Ontario, Canada – In honour of Local Government Week, the Youth Council Coalition of Canada / Coalition des conseils jeunesses du Canada (YCC/CCJ) is launching a challenge to Canadian municipalities.
The “Hour for Hour Challenge” encourages municipalities to formally establish a mechanism to provide volunteer hour compensation for students who engage in civic activities in all forms: surveys, open houses/forums, town halls, viewing or participating in council meetings, and watching relevant webinars.
The YCC will support municipalities and organizations that join The Hour-for-Hour Challenge by:
- Providing a free “how-to guide” online for all interested parties
- Offering bi-weekly webinars for coalition members to support their youth education and engagement
- Offering a ready-made social media package for member organizations to promote their participation
- Promoting participating organizations and independent opportunities on social media platforms and our website
Administrators are encouraged to visit yccofcanada.com for more information on the challenge and upcoming webinars.
QUOTES:
“The Hour-for-Hour Challenge provides youth with an opportunity to learn more about local government structures, practices and policies and provides local governments with an opportunity to inform, engage and inspire young and future generations. The YCC recognizes that leveraging digital volunteer opportunities is the best way to adapt to COVID-19 and we hope that this provides a lasting impact on youth and the organizations that serve them.” – Kelsey Santarossa, YCC Founder & President
“The Hour-for-Hour Challenge creates a space for Canadian youth to gain sociopolitical empowerment and see themselves represented in politics.” -Samantha C. Dalo, Youth Civic Engagement Specialist