United Way Youth In Action Grants Create Next Generation Of Engaged Citizens

by Bob Montgomery

Part of the United Way Perth Huron's mission is building the next generation of engaged residents through the Youth in Action grants program.

The program provides opportunities for youth to come up with creative solutions to challenges people their own age face and develop skills that can transfer to other areas of life.

United Way Director of Governance and Community Impact Megan Partridge says they're excited to see the amazing things local youth come up with to address issues in their communities. “We can see that this past year’s grant recipients inspires other young people to think of ways to help in their communities.” 

Partridge says the Youth in Action program is at least fifteen years old now. “Last year there were twelve successful applications for grants of up $1,000 for a wide variety of projects all across Huron and Perth counties. The applicants ranged in age from 14 up to 24 and the projects can be just about anything that is led by the young people and is for young people, so benefiting their peers.

This past year’s funded projects included:

Bedford Intermediate Youth Project (Nancy Campbell Academy): 
Students partnered with Stratford District Secondary School students to provide a blended tutoring and recreation program for elementary students.

Building Community Wellness (Listowel District Secondary School): 
Students will host a speaker to discuss mental health and wellbeing and to build a sense of community.

Equitable Living Project (Central Huron Secondary School): 
The youth ran a Christmas-time food and essential item drive at Central Huron Secondary School, partnered with a local food program to provide essential supplies to residents in need, and presented information on homelessness and local programs to classmates.

Generation Rainbow Collective (Stratford Pride Community Centre): 
2SLGBTQ+ youth led a series of eight weekly social activities to strengthen their community and support each other.

Microscope Lending Program (Huron County Library): 
A homeschooled student acquired microscopes for the Huron County Library catalogue and ran small classes on how to use them reaching over 120 youth.

Motivational Mondays (St. Marys DCVI): 
Students brought in a mindfulness teacher to teach two classes about practical strategies to aid anxiety.

New and Improved Picnic Tables (Stratford District Secondary School): 
Students collaborated across classes to build and decorate a new picnic table for the school grounds.

Students Helping Students (Stratford District Secondary School): 
Students created an in-school food station stocked with a variety of lunch food items to supplement and/or provide lunch for students facing food insecurities. The youth lead created a report to document the needs discovered.

The Kindness Project (South Huron District High School):
Students planned activities to spread "kindness" in their community, such as hosting a concert for nursing home residents, working with Exeter Elementary School students to spread rocks painted with positive messages around town, and appreciation events for school staff.

Urban Farming Project (Stratford District Secondary School): 
Students partnered with the Local Community Food Centre to create an urban farm. Students and community members worked together to build intergenerational connections and learn regenerative farming practices.

You Are Not Alone (Goderich District Collegiate Institute): 
Grade 12 students started a mental health awareness group at the school and created a dedicated wellness space for Grade 7-8 students with contributions from the art class.

Youth Space (Tanner Steffler Foundation): 
Youth volunteers installed a hygiene pantry for youth participants in their new space.