Victoria awards $5,000 each to five youth projects

The City of Victoria has awarded $5,000 each to five projects that celebrate and empower youth of African descent, the city announced Oct. 27.

The money comes from the IDPAD Youth Grant, a community-led program created, supported and overseen by the city’s International Decade for People of African Descent (IDPAD) Advisory Committee. The committee chose the five projects.

“Our whole community benefits when young people can shape the future of our city,” Mayor-elect Marianne Alto said in the city’s release. She said the funded projects will help uplift youth of African descent and contribute to a more inclusive and thriving Victoria.

The city described the projects this way: a mentorship and leadership program that builds confidence in public speaking, critical thinking and community leadership through discussions, debates and mentorship; and a skilled trades program that introduces hands-on career exploration, mentorship and leadership development while building pathways to employment.

The other three are a fashion, arts and digital storytelling showcase offering creative expression, mentorship and skills development; a scholarship and career exploration initiative that supports training and careers in birth work and culturally responsive care; and a bilingual Black History Month project featuring exhibits and cultural programming.

Caleb Isaac, a youth member of Victoria’s IDPAD Advisory Committee, said the grant offers young people an opportunity they cannot find anywhere else on Vancouver Island. He said he was pleased to see so many applications, which he called a clear sign of the need for this work.

Isaac said council’s support has allowed the committee to back both new and continuing programs, and that he looks forward to helping the city further champion the initiative.

The announcement came days after Alto was re-elected as Victoria’s mayor. Federal funding for similar work is also moving: Ottawa has committed $135.7 million to Black Canadian groups. More on the grant is available at victoria.ca/IDPAD.

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