STRATFORD — After a year away due to COVID-19, United Way Perth-Huron (UWPH) is proud to announce the recipients of Youth in Action Grants for 2021-22.
“We were inspired by the quality of applications,” says UWPH Director of Governance and Community Impact Megan Partridge. “It’s obvious the pandemic hasn’t dampened the spirit of local youth when it comes to creating projects that will have a positive impact on their community. This year, we awarded $8,000 in grants and we’re looking forward to seeing the results.”
Youth in Action grant recipients represent a variety of focus areas and communities across Perth-Huron. The projects receiving funding are:
– Be Kind Campaign will help promote diversity, equity and inclusion for all groups, especially the LGBTQ2S+ community (Mitchell District High School).
– SDSS Naturalization Project aims to create a self-sustaining semi-wild nature area where students and teachers can learn outdoors (Stratford District Secondary School).
– Expression Express — The Art Cart will be available for all students to access art materials they may not be able to buy themselves. Art is found to be a positive way to express feelings and relieve stress for students who may not be interested in other extra-curricular activities such as sports (Stratford District Secondary School).
– F.E. Madill You Matter Student Wellness Seminar aims to better equip students to advocate for their own mental health, provide support to peers and improve overall wellness (F.E. Madill Secondary School).
– Mental Health Workshop will educate students about mental health, teach them skills to deal with stresses and talk about the importance of asking for help (St. Marys DCVI).
– Student Career Guest Speaker will share strategies with students around planning their lives, how to be successful and more (St. Marys DCVI).
– St. Marys Pride Sidewalk will help the project team paint a crosswalk near the school with a Pride flag with the aim of helping the LGBTQ2S+ community feel more welcome and promote inclusivity (St. Marys DCVI).
UWPH Youth in Action Grants are an opportunity for youth to access up to $1,000 to develop and implement projects addressing important issues in their communities. To be eligible, the project must be planned by youth aged 14–25, clearly engage their peers in Perth and Huron Counties and have an adult trustee over the age
of 25.
