Past Event

 

OTF Supports Youth Arts Against Violence

 

The Brampton News - www.thebramptonnews.com

Published on 11/13/2007

Brampton, November 9, 2007 – Rapport Youth & Family Services and its partners with a grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) in the amount of $224,200 over three years are able to support youth in developing leadership skills through the creation of youth arts initiatives promoting non-violence in the Region of Peel. Linda Jeffrey, MPP for Brampton-Springdale, joined OTF volunteer Andrew Ward to congratulate members of the partnership.

 "Clearly Brampton is making great strides in the area of youth safety", said MPP Jeffrey. "Our recent designation as one of the world's safest cities and now this grant will assist agencies across this community. It will give them the resources to engage our youth and give them skills they need to be successful."

The program aims at developing a youth-led network that encourages young persons in Peel Region to use artistic expression as a means of promoting non-violence. The project will enable youth to become leaders in their communities in initiating cultural and artistic activities related to anti-violence themes, and in doing so, mobilize other youth to unite in becoming proponents of non-violence.

The program is a collaborative effort of Rapport as the lead agency, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Peel, Our Place Peel, YMCA-Peel Youth Village, and Sexual Assault/Rape Crisis Centre of Peel.

"We are extremely pleased to receive funding support from the Ontario Trillium Foundation for this exciting project," said Paul Sherman, Executive Director of Rapport Youth & Family Services. "Promoting non-violence through artistic expression is a wonderful way to engage and encourage young people to stand up as leaders in their community. We feel that this is a timely and imaginative initiative to engage youth in their local communities, and as global citizens."

Photo (from left to right): Linda Jeffrey, MPP for Brampton-Springdale, Andrew Ward, Ontario Trillium Foundation volunteer, Paul Sherman, Executive Director, Rapport Youth & Family Services, Lonnie Meisner, Casework Supervisor, Big Brothers Big Sisters Peel.