On Saturday, May 1, the City of Toronto will proclaim May 1 to 7 Youth Week in Toronto – a week to celebrate youth engagement and showcase the abilities and talents of youth in the areas of civic engagement, recreation, arts and sports in diverse communities across Toronto. This year, all events will take place virtually.
Toronto is home to more than 623,000 youth who are a vital part of the city’s social, cultural and economic fabric. The contributions of young people help make Toronto the vibrant, world-class city that it is today.
During Youth Week, young people throughout Toronto can participate in virtual events that focus on visual and performance arts, personal development, and civic engagement mixed in with some fun.
From May 1 to 7, ResilienTOgether will celebrate youth artistic expression through visual and performance arts and Artists of the 6ix Virtual Art Showcase and Gala will feature Toronto’s up and coming youth artists.
On May 1, two afternoon trivia sessions will give youth a chance to win prizes.
Youth who are interested in dance can join Edmund ”Edz” Gyamfi on May 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8 in a series of virtual dance master classes. Youth can learn to improve their musicality, footwork and show off dance trends from the past, while building their own original choreography during STOMP and TO Live Presents Masterclass 2021.
Tuesday, May 4 offers youth the opportunity to help them identify leadership and development opportunities through Emerging Leaders in Recreation: Where Can Recreation Take You? The day is filled with other virtual events for youth, such as a Trivia Night for Teens presented by the Toronto Public Library, Drag Make Up Workshop and Toronto Trivia Night presented by Toronto History Museum.
Branded Youth Entrepreneurship Conference will be held on Wednesday, May 5 and invests, connects, and encourages Black, newcomer and other youth entrepreneurs who are most vulnerable to involvement in serious violence and crime. The event is delivered in partnership with Business in the Streets, CEE Centre for Young Black Professionals, LAMP Community Health Centre, Toronto Community Housing, and Trotman Communications.
Poetry Saved Our Lives—a series of workshops on poetry and spoken word is also scheduled for May 5.
For youth interested in writing and meeting other like-minded youth, Fresh Ink is scheduled for Thursday, May 6. On this day, youth can join the Toronto Youth Cabinet, the City’s official youth advisory body, for a special edition cabinet meeting with guest speakers from It’s My Future Toronto (IMFTO) or learn how to build their personal brand on LinkedIn through the Building Your Personal Brand on LinkedIn workshops.
Friday, May 7 is the day for two virtual youth job fairs developed in partnership with Youth Employment Partnerships, and an online escape room for teens.
Details about all Youth Week events, including times and registration information can be found here
Quote:
“The pandemic has been tough on young people in our city, and over the past year they have had to make many sacrifices due to the pandemic. Despite all of these challenges, we want to celebrate Youth Week in 2021 to show our support for youth in our city. I encourage all young people in Toronto to participate in the many events available to them this week and to learn more about the support and services that are available to them throughout the year.”
– Mayor John Tory
Toronto is home to more than 2.9 million people whose diversity and experiences make this great city Canada’s leading economic engine and one of the world’s most diverse and livable cities. As the fourth largest city in North America, Toronto is a global leader in technology, finance, film, music, culture and innovation, and consistently places at the top of international rankings due to investments championed by its government, residents and businesses. For more information visit the City’s website or follow us on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.
Media contact: Media Relations, media@toronto.ca