Tuesday, June 2, 2009, Ottawa – This evening, United Way/Centraide Ottawa’s Youth Action Panel announced funding for 24 youth-led projects for 2008/2009. These grants are being put to work in a number of areas, including training for youth in engaging other youth to take action in their community, funding a film to highlight the issues of sexual abuse and mental health issues faced by youth, and supporting a group that will organize recreational activities for girls who cannot participate in gender-mixed activities due to cultural restrictions, to name but a few.

“The Youth Action Panel received a variety of applications this year and we are thrilled to  distribute funding to some innovative projects,” said Kristina Proulx, Co-Chair, Youth Action Panel. “The youth who participate on the panel take the position very seriously and spent a great deal of time going through the applications to make sure that the dollars will be invested in programs that will have the most impact on youth in our community.”

Each year, the Youth Action Panel can invest up to $60,000 in youth led projects and initiatives. In the 2008/2009 year, the 24 grants range from $864 to $2,500, for a total of just over $53,000 being distributed to provide youth groups with the funds to organize programs or activities. The Youth Action Panel has established three priority areas which they felt were issues important to youth: awareness, education and development; cultural sharing; and sports and recreation. The grants have been allocated to projects that the panel believes will have the greatest success in addressing a community need in one of the priority areas.

“These groups have come up with some new ideas for ways to empower youth,” said Eileen Dooley, Vice-President, Community Services, United Way/Centraide. “The grants will provide them with the necessary resources to make a difference in the lives of other youth and in their community.”

In 2001, United Way/Centraide established the Youth Action Panel, a group of volunteers between the ages of 13 and 18. The Youth Action Panel is primarily responsible for soliciting and reviewing youth group grant proposals and investing dollars in projects that will have a measurable impact on youth in the community. Since its inception, the Youth Action Panel has distributed more than $387,053 in grants.

Please see the backgrounder for a list of projects receiving funding from the Youth Action Panel for 2008/2009.

For more information about Youth Action, please visit www.youthactionjeunesse.ca.