As many of you may have noticed, there has been significant talk on this blog lately about Youth Week. And what is Youth Week, you ask? Well, it’s an entire week (April 21-28, 2012) devoted to promoting the importance of youth in Calgary. But it’s not just all whimsical talk; there will be over 50 amazing events across the city, including everything from sports competitions to plays– and not to mention piles of prizes! What makes Youth Week so great is the involvement of youth, and, of course, the opportunity for them to be involved through these events.
What you may not know, however, is that Youth Week events can be anything. Any event, pre-existing or not, that occurs from April 21 to 28 can count as a Youth Week event. This includes youth nights at community centres, school productions and events, and virtually anything else that youth would be interested in. The events can be open to the public or more private (last year my school held games and competitions every day at lunch during Youth Week), and yes, they really can be anything! So, if you’re looking for an opportunity to be involved in the most awesome week of the year, why not submit an event for Youth Week?
All that you have to do to submit a Youth Week event is submit a simple application form and have your event follow these guidelines:
- an absence of drugs/alcohol
- appropriate for ages 12-18
- free or reasonably cheap
- aligning with the mission and values of Youth Central
Even if you’re in school and think that you can’t pull together a Youth Week event, it can happen! Here are some event ideas:
- sports competition
- bake sale
- “drive-in” movie
- talent show
- auction
- video game competition
You can check out Youth Central’s website for more information on events that you could put on in your own school.
If you have an idea or would like to submit an event for Youth Week, I strongly encourage you to fill out an application. Help Youth Week be the best that it can be, and prove that youth really do hold a significant role in our community! More information on Youth Week events can be found at youthcentral.com/youthweek, and already-happening Youth Week events (as well as other events around the city) can be found at Youth Are Awesome’s event page.
