By Dawar Naeem
(Dawar is a volunteer journalist with the Focus Media Arts Centre)

In this episode Dawar Naeem speaks to Isa Ali, coordinator of the Youth Empowering Youth Project, part of the Regent Park Social Development Plan.

Regent Park is a diverse community in Toronto. Revitalization in Regent park is gradually transforming this community towards a brighter future and a better social cohesion, but the challenges continue to exist, particularly for the youth of this community.

With one of the highest populations of young people in the city, almost everyone agrees that youth in Regent Park needs more supportive initiatives and services, so they can succeed in life.

Initiated in 2019, Youth Empowering Youth (YEY), aims to empower and support youth residents, by reducing and eliminating barriers to programming for youth in the community and identifying supports that the youth of Regent Park needs, and can benefit from.

The YEY program is a completely youth led program intended to mobilizes a collective effort by the youth, for the youth.

In December 2020, a survey, funded by United Way, The Daniels Corporation and Toronto Community Housing, was conducted by YEY to determine the following:

 •        What are the needs of the youth?
 •        What are the type of programming which attracts the youth?
 •        What are some of the barriers that youth faces in accessing youth programming?
 •        What can the various youth programming provide the community

For any society, the Youth is the foundation for support and strength. When a community empowers its youth, it not only prevents various different risks but also ensures a positive tomorrow and a secure future.

It is hoped that this survey initiative and the outcomes of the findings will prove to be an opportunity to empower and enable the youth in Regent Park.