The overarching goal of this project is to empower 100 Black youth aged 15 – 30 in pro-social activities to build their skills in leadership, professional networks, and life skills to help youth become productive members of society thus building an inclusive Canada.
Give youth up to $5,000 to carry out innovative short-term service projects to strengthen youth resilience.
Please keep an eye out on our blog to follow the projects.
YOUTH PROGRAMS
Canada Service Corps (micro –grants BYETCOM) - Black Youth Empowerment Towards Community Development
24-04-2023 to 29-03-2024
KINDRED PROJECT
The Kindred project is focused on providing mental health support to Black youth communities. The program includes workshops, mentorship and leadership opportunities, pro social activities, etc. Selected Black youth also form an advisory committee to lead and execute the project activities. The youth at Uzima advocate constantly for mental health awareness. Most programs in the organizations incorporate workshops and other media to raise awareness. Most of the organization’s social media campaigns on mental health have been created and maintained by the youth staff.
The Youth Violence & Human Trafficking Prevention Program
Suvat Blue
Participating youth in this program created the platform Suvat.
The program formed from the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services by the provincial government. It is a youth violence and human trafficking prevention program with a broad scope on educating and empowering youth by building digital media platforms.
The program begun last summer and a series of workshops on a variety of topics were covered. They were attended by multicultural youth and adults.
The program networks youth as a peer resource for each other. The program is building a sustainable digital media library. This will involve making content of videos, photographs, blogs, and a podcast. There is also a website and social media platforms that have branded the project called SUVAT BLUE. The name came from the words “survivors” and “anti-trafficking” combined.
Eventually, focus groups of Black youth were conducted from March 2022 and are currently ongoing. Some of them agreed to be interviewed in person on video to build toward the media library. Be on the lookout for their content.
CANADA SUMMER JOBS
Uzima has been involved with hiring youth from Toronto and the GTA during the summer. They engage in all the programs running in the organization. In turn, they develop their academic and employment skills.
F.U.N PROGRAM
Training sessions to empower youth with skills in digital marketing, web development, and employment skills.
Professional mentors highlight the importance of documentation and communication between product marketers and product developers to better advance business and serve the target audience.
The youth learned the principles for User Experience Designers, which are, to design for your users and not for yourself.
Also, the importance of copywriting for a business and its audience, branding and tone of voice, journey maps, which are activities that serve to better understand one’s audience, and opportunities through the users’ emotions.
The interview and resume skills presentation was about various topics, such as how to make a positive impression and sell yourself.
The youth staff who participated in this program have continued to successfully grow their careers with other companies and organizations.
