Annual Report 2018

I’ve been involved with Youth Central since 2014, and have contributed over 500 hours to the Youth Volunteer Corps program. I was a senior volunteer in 2017, am currently a member of the YVC Steering Committee and was also selected to take part in the YVC Summit in South Carolina!

My favourite experiences with Youth Central has been the events I’ve been able to help plan with other youth on our own, like the YVC graduation party, Alumni panel and various fundraisers. Youth Central staff help us tremendously in creating events and ensuring they’re successful – I think it’s uncommon to receive such support
anywhere else.

Being part of Youth Central has taught me to become a leader in my own way. I’ve learned to listen to other people, create a comfortable environment for them, initiate conversations and become an encouraging team player. Youth Central has also taught me how privileged and lucky I am. Through volunteering, I’ve interacted with people from all kinds of backgrounds and became educated through experience.

After high school, I plan to study science and business. I also want to get into the medical field, and I know that will involve some volunteering. I love working with kids, and I hope that my future career includes meeting and working with kids.

I’ve been involved with Youth Central as a program committee member of the TD Youth Earth Ambassadors, Mayor’s Youth Council and Youth Volunteer Corps since 2016.

I’ve really enjoyed my time as a member of the TD Youth Earth Ambassadors. A couple of my favourite memories were created at the Vegetarian Cook-Off we’ve hosted for the past two years. I really enjoyed spending time with the chefs, seeing other youth participate and learning about sustainable cooking. Another highlight of my time with Youth Central was volunteering for the City of Calgary compost bin project. It was really fun being able to spend time at the warehouse and meet new people.

Being able to volunteer with Youth Central has really helped me reach my goals and given me the chance to put my time into helping the community. It makes me feel good knowing that I put my time and energy into a good cause.

In the future, I’d like to study computer science. Youth Central has helped me meet a lot of new people interested in all sorts of topics including politics, biology, and technology – some of who influenced my decision to continue to pursue my passion of technology after high school.

In 2015, I started volunteering as a member of the Marlborough Discovering Choices Youth Council, which is a partnership program between Youth Central’s Outreach Program ad Discovering Choices Schools. Since I began, I’ve contributed over 80 volunteer hours.

One of my favourite experiences with Youth Central was receiving the Perseverance award at the Youth of Distinction Awards in 2017. I was really proud of myself on that day, and it showed me that It’s possible to overcome hardships and become a better person.

Being involved with Youth Central has brought me out of my shell, and has helped me become a contributing member of my community. I’ve been able to build positive relationships with people and develop the key traits to becoming a leader. Youth Central gave me the chance to find out who I am and what I want to be
remembered for.

In the future, I hope to attend Mount Royal University for social work. My goal is to become someone who will make a difference in the world.

I began volunteering with Youth Central in 2010 and became an alumna in 2013. During my time at Youth Central, I was a member of the Mayor’s Youth Council and Youth Volunteer Corps. I continued to stay involved with Youth Central as a Team Leader for the Youth Volunteer Corps program, an alumni panelist, consultant for alumni engagement strategy, and now as a board member.

My favourite memory at Youth Central was the Calgary Youth Volunteer Fair, which I helped plan with the Mayor’s Youth Council. I remember nervously walking into the Calgary municipal building, carrying a bag full of textbooks from classes earlier in the day. The atrium was neatly lined with booths – volunteers from various agencies were setting up posters and tri-folds. This was the first annual Calgary Youth Volunteer Fair, and we, the organizing team, were uncertain of the turnout to expect. 

Gradually, students began to filter in, grabbing cardboard passports to collect stamps from each agency they spoke with. Before long, the atrium was buzzing with activity. In all, we connected 150+ students to over a dozen organizations. But beyond numbers, it was the excitement and energy in the air which made this experience truly meaningful.

My experience at Youth Central gave me the confidence to lead teams, communicate effectively, and structure my problem-solving. These skills were important assets in the professional roles I took. In my current work, I act as a trusted advisor to senior management in industry, often in a standalone capacity. Youth Central equipped me with the leadership tools required to be effective in this role.

I’ve been involved with the Calgary Youth Foundation and the Youth Volunteer Corps for three years.

One of my favourite experiences with Youth Central was the bag stuffing project where we had to help the City of Calgary roll out the green cart program. It was a lot of hard work, but I got to meet a lot of new people and formed relationships with Youth Central volunteers I’d never had a chance to work with before. The project itself was repetitive and tiring, but I took a lot away from it and it was actually pretty fun.

Being involved with Youth Central has helped me develop skills I wouldn’t have been able to learn anywhere else.

The structure of the program has allowed me to volunteer for a bunch of different projects, at times that are convenient for me – which doesn’t normally happen with regular volunteer roles.

After high-school, I plan to attend university for engineering or physics. Though Youth Central may not have directly impacted this decision for me, it’s certainly helped me develop a network of people that have contributed to the choices I’ve made. In the future, I’ll continue to be a philanthropist and volunteer because of the values and ideals that Youth Central has instilled in me.

I’ve been a member of the Mayor’s Youth Council since 2015, and I’m currently serving as a Co-Chair for the council in the Connections and Opportunities committee.

One of my favorite experiences with Youth Central has been serving specific groups of youth in Calgary that are often disenfranchized from the majority of initiatives and opportunities provided by local organizations. From the data the Mayor’s Youth Council collected in a survey, I’ve learned how to adapt our initiatives to best encourage and engage all youth in Calgary.

The Mayor’s Youth Council has allowed me to develop the confidence and skill set necessary to create change.

Not only have I been able to help plan and host major events and initiatives for youth in Calgary, but I’ve also met and learned from inspiring peers and mentors.

Volunteering is a way for me to express the gratitude I have toward Calgary. The mentors at Youth Central have shaped the person I am today. To volunteer is to support the community, support others, and support a sense of service within myself.

As I pursue post-secondary education, I’ll retain the core values of service, leadership, and integrity bolstered by my involvement in Youth Central’s programs.