Kimberley is one of six communities chosen to pilot a new youth program from CBT — Community Direct Youth Funds.
CBT will supply each community with $25,000 per year for four years. Those funds will be used to help keep Kimberley youth engaged in challenging, fun activities, offering them opportunities to gather and enjoy healthy and safe pursuits.
Activities that youth have come up with have included a recent North Star Mountain Snowshoe and Movie Night.
It is important that youth have a say in what the activities are and how the funds are spent, says Lori Joe of Summit Community Services. Youth make the decisions on what the activities will be.
“In the fall of 2012 CBT facilitated a community meeting, inviting community service groups, non-profit organizations, and youth,” said Joe. “Those at the meeting participated in a process to define the challenges and opportunities for youth in Kimberley.”
Some of the priorities coming out of that meeting were:
Hiring of a Youth Coordinator to organize youth in creating and participating in activities.
Find and secure safe places for youth to gather.
Provide funds for youth activities, including recreation opportunities for youth in the Kimberley area
Initiate a process to develop a youth strategic plan.
“At the community meeting those interested in moving on put their names forward and a “Next Step Committee” was created,” Joe said. “The role of this committee has been to ensure that the funds will be used to address the identified priorities for youth aged 12-19 over the next three years.”
In addition to paying for the Youth Coordinator, a portion of the CBT funds have been set aside as “grants”, which local youth services groups can apply for to enhance or create new opportunities for youth.
The second round of funding for grants is available now; applications can be picked up at City Hall. Deadline for these grants is Feb 11, 2014.
Joe says every effort was made to contact every group they could think of that is involved with youth in Kimberley, but if you have not been contacted, please get in touch with her at 250-432-5536 for more information on how you can get involved.