Youth for Youth Movement

The Cause

Organization Background and Information: The Calgary Bridge Foundation for Youth (CBFY) is a charitable not for profit organization that originated in the year 1990, serving over 13,000 individuals annually. For over 27 years, CBFY has provided a welcoming and inclusive environment for immigrant and refugee youth and their families by enriching them with the appropriate information, knowledge, and experience as they build a life in Canada. Our core values are, to create a sense of belonging, be ethical and respectful in our pursuit of excellence, strengthen our relevance through collaborative partnerships and positive synergies, champion diversity as our core ethos, nurture growth and innovative practices, and inspire a culture of excellence. CBFY believes in nurturing healthy partnerships with core partners, the Calgary Board of Education, Calgary Catholic School District and the Calgary Public Library.

Purpose: To change the discourse and narrative around immigrant and refugee youth by acknowledging their contribution to a city that has welcomed them and their families.

Summary: The Calgary Bridge Foundation for Youth (CBFY) has two youth-led advisory councils, the NxtGen Youth Council (YC) and the Youth Advisory Council (YAC). These two groups will work together in collaboration to expand upon the Positive Friday Initiative established by the Youth Advisory Council (YAC) in 2016. The aim is to change the conversation around at-risk or vulnerable youth. More specifically, this project will highlight the positive impact and contributions of immigrant and refugee youth, most importantly, during a time where there is much controversy and negative discourse around the role of immigrants in society and in media.

Many of our youth commute through public transit almost every day, and have observed how disconnected people are from each other, and while public transit and train stations may be a place where people plug in and engage in virtual interactions on their cellphones, our youth wish to take the conversation off-screen and return to face-to-face conversations. We can easily receive text messages, ‘likes’ and comments through our social media profiles, but the CBFY YC and YAC hope to bring those ‘likes’ and vibes to life.

The art of spoken expression and giving has not yet been lost to a digital world. Other youth who use public transportation will also be encouraged to join the movement by participating in giving out treats and positive notes as we

Who Will it Benefit?

Community Effect/Impact: Through positive notes and treats, the youth hope to start a conversation around the transformative role of immigrant and refugee youth in Calgary and how youth can give back to you, the community!

Each month our youth will nominate or encourage another youth-centered organization to take similar action, so we can create a community of consistent and collaborative giving from Calgary’s youth. This will create a ripple effect of giving, as each organization that accepts the challenge will then challenge another organization the following month. Through youth engagement and participation, we hope to create a positive perception about youth and their contributions to society.

Length of Activity: Once every month for the first year, specifically, the first Friday of every month. Each month, the activity will rotate across different train station locations throughout the city of Calgary.

Role of Youth: The role of our youth both on both youth councils will be responsible for making and compiling all positive gestures, notes, and treats on a monthly basis. They will be present at train stations to hand out Positive Friday Treats, and active in encouraging other youth to join the movement.