Youth between the ages of 14 and 30 are increasingly getting themselves into gangs, violence, guns and drugs. To highlight the alternate of these evils that have begun to take roots in our society, MP from Brampton-Springdale, Ms. Ruby Dhalla hosted the first annual youth community service fair.

Anisha Mohammad, Youth Program Coordinator at BNRC

Brampton Safe City poster

The idea was to link and partner youth with community organizations that can offer help and advice on issues like peer pressure, career counseling, finding jobs, writing resumes, how to communicate with parents, and to stay away from gangs and drugs.

To address some of the social issues of our youth, MP Dhalla founded a non-political, non-partisan youth body called Youth Advisory Council to empower youth and to give voice to them. Youth Advisory Council brings together “youth people to design and develop solutions to the problems at community level,” the young MP explained.

Dale , Coordinator at United Achievers Community Services Inc., chats with MP Ruby Dhalla

With the rising numbers of gangs in our neighborhoods, one has to ask reasons behind it. One reason could be lack of communication between parents and teenagers; another could be lack of parental involvement in their kids’ lives and the third is probably different atmospheres in which kids and immigrant parents’ have been raised in.

The solution, then, as Mr. Dale Williams from United Achievers Community Services Inc. suggests is bringing together parents and youth. “Right now it’s all about youth, youth, youth..but let’s get parents involved too,” he says.

Another way to get youth away from bad company is for them to work. One of the many areas Job Skills works on is youth employment. Job Skills provides free job searches, career counseling, helps youth to get volunteer hours and so on. When it comes to youth, the organization focuses on 15-30 year olds. Youth need motivation and to encourage them to volunteer or to be involved in community, we come to them, says Ms. Arajul.

Eugene Wilson, Volunteer Coordinator with City of Brampton Mayor's Youth team

Growth of business has become critical since we have hit recession. Community organizations like Brampton Neighbourhood Resource Centre (BNRC) have realized this. BNRC has initiated a program whereby youth works with community business leaders to give youth the taste of real life entrepreneurial atmosphere.

Environment has become a hot topic of debate as the world leaders get together at Copenhagen to make our planet greener and cleaner, and to cut carbon emissions. Our youth is very much aware of the issue. High School Green Club Council of Brampton is all for clean energy and clean environment. “Many people are interested in helping environment, but they are not quite sure how to do that,” says Aisha. This group recommends abandoning the use of plastic bags, elimination of the use of pesticides, recycling and so on as some of the steps that we can all take to put in our fair share toward cleaner Canada and our globe. One of their initiatives is cell phone drive to reduce cell phone waste.

 Youth is our community as well as country’s future and is recognized as such. City of Brampton Mayor’s Youth Tem represents students of Brampton schools. This team has put together youth violence awareness programs to promote safety for students from gangs, violence, drugs, bullying and so on.

Mike Aiken, Community Development Officer at Peel Aborignial Network

Sandra Araujl, Lead Youth Employment Coach at Job Skills

Saqib Khokar, Ahmed Saleh & Saqib Shaikh from Muslim Youth of North America

Supriya Sethi, Christopher George, Sukhraj Singh and Donna from Youth Advisory Council.

 

To keep youth healthy and away from gangs, Muslim Youth of North America holds sport activities soccer tournaments, camping and so on. This group embraces youth of all ethnicities and religions. “We have healthy brotherhoods,” says Ahmed Saleh.

Among many other things, Peel Aboriginal Network educates non-aboriginal people on drum making, holds cultural workshops and so on. Most people who need help are between the ages of 14- 29. They bring social problems like gang violence, peer pressure and so on to us. But mostly people want to be informed on Aboriginal culture and traditions and turn to Peel Aboriginal Network.

By: Asma Amanat ,Saniya Zahid