YouthQUAKE 2000 - National Youth Camp
Facilitation March 24 to 29, 2000
The Economic Development and Parks Committee recommends:
(1) that Council endorse the YouthQUAKE 2000 scheduled to take place on March 24
to 29, 2000; and
(2) that the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism and other
appropriate officials, be requested to share information, facilitate the use of space,
and extend staff support in connection with this event.
The Economic Development and Parks Committee submits the communication
(undated) from Mr. Dave Farthing, Executive Director, YouCAN:
YouCAN Youth Canada Association would like to request the support of Council to
acquire assistance from Youth Committee and Youth Advocacy in our upcoming
National Youth Camp on Facilitation called YouthQUAKE. YouthQUAKE is scheduled
to take place from March 24 to 29, 2000, and we have chosen Toronto as the best host
city for this Canada's largest for-youth-by-youth training initiative.
YouCAN is a national charity run for-youth-by-youth and aspires to train Canadian
youth in ways to prevent violence and resolve conflicts in more peaceful ways. We
have been active since 1996. On January 5, 2000, we received notice from the
Department of Canadian Heritage that we would receive $70,000.00 to host a national
camp for youth in attempts to train youth as trainers in the area of violence prevention
and conflict resolution.
YouthQUAKE 2000, will aspire to become a yearly event and serve as the foundation
for developing the world's greatest youth trainers in violence prevention and conflict
resolution. This year we will bring 70 diverse youth from every province and territory
(10 to 12 of which will come from Toronto) to take in-depth professional facilitation
training. The last day of the camp will have these 70 youth facilitators facilitate up to
500 youth representing up to 50 different schools in Toronto to action plans on how
they can prevent violence in their schools/communities. This last day will be called
Toronto's Youth Taking Action Forum 2000. Our goal will be to help Toronto youth
take ownership in developing their own schools/communities into more peaceful
cultures to work, interact and play.
As this training camp will benefit over 500 Toronto youth, we are requesting the
assistance of the City's youth Youth Advocate and the Youth Committee to assist us
in any way possible. It is my hope that together, YouCAN!, the Federal Government,
and the City of Toronto can begin to mobilize well trained and committed youth
trainers in the area of violence prevention and conflict resolution.
_________
Councillor Olivia Chow, Children and Youth Advocate, appeared before the Economic
Development and Parks Committee in connection with the foregoing matter.
