Youth-led projects across Huron and Perth counties, including an idea at Stratford District secondary school that’s making art supplies accessible to more students, received a financial boost from the United Way this month.
Evan Johnson, a Grade 11 student at the school, recently applied for one of the United Way Perth Huron’s Youth in Action grants and spent the funds he received on art supplies anyone in the school can borrow when they feel inspired.
“I’d been thinking about it for a while, how art’s gotten into this position where it’s a bit inaccessible,” he said. “It’s just this thing that seems kind of daunting, in a way, to try and start. I was just happy I was able to start something where people would be able to try new things without having to worry about the supplies.”
The Art Cart has been parked outside a classroom at the Stratford high school for a couple of weeks. Johnson used his grant money to buy small canvasses, sketchbooks, pencils, marker kits, paint and other supplies. He keeps track of the supplies with a sign-out sheet, but isn’t too concerned about whether all of them make it back.
“As long as it’s being used, it makes me happy,” he said. “People have really been appreciating it from what I’ve seen around the school. Something like (the Art Cart) is able to put the (supplies) out there without having to be part of a club or anything like that, which will reach out to a lot more people.”
After having to scrap last year’s program due to the pandemic, the local United Way branch handed out $8,000 in grants to support youth-led projects across the region this year.
“We were inspired by the quality of applications,” said Megan Partridge, the United Way’s director of governance and community impact. “It’s obvious the pandemic hasn’t dampened the spirit of local youth when it comes to creating projects that will have a positive impact on their community.”
Besides Johnson’s, six other projects were also awarded funding:
- The Be Kind Campaign will help promote diversity, equity and inclusion for all groups, especially the LGBTQ2S+ community, at Mitchell District high school.
- The Stratford District secondary school naturalization project aims to create a self-sustaining semi-wild nature area where students and teachers can learn outdoors.
- The FE Madill You Matter Student Wellness Seminar aims to better equip students to advocate for their own mental health, provide support to peers, and improve overall wellness.
- A mental health workshop at St. Marys District collegiate and vocational institute will educate students about mental health, teach them skills to deal with stress, and talk about the importance of asking for help.
- Students at St. Marys DCVI have also been provided funds to hire a career-focused guest speaker who will share strategies with students around planning their futures.
- A team of students in St. Marys will also paint a rainbow-coloured crosswalk near the school aiming to help members of the LGBTQ+ community feel more welcome.