United Way Winnipeg Youth

Kelvin High School (Kelvin Bridges Initiative)

December 2008 (Amount granted: $1000)

Students from Kelvin High school organized a toy drive and Christmas Breakfast for Dufferin Elementary School. The day also included activities and a visit from Santa. Students involved in planning the project gained leadership, team-building and organizational skills and allowed them to demonstrate the importance of volunteerism to other Kelvin students.

Dakota Collegiate (Operation Rudolf)

December 2008 (Amount granted: $1000)

Close to 100 kindergarten-grade 2 students from Victor Mager, Lavalee and St. George schools attended a Christmas party hosted by the Dakota Collegiate Black and Gold Society. Guests played games, ate lunch and visited with Santa. The project team worked to inspire the children to take part in similar events. The volunteers benefit from the joy of bringing the community together.

Collège Jeanne-Sauvé (Sauvé… En Santé)

May 2008 (Amount granted: $925)

It was a day-long event in which 500 students participated. Students attended a keynote session first, and then one other workshop/class of their choice before being provided with a healthy lunch. They then attended two more chosen workshops as well as “closing ceremonies”. All workshops and speakers were geared towards various aspects of living a healthy lifestyle. The team hopes this will create a spider web effect, that the information will spread throughout the school and the community.

Technical Vocational High School (Lord Selkirk Holiday Party)

December 2008 (Amount granted: $1000)

On December 11th, Tec Voc High School hosted the Lord Selkirk Christmas Party. Children from Lord Selkirk School came to Tec Voc for a morning full of games, crafts, and fun! The event was put on by students from the group Tec Voc Speaks, with about 10 students involved in the planning process. These students planned and organized the event, and made sure that everything ran smoothly. The elementary school children were served breakfast, participated in games, and made crafts. At the end of the morning, they all received presents from Santa! The Lord Selkirk Christmas Party was a great experience for both the children, and for the Tec Voc students who volunteered to help run it.

Islamic Social Services Association (Winter Break Eid Project)

December 2008 (Amount granted: $1000)

Young members of ISSA set out to create an exhibit to inform Winnipegger’s about the holidays as celebrated by the Muslim community. The focus was on Eid-ul-Adha which took place in December. Their goal was to create awareness and celebrate Multiculturalism. The project included an Eid exhibit at the Manitoba Museum, an Eid movie night for youth participants, and planning a display for future festival of lights reflecting Eid.

St. James Collegiate (Stevenson Homework Mentor Program)

January 2009 (Amount granted: $875)

A group of St. James Collegiate students offered homework help to younger students at Stevenson Britannia school . They served as positive role models and mentors to the students, helping them to gain self-confidence and become successful members of society. The group meets at the elementary school from October through May. Healthy snacks and transportation are also provided.

St. James Collegiate (Brooklands Literacy Program)

February 2009 (Amount granted: $725.50)

In coordination with February’s ‘I Love to Read Month’ twenty St. James Collegiate high school students ventured back to their old elementary school to read to groups of elementary-aged children. Following this, the high school students served the entire school a pancake breakfast and then finished the morning off by presenting each elementary student at Brooklands with their own book. All of the elementary students were excited with their gifts and it was great to see local youth reaching out to children to encourage and support education and literacy! While the children benefited from spending time with local youth in their community the youth themselves learned some valuable life skills such as ‘communication, leadership, organization, and personal growth.’

Golden Gate Middle School (Mentors for Mentors)

January 2009 (Amount granted: $1000)

A group of 25 students from Golden Gate were trained by a Nationally-Certified Restitution officer of Canada in Peer Mentorship – focusing on restitution (an ideal essentially stressing a gains-based response to problems/offenses vs. compensation – a loss-based response to problems/offenses. These students then take these skills and go to Strathmillan Elementary school and teach/mentor around 15 students from that school in peer-mentoring training – with the idea that these kids can take these skills and use them in their own lives and communities.

Victor Mager Boys & Girls Club (Multicultural Festival)

March 2009 (Amount granted: $1000)

On March 20th, Victor Mager Boys & Girls Club held a Multicultural Festival to celebrate and build understanding around the diversity evident in the community. The festival featured a range of ethnic performances, featuring some past members of the club. Although this event was free of charge to the public, families in the area were encouraged to bring an ethnic food dish to build a sense of community. The festival was a great way of building social capital as it brought together members of the community in a positive and safe environment.

Kelvin High School (Camp Ooga Booga)

March 2009 (Amount granted: $1000)

During spring break, Kelvin students hosted a four-day camp for students from Mulvey School and Pinkham School who may not have had a safe place to go during the spring break. The kids participated in cooking, arts and crafts, and sports. This project has been taking place for the past 7 years because school administration and the parents of the children who have participated in the past offer positive feedback. This project gave young children a chance to engage in positive learning activities, interact with their peers and high school students, and have fun.

FAIRE (Consumerism Conference)

April 2009 (Amount Granted: $945)

On April 24th, a group of young people interested in pursuing lifestyles that reflect a passion for social justice held a conference on consumerism for high school students. A number of professional speakers from Universities and local businesses were brought in to educate students about the economy, and how their spending habits affect other people. Students were asked to consider their contribution to the effects of their consumerism habits. The team included a Fair Trade lunch courtesy of Mondragon.

Vincent Massey Collegiate (Mugg’s Day)

April 2009 (Amount Granted: $492.35)

Inspired to create a feeling of a healthy community, students from Vincent Massey Collegiate planned a day of health and wellness for Chapman elementary school. Students from kindergarten through grade 6 participated in Mixed Up Grade Groups (MUGG’s) as they rotated through stations set up for sport, music, art and health. By mixing up the grades, students were able to connect with each other. The information given to the students will be sent home with them to share with their families, building a stronger community connection.

Miles Macdonnell (Home Improvement Project)

June 2009 (Amount Granted $1000)

The Home Improvement Project is driven by the grade 12 Career Quest class at Miles Macdonell Collegiate. The students renovate the exterior of a house in the East Kildonan or Elmwood area. The students took full responsibility for developing the criteria to select the house, and worked collaboratively to make the final selection of the house. This project has taken place for the past 12 years because every year students learn skills such as landscaping, painting, effective communications, and leadership.

Manitoba Muslim Girls’ Camp 2009

July 2009 (Amount Granted $1000)

From July 15th -19th, a group of Muslim girls attended a summer camp hosted by young women who attended similar camps as children. The project team considers camp to be an invaluable experience that helped them build life-long bonds. They hope to instill that same sense of belonging and community in the young girls that participate in the events and activities that are planned for them. The MB Muslim Girls Camp helps girls develop self-confidence and empowers them to realize the importance of balance in all walks of life. This year 10 girls who entered an essay contest were sponsored to attend the 5 day camp.

Manitoba Somali Students Association (Somali Youth Graduation Ceremony)

July 2009 (Amount Granted $900)

Young leaders from the Manitoba Somali Students Association held a graduation ceremony for Somali graduates of 2009. Members of the community were invited to help congratulate and celebrate the achievements of the graduates and to share their inspirational stories. The event was organized in hopes of stimulating academic success in other Somali youth. Members of the project team were able to further develop their organizational skills and build relationships with community members.

Islamic Social Services Association (ISSA Summer Program)

July 2009 (Amount Granted $1000)

The ISSA Summer Program provides youth with 2 months of summer programming that is educational, recreational and contains an element of community service. The program was designed to encourage Muslim youth to integrate into the fabric of Canadian Society. Members of the project team volunteered in July and August to run the activities and engage youth in positive cultural experiences.