The Castlegar Youth Council is still thriving and has a busy agenda for the spring. The program is for youth ages 12-19 and registration is open continually.
Regular meetings currently include:
Wednesdays at lunch at Stanley Humphries Secondary School, in room 2 of the Library. At this meeting youth can get weekly updates as to what is happening and sign up to plan, participate or volunteer for specific projects.
Thursdays at Castlegar Community Services from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. for drop-in art/planning sessions. All youth are welcome to join. Activities are loosely scheduled and youth are updated on activities and events in the works. Some meeting and planning activities take place.
Wednesdays 3 to 5 p.m. at Castlegar Community Services. Select youth are working on a theatre based project exploring the concepts of gender roles, identity, choice and equality. This project is part of an annual event called Youth Voices and the group hopes to perform for the public by the end of April.
In addition to the Youth Voices production, members are also working on hosting a two day youth arts and talent event to be held in June. Youth ages 12-19 can submit entries including visual art, photography, and digital art for the art show and contest that will be held at the Castlegar Community Complex on June 18.
The youth talent festival portion of the event will be held on June 19 at Millennium Park and will be open to the public from 12 to 9 p.m. It will include a youth talent contest, music, kids games, crafty vendors, food and more. The talent show will be in the afternoon and live music will wrap up the event in the evening. Youth ages 12-19 can submit entries including singing, dance, duets, solos, music, guitar, slam poetry and lip syncing.
Organizers are looking for adult volunteers and judges to help with both events including performers such as a dance group or band, face painters, artisan vendors or other ideas that would be appropriate for the event. For more information, contact Zoe Mackay at 250-365-2104, ext. 25 or at castlegaryouthcouncil@cdcss.ca
Four youth will be selected from the core members of the youth council to attend the three day Youth Action Summit to be held in Kimberly in May. The conference will bring together youth and adult community members from 19 different communities in the Columbia Basin, who are also recipients of the regionally directed youth funding initiatives. Participants will take part in a series of workshops, activities and collaborative conversations while also enjoying games and performances together.
The program is always looking for volunteers to help with projects, activities and events. "We need support from community members and service providers to connect youth within the community of Castlegar," said program coordinator Zoe Mackay. She would love to hear from people that have an idea for youth or who would like to partner together for a project.