The Communities Building Youth Futures Partnership Table is seeking applications from youth serving organizations for innovative projects that support underrepresented youth aged 16-30!
ABOUT THE COMMUNITIES BUILDING YOUTH FUTURES (CBYF) INITIATIVE
In June 2019, the Government of Canada announced a modernized Youth Employment and Skills Strategy (YESS). One of the objectives of the modernized strategy is to reach youth earlier and support those that may be at risk of academic disengagement and to work with youth-serving organizations to make supports available to help youth complete high school and transition to post-secondary education and employment. To enhance these objectives, the Learning Branch, Employment and Social Development of Canada (ESDC) and the Tamarack Institute have partnered to work with 13 small to medium sized communities on a five-year strategy, called Communities Building Youth Futures, to address challenges facing youth in their education and employment.
The Communities Building Youth Futures project has ambitious goals of engaging and supporting 5000 youth in their education to employment journey, to engage local education systems, employers, youth-serving organizations and leaders and to pilot and scale up to 30 innovative projects.
As one of 13 partner communities in this project, our community will work with Tamarack Institute to build a whole of community/collective impact approach to build community driven strategies for addressing the unique challenges of engaging underrepresented youth in our region.
This project is also part of a bigger strategy put forward by several Yukon youth serving organizations to create a Yukon Youth Strategy with the goal of ensuring all Yukon youth are engaged, included and respected as they move through school into life.
WHAT IS THE BUILDING YOUTH FUTURES FUND?
In November, the CBYF Yukon Partnership Table gathered community stakeholders (youth and youth serving organizations) in an online discussion to build our community/collective approach to tackling some of these unique challenges facing underrepresented youth in our region.
From these conversations, community stakeholders and youth identified 6 key focus areas:
- Youth lead decision-making for youth: youth must be meaningfully and effectively included in all decisions pertaining to youth. This includes not only programming but also policy and legislation.
- Youth are mentally and emotionally strong: youth have the supports they need for their mental and emotional wellness. They are able to access counselling, recreation, the arts, cultural and land-based activities. 3. Youth are safe to be themselves: Regardless of affirmed gender, sexuality, cultural background, and spirituality, youth need to be safe at school and in their communities. In the long-term, this includes a societal shift in community attitude towards youth diversity. In the short-term youth need to have access to safer and accountable spaces and allies.
- Youth are champions for each other: older youth serve as mentors and provide peer to peer support for one another. Projects increase opportunities for youth in volunteer or paid roles and organizations provide support and training and development for all youth.
- Career inclusion for all: Women, LGBTQ2S+ and BIPOC youth feel safe and accepted in professional and career development opportunities such as the trades, medicine, etc. For example, more women and LGBTQ2S+ youth are completing their trades tickets or more Indigenous folks are represented in healthcare professions.
- Individualized learning for all: There are programs and supports that meet the needs for all learning styles, experiences and needs in all communities. Youth who want individualized support are able to access it without having to demonstrate need. Learning experiences offer life skills such as budgeting, how to do taxes, essential skills in the workforce, etc.
CBYF Yukon is seeking applications from youth serving organizations for innovative projects that support underrepresented youth and one or more of the project’s key focus areas.
WHAT DOES UNDERREPRESENTED YOUTH MEAN?
We are seeking projects that aim to develop and implement programming for youth aged 16 to 30 that are at risk of academic or community disengagement. Disengagement happens for a variety of reasons including youth not feeling safe in certain spaces, having to leave education early for a variety of reasons such as becoming a young parent, having poor mental health, etc. We believe each youth-serving organization knows their youth best so we invite you to tell us about your group in the application!
WHAT AGE DOES THE BYF FUND TARGET?
Youth aged 16 to 30.
HOW MUCH FUNDING IS AVAILABLE?
Organizations can apply for up to $5,000 (per project) and we are able to fund 8 projects this year.
WHO CAN APPLY?
Projects must be carried out by Yukon-based organization or community groups such as:
Municipalities
First Nations Governments
School councils
Student Groups/Clubs
Classrooms
Youth Centers
Registered non-profit organizations
Registered Charities
WHO CANNOT APPLY?
Individuals (if you are an individual with a great idea please connect with us and we can try to pair you with an eligible organization!)
Businesses and for-profit organizations
OTHER ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Yukon youth aged 16-30 must be involved in the planning and implementation of this project
Projects must address one or more of the 6 focus areas identified above
WHAT CAN BYF FUNDING BE USED FOR?
Funds may be used but are not limited to the following expenses:
Youth wages
Program coordinator wages
Honorariums
Equipment and supplies
Rental or lease of room or space for approved activities
Supplies including the printing and production of materials
Food
Travel within the Yukon
Up to 10% admin fees
WHAT CAN BYF FUNDING NOT BE USED FOR?
Core operating costs or equipment costs that are not essential to the project
More than 50% towards the purchase of equipment (equipment must be essential to the project)
HOW DOES MY ORGANIZATION APPLY?
Please see the link to download the application below to apply! The Building Youth Futures Fund applications will be evaluated by the six Communities Building Youth Futures youth interns (aged 17-22). Please ensure your applications are clear, concise and youth friendly. The interns will make funding recommendations to the CBYF Partnership Table who will then award the successful applicants.
If you have questions or would like help with your application please contact Alyssa Carpenter at alyssa@nullyukonyouth.com or 867.667.7975.
DEADLINE TO APPLY: Monday March 1, 2021
DOWNLOAD APPLICATIONS BELOW!