For me and many in our community, the past two years have been filled with many challenges, but also provided an opportunity to reflect on what is truly important to us.
I have much to be thankful for, including my family, the spirit of generosity in our community, and the extraordinary work of our local civil society. In my reflection on what is truly important I have been thinking a lot about the future of our community. There are two keys to this topic: youth and the environment.
It is cliché to say youth are our future, but it is very true. The Victoria Foundation recognizes the importance and power of youth by finding ways to listen, learn, and engage. Vital Youth is a program that is a partnership between Victoria Foundation, donors, and local schools that showcases our future is in good hands.
Project teams from 10 schools are provided $3,000 annually to distribute to federally registered charities on southern Vancouver Island.Using Victoria’s Vital Signs community report as a tool, the students learn about critical issues in their community, research potential charities and conduct interviews and on-site visits. Each participant provides input, and the team decides how to allocate the grant funds.
Each year, we gather to celebrate the youth participating in the program along with the charities that received donations. It is such an inspiring event, and I am so excited to be gathering next month to celebrate in-person for the first time since 2019. The energy and positivity in the face of complex problems gives me strong hope for the future.
The second key to our future in my opinion is the environment. Now is the time to act regarding climate action to ensure we are doing our part to protect and enhance the environment for youth and future generations.
April is Earth Month, and I encourage each of you to take a moment to reflect on what the natural environment means to you and what steps you can take to keep it strong. If you’re wondering where to start, I encourage you to review the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals and specifically Goal 13: Climate Action.
I also know these two topics are tied together. While I don’t want to ruin the announcement of the 2022 grant recipients from the Vital Youth Program, I can tell you in 2021 we had several environmentally focused projects. This includes Reynolds Secondary School supporting the Creating Wellness Society and the Victoria Health Coop with a grant to plant native plants at the Cook Street Village Community Centre.
I can tell you that in my reflections I know I have to do my part for our future — but also feel comfortable that we are in good hands with the inspiring youth in our community.
Sandra Richardson is CEO of the Victoria Foundation.
