 youth programs/services and 11,996 youth participants. We had 171 youth volunteer 7378 hours.
Seams of Green
An Event to Celebrate
National Youth Week
2009
The IDEA….
Brainstorming Session ‐ jot down all ideas (big and small) and decide on 3
Wanted a “Green” Themed Event
Wanted to encourage Self‐Esteem for many of our youth participants!
Youth Committee’s interest was in fashion
“Seams of Green is a project designed to engage youth who are
interested in creative expression through fashion. We think that this
is such a great opportunity for youth, because every day they are
influenced by the stereotypes in fashion – that you must wear
expensive brand name clothes to fit in. A lot of the families in our area
are low income, so we felt that this is a great way to show youth that it
is in style to buy secondhand clothes, and show them that they look
really cool, especially when they add their own creativity to the piece.
Our goal of this project is to give youth more confidence, and so far
youth seem more confident wearing clothes that are secondhand. We
also think this is a great opportunity because we spread awareness
about the environment, and we hope that these valuable life lessons will
be applied and spread on throughout the community.”
Kayla McDougall-Reeb, Brianna Billing
and Nicole Demarce
Lets Organize….
What do we need to Do?
1.Orientation/Information Meeting
2.Fashion Show Workshops
/Working Groups
3. Youth Entertainment
4. Refurbished item Auction
5. Funding and Donations
6. Community Partners
Information and Orientation Meeting
‐ Advertise for interested youth participants ‐ Poster sent out to area schools, through Facebook, emails and our programs
•We had 21 youth attend (most with some form of barrier)
•The meeting consisted of:
‐ introductions
‐ icebreakers
‐ stereotypes of second hand clothes
‐ benefits of wearing second hand clothes
‐ examples of outfits
‐ other uses for used clothing
‐ inspiration boards
Each youth participant got:
‐ sketchbook
‐ pencils, erasers
‐ sewing kits
All youth had the choice to make their outfits for a volunteer model or if they would like to model their own creations. 100% of the youth wanted to model their own!
Each youth had to draw in their sketchbook the type of outfit that they would like to work on…..
Our trip to Value Village…..
Value Village donated enough clothes that each youth was able to create 3 different outfits. Youth participants had the opportunity to go shopping for a few hours and get the clothing they wanted.
Donations
United Way of London & Middlesex –
Youth in Action Grant
Optimist Club of White Oaks
Value Village
Let’s Create…
‐ Youth had the opportunity to work on their outfits during 4 scheduled sessions (10 hours). Youth had the opportunity to take them home if they wished to work on their outfits.
‐ Youth cut, glued, sewed and embellished their outfits.
‐ Fashion Student from Fanshawe College came out to assist !
The Finished
Outfits……
The Cinderella
Project….
Our Mission…
Provides low income elementary graduates and high school prom attendees from the London area with formal attire for their end‐of‐year celebrations. We hope to foster a sense of pride in students and encourage them to participate with their peers in commemorating personal milestones. At the London Cinderella Project we stress inclusiveness in our aims to remove the barriers that lower income families are challenged with. We recognize that eliminating these barriers promotes confidence and self‐
esteem in students lives
Silent Auction….
‐People donated used items such as shelves, vases, small furniture, jewelry
‐ One of our youth groups refurbished items (painted, embellished)
‐ Had a silent auction during the fashion show event and sold these items!
Dress Rehearsal….
What do we do???
The “Walk”….
The Big Night….
Glamm’in It Up!
EXCITED!!!!!!!
Interviewed by Rogers Cable 13
Prizes….
Donations Provided By:
•Trade Secrets
• Marvel Beauty School
• Avon Representative
• Pharma Plus
• Domino’s Pizza • Dale Downie Pontiac Buick GMC Let the Show
Begin….
Introductions and Welcomes!
Our Master of Ceremonies Joanna Fearns
– London Youth Council
Over 230 people attended!
‐ All guests had to bring a non‐
perishable food item for our Emergency Food Cupboard.
‐ Entertainment consisted of 3 dance companies performing 19 songs!
‐
Event Poster
Completion Certificate to all Participants
The End of a
Great Event…
Wrap Up Party
Pizza party…Slide Show…Scrapbooks
Completions Surveys
“I loved the whole thing. It was an amazing experience and I would love to do it again. I will always remember how much fun I had.”
“This is one of the coolest things I’ve done!”
“I think I have gained more confidence by going through this fashion show…”
“I think the most memorable moment was getting to go down the runway…It was very kewl!!!”
“I think it boosted my self‐esteem a lot”
The most memorable moment was when I actually got the chance to perform my outfit, I was astonished and joyful when I did it and my friends came. I was glad about that!”
“The Seams of Green was a great opportunity giving many people this opportunity who normally would not have this chance.”
“The opportunity of being a model, something I have never done before.”
National Youth Week
2010
‐ Seams of Green was so successful that we wanted to do a similar event for 2010
‐ Youth have been asking all year to see if we can do it again!
‐ We have decided that for this year’s National Youth Week, we are going to host a similar event, where we use different materials to create our outfits!!!
Questions?
Need more information or have a question please contact Cathy at cdevries@bellnet.ca
Thank You!