Youth Mentorship Project
Posted by Rita Gayle
The Rotary Club of Brampton welcomes Steve Sheils of the Brampton Board of Trade. The BBoT provide services to members, talk about policy. Last year they developed a strategic plan regarding youth. The plan involves social innovation. What is social innovation? Social innovation refers to new strategies, concepts, ideas and organizations that meet social needs of all kinds. It’s a way to highlight creative changes in our city. It’s a new idea that puts practices in the community at a public level. Those involved in social innovation are coming together. Social innovation has to do with our environment protecting youth at risk.
The Board of Trade has been involved in entrepreneurship but has never been involved in social innovation. In August 2013, $145,000 grant was received from Trillium for a new program geared towards youth in Brampton. A research team was hired and mentoring and coaching young people is a part of the drill. BBoT now know from youth sources the kinds of things they want to do and they will have a series of workshops from February to September 2014. In September they will have an awards night and the BBoT will have a chance to award some of the youths who have come through the workshops. Sponsorships for the workshop will raise some additional funds to pay for the workshops. The outcome is to help a minimum of 20 businesses. The BBoT will enthusiastically talk to anyone who is interested.