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Youth Engagement Initiative |
"CASSA’s Youth Engagment Initiative (Living in Brown: South Asian Youth in Focus)"
Sabera Esufali and Ellen Curtis
Project summary:In 2007 CASSA launched Living in Brown: South Asian Youth in Focus, an exciting new workshop series and mentorship program for South Asian youth in Scarborough. The program goal is to empower youth in our community as well as provide them with the skills and tools necessary to realize their goals.
Working in four different Scarborough neighborhoods, we partnered with different organizations to strengthen community links and further engage youth in their own communities. Program participants range in age from 14-24 and include those in high school, post-secondary, adult day school and/or working or looking for work.
In addition to this core program, the CASSA youth engagement team has delivered workshops at conferences and in high schools ranging from workshops on hate crime to opening up discussions about the importance of diversity in classroom curriculums and explore issues of South Asian Canadian history and identity.
The Living in Brown program includes two components: core training, (workshops series) and a mentorship opportunity. Workshop themes and topics include:
• anti-racism & anti-oppression
• South Asian history in Canada
• self-expression negotiating race, culture and identity
• health awareness, self-esteem & healthy relationships
• future visioning and planning
• media representation & analysis
Youth who successfully complete the core workshop series training are offered an opportunity to gain practical volunteer experience and are matched with suitable learning opportunities related to their fields of interest. Learning opportunities may range from job shadowing to short-term project assistance or longer volunteer opportunities. Placements continue on a rolling basis, depending on the availability of youth and partner organizations. At the end of the program, which will wrap up in August 2008, participants earn a certificate and an honorarium.
CASSA is committed to ensuring that youth are included in all aspects of the organization and Canadian society. This program aims to provide opportunities for youth to focus on how they situate themselves within the larger community. Furthermore, it aims to facilitate youth engagement through the development of networks and community leadership. So far, the program has been inspiring for participants as well as project leaders and we look forward to continuing our work!
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