Goodbye, farvel, au revoir, 再见! The past couple of weeks have been one farewell after another, and after delaying this one for as a long as I can, it’s time for me to say bye-bye to this wonderful community that so readily accepted a junior high girl back in 2014 when she decided to explore her interest…
Volunteering is a powerful experience. Give a little time; get a whole lot out of it. You can learn so much by serving the world around you, and you can quite literally find yourself in this maze of a world that labels us. I’ve made so many amazing connections, and met such inspirational people along…
Have you ever had an amazing idea that could benefit Calgary and the world around you but, the project seems out of reach because of those expenses that come with it? Calgary Youth Foundation (CYF) can solve those problems for you. What is the Calgary Youth Foundation? CYF is a youth-driven committee that offers grants…
During this time of year, it’s all about celebrating for us. With gifts, good food and family activities, it’s easy to think that this time of year is the best . But, seeing how we live in cozy, economically stable and safe Canada, it’s hard to imagine that there are millions of children all over…
Standing at just barely 5 feet tall, Jessica Vu is a force to be reckoned with. A grade 11 student at Lester B Pearson high school, she is currently the female with the most YVC hours in Calgary, and recently received the World Changer Award, for having volunteered 1000 (or more) hours with Youth Volunteer…
Jambo! Habari Gani? Mzuri? Mzuri! And that was it. My level of competency in Swahili reached a grand level of four words. And that’s where verbal communication ended. I didn’t literally comprehend what the children were saying, but their eyes expressed all that needed to be heard. Our relationships weren’t based on anything that could…
“Be the change you wish to see in the world.” Chances are you’ve almost certainly heard this quote somewhere. Whether it was on Instagram set to a generic sunset background, or pasted up on the wall of your third grade teacher’s room, these words probably sound pretty familiar. This quote is the emblem that anyone…
Now that I’m in Grade 12, I have been reflecting a lot on my experiences so far and how they have made me the person I am today. One of the biggest influences has definitely got to be volunteering. I began volunteering with Youth Central in the summer after Grade 9 through Youth Are Awesome…
Ahhh how wonderful it is to be caught up in a summer daze. The sun’s out, we’re all happy, avoiding any mention of back-to-school, and all is good. And if you’re not hitting up the beaches, or vacationing in exotic places, there’s always the option of staying closer to home and attending some of the great…
Congratulations on finishing yet another year of school! Another grade over, and another gaping void that is known as summer. My family is not the type to go out for a long family getaway, so often, finding something to do in the summer can be a pain. Over the past few weeks, I tried in…
Did you know that there are more than 40 Youth Volunteer Corps affiliates across the US and Canada? What about the fact that each one looks a bit different— varying in size, hosts, programs, and types of projects? Youth Central is lucky to have thousands of volunteers, dozens of projects each week, and an online…
Abdul Halim al-Attar, Syrian refugee and now the owner of 3 businesses, didn’t have a great start. A photograph of him selling pens on the street in Syria whilst carrying his sleeping daughter went viral throughout the world, sparking sympathy and grief. I remember seeing the picture online a few months ago in August, and…
Do you have a pet? Yes, those cute, cuddly animal best friends. Whether it be a dog or a cat, hamster or a fish, we humans greatly cherish our furry companions. The sad reality is, not all animals experience love from their owners. In fact, many animals suffer from animal abuse on a daily basis.…
As of now, the Syrian Refugee crisis has been the largest humanitarian crisis of all time. Leaving 7.6 million Syrians displaced from their homes, as the flee from violence and terror. In the wake of the horrible terrorist attacks in Paris, Beirut, and Nigeria in the past week; more attention has been raised for the increasingly…
Most of us have dedicated time volunteering inside community centres, libraries, and other facilities. Some difficulties I find, as a youth especially, is transportation and time management during my full time school life. However, these difficulties are never an excuse to abstain from giving back to our communities. So, what are some easy and convenient ways I can volunteer…