Canada World Youth Program returns to city

Photo by Vince Fedorof

Organizations around the city will be getting a little extra help this fall thanks to young volunteers from across the country who will be taking part in the Canada World Youth program.

At the July 19 city council meeting, Jessica Pisarek, Canada World Youth’s local project supervisor, said the program is returning to Whitehorse after a seven-year hiatus.

Canada World Youth offers a number of exchange programs to those aged 15 to 25 where groups volunteer in a Canadian community for a period, followed by a community overseas.

Pisarek said the program was last here in 2003.

“We’re very excited to have a northern partnership (again),” she told council, noting Whitehorse is one of 45 communities across the country to host the young volunteers.

The Whitehorse program will see 18 youth – nine from around Canada and nine from the Ukraine – aged 17 to 20 volunteer in various parts of the community from Sept. 10 to Dec. 7.

Returning this year, it will bring participants from throughout the country here from Sept. 7 to 18 to volunteer with various organizations such as Bringing Youth Towards Equality, the Learning Disabilities Association of the Yukon and others.

Canada World Youth are looking for host families to help house members of the group. Two youth – one from the Ukraine and one from Canada – would stay in each household with families receiving $168 per week to cover expenses.

“You can get involved by becoming a host family,” notes a statement by the group.

“We invite all types of households – retirees, singles, single parents, etc. – to share their daily activities with Canada World Youth participants.

“You won’t have to alter your lifestyle in any way: one goal of the program is to integrate participants into everyday family life. By hosting two participants, you will also discover a new culture.”

It’s also noted that in cases of emergencies or family vacations, the youth could stay at the home of families designated as back-up hosts for short periods.

Along with the more long-term host families, Canada World Youth is also looking for back-up families with a spare room to offer for such situations.

The Canadian portion of the exchange will be followed by the overseas program, where the youth will travel to the Ukraine, stay with host families there and volunteer on local projects, Pisarek said.

Each participant, she said, will put in 4,000 hours of volunteer work over the course of the program.

As the organization’s website states, the mission of the organization is to “increase the ability of people, and especially youth, to participate actively in the development of just, harmonious, and sustainable societies.”

As Pisarek told the city: “It’s a great opportunity for youth to gain awareness.”

She’s hopeful that this year’s program in Whitehorse will be a success followed by further partnerships in the years ahead.

For that to happen, Canada World Youth needs the support of the community.

Pisarek noted that can happen, through residents volunteering as host families and other groups or the city providing meeting space, bus passes for volunteers to get to and from their work as well as through simply providing ideas to the organization.

Coun. Dave Stockdale, who sits on the board of the Whitehorse Food Bank, also suggested the bank could present some opportunities to participants to volunteer there.

Pisarek also noted, responding to a question from Mayor Bev Buckway, that she’s been in contact with a city official on contributing to the program.

Canada World Youth has a website at http://www.canadaworldyouth.org

Those interested in being host families can contact Pisarek at 335-5218 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)