YOUTH CONFERENCE

In March 2010 we hosted our first annual youth leadership conference called “Go For Your Gold”, a conference that focused on leadership, teamwork and communication. The conference was held in Riverton and was a resounding success. There were over 125 youth who took part in the event, many of whom we bused in from 4 other communities. Our team members offered workshops such as job skills, public speaking, broadcasting, creative arts, dance, girl power, and building a community garden.  We had a band, followed by a hard-hitting performing arts group, the Bashy Bus Kru, to open the conference.

Registration was busy; the youth picked 2 of the 9 workshops we offered, then went and designed their own t-shirt; note the pile of dirt on the right – that was for the community garden that many of the youth helped to create that day.

These young men are part of the larger marching band and performing arts group from Seaview Gardens. They entertained us while people were registering for their workshops and while we waited for additional busloads from other communities.

The Bashy Bus Kru performing for the group

Part of the 125 young people who attended the first annual Youth Conference in Riverton, March 2010

This young man was part of the crowd. He had a message to share with the group, which he presented in a dub poem that he made up on the spot!

Girls in the Girl Power workshop           Tashana, one of our many participants

Our second annual conference in Winter 2011 was moved to a bigger venue at the Christ the Redeemer School in Seaview Gardens. There were well over 200 youth in attendance at the conference called “Identity: I Know Who I Am”.

Registration and t-shirt pick up – thanks to Seneca College Alumni Association (Toronto, Ont). Team members: Left -right – Sharifa Sidhu, Paula Beci, Melissa Gede-Crevelle

The culminating event of the day was a talent show, highlighting participants’ unique skills