Youth Leaders in Peel Region invited to Learn Skills for Social Change at ACCESS Workshops
MISSISSAUGA – On August 14, 2014 ACCESS presents: DO GOOD, BETTER, the first of a free two-part workshop series to equip youth-led initiatives in Peel Region with the tools and skills to succeed. Youth leaders and activists will receive hands-on learning opportunities from experienced facilitators who have worked with countless youth-led organizations and initiatives across the Greater Toronto Area to build stronger organizations and create greater impact in their communities.
DO GOOD, BETTER will take place over two summer evenings at Studio 89, a social enterprise café in Mississauga whose proceeds fund an artademic resource centre and youth programming. The workshops will help young leaders learn to find funding and build budgets for their social good projects.
“Having founded ACCESS as a high school student 8 years ago, I am thrilled that we are now able to share these vital resources with other youth who are working on their own initiatives. Finding funding is a huge challenge for organizations of any size – especially for youth entering this complex sector. We have learned that the non-profit sector is all about collaboration, and are honored to involve our mentee organization, Regional Youth Roundtable, as well as to bring in experts in youth organizing from across the GTA.” – Daniel Francavilla, Founder and Executive Director, ACCESS
On August 14, part one will help participants learn how to develop and write an effective grant application through the exploration of tools and processes for designing programs, framing applications, and embedding grant-writing planning in all that they do.
On August 21, part two will help youth leaders learn to build budgets with confidence. Participants will learn how to develop a budget for their organization or project using simple tools and software. They will explore what to take into account when building a budget, from salaries to rent to program expenses.
The workshops are being promoted in partnership with the Regional Youth Roundtable, a new local youth-led initiative mentored by ACCESS. The Speak Up for Change Workshop Series is funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation.
Spaces are limited, so we invite interested participants to register online at speakupforchange.ca/workshops.
About ACCESS ACCESS is a youth-run, non-profit organization that educates, empowers, and inspires youth to drive positive change. ACCESS is run exclusively by youth, ranging from high school students to university students and recent graduates. ACCESS focuses on social innovation and youth social entrepreneurship, to educate, empower and inspire youth to create change locally and globally. | accesscharity.ca | speakupforchange.ca
About Regional Youth Roundtable Regional Youth Roundtable aims to alleviate pressures facing minority youth groups (such as newcomer youth, special needs youth, racialized youth) by creating a collaborative impact through youth-led organizations in Peel region. The Roundtable also acts as a platform for the sharing of ideas and initiatives between youth-led organizations, ensuring said organizations are reaching their full potential and mandate. | youthroundtable.ca
Media Contact: Daniel Francavilla, Executive Director, ACCESS | daniel@accesscharity.ca
ACCESS offering RHYTHM for youth to learn through breakdancing
This Spring, ACCESS has added a new format to Speak Up for Change Workshops: Breakdancing. Working with RHYTHM, ACCESS will be helping to teach youth how to express themselves through breakdance, through a 12-week dance program.
Not only is RHYTHM about learning how to dance, it is about giving youth accessibility to foster their interests and professionally develop — not only as artists, but also as people.
The program is designed to promote creativity, confidence, self-esteem and healthy-active-living.
"Youth learn about dance as a positive outlet for emotions (both negative and positive), as a method of conflict resolution and as a framework to express and understand their own cultures and the cultures of others," says Damon Pfaff, Program Manager.
Rather than teaching a few dance moves, the RHYTHM program engages youth in various activities to develop them physically and emotionally, and to make them more culturally sensitive.
"This program is really about bringing youth together through a shared passion for the arts. Students learn to unite and create as a community. We discuss media, social issues, self awareness and really dig into what role art and dance play in social change. We want to see these youth become leaders through creativity and collaboration."
There are two classes a week with two dance teachers per class, local volunteers and important special guests from the arts community. There will be guest performances, rare videos and giveaways. Students enjoy a variety of activities that focus on technique, personal and interpersonal skill building. As their skills develop, they will also participate in discussions and get the chance to view hard to find media related to b-boy/b-girl culture. As a culminating activity, the RHYTHM classes will conclude with a public final performance.
Programming is open to all youth (12-24 years old). The lessons start from the basics so beginners are welcome.
Registration and Program Dates will be available at SUFC.ca/workshops in late May. For more information on the program, please email damon@accesscharity.ca.
Join ACCESS at TEDxYouth, Prom Expo and Youth Workshops
Within the next 3 weeks, ACCESS is pleased to be involved with 3 exciting youth events hosted in Peel Region. ACCESS invites you to attend TEDxYouth@Brampton, The Prom Expo, and Speak Up for Change Workshop Series all between now and March 1.
Speak Up for Change Workshops
Tuesday February 18 and 25, 2014
The Speak Up for Change Workshop Series for youth looking to make a positive difference continues this month, co-hosted with STEP. Register for these free workshops on taking the next step, Stepping Up (February 18) and on the power of partnerships, Partnerships and Mentors (February 25) both held in Brampton at South Fletcher's from 4:30–6:30 pm. Free Public Transit and Refreshments will be provided.
The Prom Expo
Saturday February 22, 2014
For students attending Prom or Semi Formals (either this year or next, it's never too early to get prepared), The Prom Expo is an amazing event for students by students, with proceeds supporting ACCESS! Tickets for the Prom Fashion Show and many Local Vendors are available online right here. Saturday, February 22 at the Riverstone Golf & Country Club in Brampton. For more on this event and its relationship to ACCESS, read this announcement.
TEDxYouth@Brampton
Saturday March 1, 2014
Through the theme Redefining Normal, the first-ever TEDxYouth@Brampton will empower youth to lead creative, self-satisfying lives that will enable them to look beyond the conventional forms of living. The conference's speakers range from Noble Lauriets to charismatic leaders, who all share a single vision: to share their ideas in the hopes to alter our mindset. The event will be held at St. Marguerite d'Youville Secondary School. Tickets are available right now online here. To learn more about ACCESS support of TEDxYouth@Brampton, please read this announcement.
Youth Workshop Series offers youth a chance to step up
ACCESS is working with Brampton student-run group STEP to present a helpful workshop series for local youth, to be hosted in February 2014. ACCESS extends its online Speak Up for Change blog program by facilitating such in-person workshops. The goal of these free workshops are to provide youth in the Peel Region with the opportunity to become aware of their potential to take action and collaborate.
"There are a great deal of people out there that need assistance from others, and there are also a great deal of people that have the ability to provide that assistance. Some of whom may have the necessary good intentions and ideas, but not the ability to implement them," shared Vithuran Sukumar, VP of STEP.
"We hope that by holding these workshops, we can help others create their own projects, so that we would be able to, even in an indirect manor, help even more people," expressed Vithuran.
Registration for each workshop is free at the links below or SUFC.ca/Workshops. Youth can participate in one or all of the sessions, at no cost.
Winter Workshop Series
Workshops for youth looking to make a difference
- December 10 | What: Determining Your Drive
- February | How: Stepping Up
- February | Who: Partnerships and Mentors
"As a young grassroots group, the STEP team has been working with ACCESS to develop and strengthen their student-run organization," Daniel Francavilla, founder of ACCESS, shared. "Several months later, we were pleased to provide STEP with the opportunity to develop and plan this workshop series."
For more on the December Speak Up for Change Workshop series, or to register, please visit SUFC.ca/Workshops.
Contact sufcworkshops@accesscharity.ca with any questions.
About ACCESS
ACCESS: Allowing Children a Chance at Education is a youth-run, non-profit organization that facilitates education and empathetic leadership development through initiatives that engage, inspire, and motivate youth to drive positive change, locally and globally. ACCESS envisions the empowerment of generations of leaders through education in order to inspire meaningful development in their own communities.
Youth Making a Difference Workshop to inspire local youth activism
With the popular inspirational words “you must be the change you wish to see in the world” from Mahatma Gandhi, ACCESS: Allowing Children a Chance at Education has joined forces with Continental Rescue Africa to present an exciting event - the Youth Making a Difference Workshop.
With similar visions of global education and youth empowerment, CRA and ACCESS will be hosting the Youth Making a Difference Workshop on
Friday, May 29, 2009 at Century Gardens Recreation Centre in Brampton, Ontario.The day features inspiring guest speakers and a variety of local non-profit organizations (including Student Reach, Volunteering Peel & Volunteer MBC, Youth Exchange, Youth Can Move the World, Mississauga Youth Games, Change the Future Foundation, Mississauga Mayor's Youth Team, Brampton Mayor's Youth Team, Project YouthTube, ACCESS: Allowing Children a Chance at Education, Continental Rescue Africa and more).
Register Online today or learn more at www.accesscharity.ca/workshop.
The goals of the workshop are to educate, empower, and raise awareness among youth.
- Educating: Equip them with more than the passion they need to work in social justice but also with the knowledge of HOW they can join us all in creating change. Provide them with the many options available to them to volunteer and to help them in starting their own organization
- Raising Awareness: organizations which engage in development work and social justice issues such as; poverty, famine, illiteracy, gender-based violence, gender-based issues, youth activism, job creation etc. will be given the platform to raise awareness about the critical nature of these issues and how we are implicated.
- Empowering: The specific scope of this workshop will be defined by the organizations which choose to work with us to empower the youth of today about how they can make change and be apart of change in their communities.
This workshop has been designed carefully to compliment curriculum and topics discussed in Ontario Schools. Students will gain new insight into the knowledge they have acquired in the classroom, and will further be empowered to make a difference. Students will be inspired to make the change they wish to see in the world and empower others through raising awareness.
Registration for the Youth Making a Difference Workshop is open online at accesscharity.ca/workshop. Registration closes soon so please do so as soon as possible!
- Please invite others to the workshop through its Facebook Event page!
- Register Online or learn more at www.accesscharity.ca/workshop.
- Email info@accesscharity.ca with any inquiries.
