Montreal’s young citizens can look forward to new programming and activities this year, thanks to funding from the City of Montreal to support projects that highlight their aspirations and dreams.
By and For Youth is a youth-led program from the city’s service de la diversité et de l’inclusion sociale that seeks to support initiatives by young Montrealers to counter injustice, discrimination, and violence.
In March 2023, a total of $3 million was announced by the city to support 52 projects across 17 boroughs. The project submission winners were evaluated by a selection committee comprising 11 jury members, including four people under 30. The members, who come from the institutional and community sectors, were chosen for their expertise in the fields of youth, urban security, citizen participation and the fight against discrimination and racism.
Project examples
In the Rivière-des-Prairies-Pointe-aux-Trembles borough, the project Jeunesse de la Pointe-de-l’Île is one of two in the borough that attracted the jury’s attention. The project will see 15 to 20 marginalized youth involved in the design of communication initiatives in RDP-PAT. They will organize creative meetings with youth committees to plan and create initiatives and carry out activities on the themes of cohabitation, inequities, violence and safety. Depending on the interest of the youth involved, this might involve artistic presentations, peace marches, musical contests, and more.
“Allowing our young people to carry out projects supported by a committed community gives them the opportunity to dare to express themselves on major current events and to have confidence that they have the tools to initiate positive changes,” said Daniel Gratton, director of La Société Ressources-Loisirs de Pointe-aux-Trembles in a French press release.
In Verdun, two projects were chosen including one from Action prévention Verdun for its Par et Pour project, which will offer almost 200 recent young immigrants a space in which their development, social inclusion, and sense of belonging are the main priorities. Thanks to the free activities that will be available, workers will be able to identify young people experiencing various issues, including isolation and dropping out of school.
In Le Plateau-Mont-Royal, the Service d’Accueil Centre Multi-Ethnique St-Louis will offer 20 children cultural and sports activities.
Over in the Cote-des-Neiges-Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough, the Centre Communautaire Mountain Sights will purchase equipment to create a training space for 14 youth. They will create their own programs such as cardio, weight training and fitness. The youth may also develop a component aimed at renting equipment for teenagers in the Cote-des-Neiges neighbourhood. The Westhaven Elmhurst Community Recreation Association will also be able to form a basketball team with three practices per week, coaching, and games.
And in Île-Bizard-Sainte-Geneviève, 60 young people aged 11 to 17 will be able to develop their ability to plan a community project that includes the following components: maintenance of a community garden, installation of a greenhouse, and culinary activities. More specifically, the project aims to promote youth civic participation.
