Alberta's Youth VOLUNTEER for Edmonton Conference
May 06, 2009

By: Leslie Oliver

On February 17th, Alberta’s YouthVOLUNTEER! Society, in partnership with the Edmonton Public School Board, hosted the Alberta's Youth VOLUNTEER for Edmonton Conference to unite high school students around a common goal: to make a difference in their community around the 8 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Teams of students, school board trustees, and local organizations – currently fulfilling one or more of the MDGs – were present to participate in this interactive, multi-media, youth-led event.

Each high school team was paired with a local organization and asked to plan and implement a youth-led event on April 24, 2009 for Global Youth Service Day. Global Youth Service Day is an international event aimed at raising the profile of youth-led service projects and youth volunteerism. Over 11 000 students in Edmonton participated in the following youth-led, Global Youth Service Day events:

McNally High School hosted a “Rugby for Rights” event in collaboration with the John Humphrey Centre. McNally challenged Jasper Place High School to a friendly competition – a game of rugby in an effort to raise proceeds to bring two 16 year old journalists from Sierra Leone to the Global Youth Assembly in 2009.

J. Percy Page High School hosted a “Paperless Teaching Day” in collaboration with One Simple Act. Teachers were challenged to give up paper consumption for one day and local grade 5 students worked with high school student mentors to create a school-wide television campaign aimed at promoting positive environmental alternatives in the classroom.

Braemar School hosted a spring-themed “Neighborhood Pancake Breakfast” in collaboration with Meals on Wheels to raise money to purchase a much needed industrial size pancake griddle for Meals on Wheels.

Jasper Place High School hosted a “Take Action Volunteer Fair” to encourage their school body to get involved with local organizations which meet one or more of the MDGs.

M.E. LaZerte High School hosted “A Taste of LaZerte: A Celebration of Multiculturalism and the Global Village” in partnership with World Partnership Walk (Aga Khan Foundation Canada). The Global Village educated students around the concept of pluralism and informed students about the quality of life in third world countries.

Alberta YouthVOLUNTEER! Society is a Lead Agency for Global Youth Service Day and is pleased to acknowledge the generous support of the Alberta Government, the Edmonton Sunrise Rotary Club, State Farm Insurance and Youth Service America.