Government of Canada announces funding for Black Kids in Action Performing Art Group to support volunteer opportunities for youth
WINDSOR, ON, Feb. 10, 2025 /CNW/ - Young people are building the Canada of today and of tomorrow, and the Government of Canada is creating new opportunities so they can foster their skills. Through the Canada Service Corps (CSC), youth are becoming part of the culture of service that helps equip them with meaningful skills and experience, while also empowering them to make an impact in their communities.
Today, the honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth and Irek Kusmierczyk, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages and Member of Parliament for Windsor – Tecumseh announced approximately $2 million in funding to Black Kids in Action Performing Art Group for their Investing in our Youth to Champion Success for the Future project for the next two fiscal years.
The Investing in our Youth to Champion Success for the Future project will engage and empower 240 Black youth in Ontario to create, own and accomplish micro-grant projects on their own and to give back to their communities through volunteer work. The project is an opportunity to recruit youth volunteers and help improve the social, economic, and environmental well-being of communities across the province. This project will help youth participants carry out community service projects and enable them to develop skills such as leadership, planning and budgeting with the goal of delivering their innovations to their community.
The project is part of the nearly $200 million investment from the Government of Canada to fund 85 projects as part of the CSC. As a result, over the next three years, up to 20,000 youth between the ages of 12 and 30 will benefit from new CSC-funded volunteer service opportunities across the country.
These interesting and engaging projects will offer youth, including those from Indigenous and under-served populations, unique volunteer service opportunities focused on reconciliation, inclusivity, environmental preservation, civic and democratic engagement, and resilience.
The CSC call for proposals received a strong response from organizations across Canada, with an unprecedented number of applications submitted. This enthusiasm reflects that the program is meeting a need and desire across Canada to help young people gain the skills and experiences they need to thrive and contribute to the growth of our economy.
CSC is a program that gives youth opportunities to practice leadership, learn new skills, and grow their personal and professional networks. Through community-focused volunteer service opportunities, youth gain valuable experience that can help them discover their strengths and motivate them to further their education or transition to the labour market. Since it began in 2018, CSC has enabled thousands of young people to gain new experiences, develop their skills, and broaden their networks.
Youth who want to apply for a CSC-funded volunteer service opportunity can visit Canada.ca/CanadaServiceCorps. New opportunities are added and updated regularly.
Quotes
"By teaming up with amazing organizations across the country, we're creating more opportunities for young people to grow their skills, follow their passions, and make a real impact in their communities—all while setting themselves up for future career success. This project from the Black Kids in Action Performing Art Group will provide Black youth the opportunity to take real ownership over their own hard work. I've seen firsthand the incredible things youth can accomplish through this program, and I can't wait to see what they do next."
– The Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth
"Young people are the foundation of strong communities and a prosperous nation. Our youth to champion success for the future project investment will provide valuable opportunities for youth in Windsor, empowering them to succeed through meaningful volunteer experiences. By investing in their future, we are investing in the long-term success of our country."
– Irek Kusmierczyk, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages
"Investing in our youth is investing in our future. Through the EDSC Funding, we will empower young people with opportunities, resources and a strong solid foundation to lead, inspire and drive a positive change in our community. We want to build a community where the irregularities of the outside world cannot control us."
- Oluwatosin Akinbinu, Executive Director, Black Kids in Action Performing Art Group
Quick facts
- On October 12, 2023, CSC launched a new comprehensive multi-stream open call for proposals with the intention to expand and diversify the program. New program and stream objectives helped to remove barriers for smaller, diverse-led and grassroots organizations and sought to fund projects that ensured geographic coverage across provinces and territories.
- Through the 2023 call for proposals, organizations across Canada could apply for funding for one or more of the following streams:
- Service Placements National Stream: funds organizations with a national reach across multiple provinces and/or territories that can provide full-time and/or flexible volunteer service placements for youth;
- Service Placements Regional Stream: funds organizations with a strong local or regional reach that provide flexible volunteer service placement opportunities to youth;
- Micro-grants Stream: funds organizations to deliver supports to youth and provide them with one-time cash payments (micro-grants) to carry out youth-led projects that address a community need.
- Information about the organizations being funded through this call for proposals, funding amounts and details about the new projects will be available after individual contribution agreements are signed.
- All Employment and Social Development Canada funding programs aim to be inclusive of a wide variety of organizations. To receive approval of funding, organizations must have the ability to meet criteria outlined in the application process. Criteria may change from one call for proposals to another as program priorities constantly evolve to meet the changing needs of Canadians. An organization that has previously received funding is not guaranteed funding approval in the future.
- Since its launch in 2018, CSC has made it possible for youth to participate in more than 52,000 volunteer service opportunities in over 200 projects. This represents over 40,000 service placements and over 10,000 micro-grant projects.
Associated links
SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada
For media enquiries, please contact: Emelyana Titarenko, Director of Communications, Office of the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, [email protected]; Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected]
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