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Pauline's Blog
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LU radio
Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

I will be on LU radio New Year's Day at 8:45 AM. That's the local radio station for Thunder Bay and we pre-recorded it this morning. This was a good chance to advertise the upcoming workshop, networking meeting, and alcohol abuse forum. It will be on the Aboriginal Radio Hour show. I'm hoping listneners will tune in!

I also had the chance to talk to a couple high school environmental groups to invite them to come in to our workshop on climate change. I had a meeting with a member of Missions First Nation's environmental group. Hopefully they will be coming to the climate change workshop and networking meeting too because I've now told two members now to bring the group. She will come and do an fun opening and closing at the workshop and we will work together in the future.

December 27, 2007 | 2:25 PM Comments  0 comments

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Untitled
Related to this project: Creating Local Connections Canada/Liaisons locales Canada

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

Young Decision Makers' Meeting

I attended the first Student's Commission/Centre of Excellence Young Decision Makers meeting last month from Nov. 30 - Dec.1 in Deerhurst. I've uploaded the full report from the meeting onto the Ontario documents page and I thought I'd summarize some of my notes/perspectives.

I will use the Student's Commission's model to describe how the goal of a National youth council will be achieved. TakingITGlobal has also produced a report about National Youth Councils that highlights the importance of collaborations. First, there are initiators (how to attract youth), then sustainers (keep 'em), and impacts (results). For each there is self, social, and system areas to explore.

For initiators regarding the self,
- problem solving/sharing ideas
- youth empowerment
For initiators regarding social benefits,
- National voice and space for youth collaboration
- linking groups
- inform youth of youth rights
- raise awareness of youth issues
- link w/media
For system changing initiators,
- platform for youth and people in power
- create direct link to politicians/gov't - both ways communication
- obtain funding for youth initiatives

For sustainers and the self,
- inspire, inform and involve youth
youth voice and input
For social sustainers,
- paid positions/youth consultants
- research
- resources - capacity building for youth
- adult leader/mentors - voted in
- communication system - website
- groups/individual organizations
- forum/conferences/newsletters/campaigns
- coalition - link/connect with agencies/key partners
- action-oriented
For system sustainers,
- structure/budget
- legislated formal process/policies

Impacts on the self,
- linking individuals with already existing organizations - connect youth with groups is the ultimate goal
Impacts on the social,
- head, heart, feet passionate
Impacts on the system
- diverse National Youth Council

There are also challenges, barriers, and negative outcomes, but we kept it pretty positive. One was a lack of time and resources, but with communication tools such as TIG, this could be made easier. Another challenge was engaging a diverse group of people. The question is how do we reach out? We could go to where the people are and use outreach through the media.

The 18 and under group listed the following things in order as most important in designing the council:
Inclusivity
Youth-led
Participator
Young-Adult Support
Adult Partnerships
Representative
Informal Structure

The 18 and up groups werre similar:
Inclusivity
Youth-led
Participatory
Representative
Adult Partnerships
Young-adults support
Informal Structure

The model that was suggested was having a provincial section and City Council section for each area, and then involving organizations, community centres and schools. The adult ally would be elected in every level.

Also, there will be collaborations with the Student's Commission as they put together their new website. In his workshop, he asked why online? easy direct access, archives, the power of anonymity. The Student's Commission will build the mailing list and committee. TIG can have connectios. The important thing is to not compete, but combine with cross-eye traffic, cross eye posting and moderators would be helpful for theirs but they currently haven't discussed it.

The things that I learned!

December 22, 2007 | 3:45 PM Comments  0 comments

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Language as Violence, Violence as Language
Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

The minister came to Thunder Bay and the notes about his visit were really eye-opening. Violence is a huge problem in the City, and TIG's initiative in Toronto would definetly work here. There would be sessions where the young people come in and we will give them disposable cameras, talk about what violence is, who is involved, and how to prevent it. I'm thinking there could be an assignment for each topic, and then we could alter them on photoshop and post them on TIG.

I have a skilled photographer (www.alicesabourin.com) who is going to help us with this project and a team who can do photoshop.

If they had to do with racism, they could also be added to the March.21 Day for Racism contest that the Multicultural Youth Council is putting on for the schools. That could be a theme one day.

December 22, 2007 | 1:43 PM Comments  0 comments

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PARO Place
Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

I went to an open house at PARO today and together we will plan a workshop and youth forum during their Women's Economic Development conference. This will be for young women. In the New Year, I will also be meeting with them to discuss combining forces with regards to young women and social networking.

This will be a good opportunity to connect around possible initiatives as we have worked together in the past with entrepreneurship workshops for girls.

Cool!

January 24th is our first meeting, but before that I will think of ways we can collaborate and meet with the founder.

December 21, 2007 | 3:05 PM Comments  1 comments

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Community Youth Coalition
Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

I went to a networking breakfast meeting on Tuesday morning. It was a chance for many youth organizations to speak about what they are doing while connecting our efforts.

For a forum we are having on alcohol abuse, MADD will come and bring their coffin.
I will also be a part of the Community Youth Coalition Executive to help plan these gatherings and start committess for different events in the City.
I learned a lot about the groups and what they are doing in Thunder Bay, while talking about TakingITGlobal and networks created in Thunder Bay such as Change Our World and the Regional Multicultural Youth Council.
The Children's Centre is looking for people to be a part of their committee on youth mental health. I will help her find some or be a part.
The Youth Outreach Worker from Dilico wants to get the Ontario Connections Newsletter
PARO is planning a youth forum for April and wants us to be involved as a guest speaker on the panel

It was refreshing to see what the City plans to do about youth image and safety. It would be great to see more young people there next time and I will tell the groups I come into contact with who weren't a part to become a part.

In the future, I will have my cards and bookmarks out so that people can get connected.

The interesting thing was that I knew everyone.