Youth Innovator for CBYF

This position is part of the Tamarack Community Building Youth Futures initiative (CBYF), funded through the Government of Canada’s Youth Employment Strategy. This initiative explores needs and gaps for youth in Oxford County and works collaboratively with the youth to build a strategy to improve youth outcomes and high-school graduation rates in our community.

We are seeking diverse youth (aged 15-29) from Oxford County to be volunteers on the Youth Innovators team guiding the CBYF initiative. Youth Innovators guide the development and implementation of our initiative by identifying, understanding and addressing gaps for youth in Oxford County. The initiative focuses on several areas, including mental health and addictions, youth future and employment, youth inclusion, rural challenges, and accessibility of information. Youth Innovators are the key figures guiding the direction of this initiative. 

Some examples of projects Youth Innovators have created and lead in our community include:

• Youth Futures Conference - a conference focused on youth career readiness and mental health, and to engage local youth in telling us how our community can better serve the youth who live here
• VIBE - a social space for high school students in Tillsonburg 
• Mental Health Trainings - created and hosted several SafeTALK, Mental Health First Aid, and other mental health related trainings in our community
• Youth Engagement Grants - created grants for projects run by different groups and organizations in the community that would benefit youth; youth innovators lead the creation of eligibility criteria and selection of which projects received funding
• Youth Education and Employment Fund - created a fund where youth could receive up to $500 as one-time payments to support with removing barriers to their education and/or employment goals
• Marketing - a team of youth leads the marketing and social media for all CBYF work
• Consultation - youth provide consultation to different organizations in the community to provide feedback on their programs and promotion
• And more! 

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Your role would be to work  with other youth, and representatives from local organizations to identify the needs of youth in our community and create and implement projects that will address these recognized needs and gaps. 
• Guides and makes decisions surrounding the development and implementation of community-based efforts for the CBYF initiative to close identified gaps for youth in Oxford County
• Works collaboratively with partners and stakeholders of the Tamarack CBYF initiative
• Attends Youth Innovator meetings twice a month, usually in the evenings 
• Encourages and facilitates partner participation in the initiative
• Identifies and engages with youth in the community to build awareness and connections to this initiative and encourage youth participation
• Completes learning related to youth engagement, collective impact, and other topics relevant to the CBYF initiative
• Performs other duties as required

General

• Only those who fit the criteria of being a youth (15-29 years old) and live in Oxford County will be considered
• Successful applicants will receive an honoraria of $20 for every meeting attended (volunteer hours required for high school graduation can also be signed for involvement)
• This position is open to all persons
• This position reports to the Youth Engagement Lead (nethnie.nandadasa@spcoxford.ca)

This is an excellent networking opportunity as members of the Community Allies include staff from a wide variety of organizations including: 

• Social Planning Council Oxford
• Oxford County
• Children’s Aid Society of Oxford County
• Community Employment Services
• Community Options for Justice (Oxford)
• Fanshawe College
• LEADS Employment Services
• Tillsonburg Multi-Service Centre
• Wellkin Child and Youth Mental Wellness
• Thames Valley District School Board
• London District Catholic School Board
• Canadian Mental Health Thames Valley Addiction and Mental Health Services
• Fusion Youth Centre

No Degree Required

Qualifications

• Volunteer Skills and Abilities
• Ability to work well as a member of a team
• Strong communication skills
• Leadership skills 
• Interest in your community
• Computer/social media skills/knowledge