CBT enhances youth opportunities in Basin communities

First 10 communities announced for CBT's Community Directed Youth Funds program

Six communities will begin looking at ways to increase activities, opportunities and enhanced services for youth through Columbia Basin Trust's new youth program.

Columbia Basin Trust (CBT) is pleased to announce the first communities participating in its new Community Directed Youth Funds (CDYF) program. CDYF aims to support services for youth ages 12 to 19 by providing each area with $100,000 over four years to increase activities, opportunities and services for youth. The program will be available to the remaining Basin communities over the next two years.

"We are very excited to be putting funds in the hands of communities to benefit youth in their specific regions," said Wayne Lundeberg, CBT, director, Youth Initiatives. "These first communities demonstrated a readiness to come together in a collaborative manner to set priorities, address issues in their regions and enhance activities and services for their youth."

Six pilot communities and their surrounding areas that will begin the program this winter are: Revelstoke, Golden, New Denver/Silverton, Salmo/Ymir, Crawford Bay/Riondel, and Montrose/Fruitvale/Beaver Valley.

"Our community is incredibly excited by the opportunity to enhance our youth services," said Daniel Seguin, Crawford Bay and Riondel area. "We look forward to working together and with CBT, to find the common ground on which consensus can be built as to where to direct the funding. It's definitely an inspiring time on the east shore."

The program is intended to bring added value and provide resources to communities that show the desire and ability to work together to identify and address issues in their youth communities.

"Both youth and adults in the community have been talking about addressing the gaps in the youth services and opportunities for years," said Monica De, Golden and area. "Since CDYF became available, there is finally a flexible funding opportunity to help address the needs of youth in Basin communities."

Another four communities who submitted successful Expressions of Interest will begin the program in the spring of 2012. They are: Nelson/Harrop/Proctor, Trail/Warfield, Rossland and Kimberley.

The next deadlines for Expression of Interests from communities are March 16 and October 31, 2012. Guidelines and applications are available at www.cbt.org/youth. For more information please call Wayne Lundeberg at 250-304-1625 or email [email protected] with "subscribe to CDYF info" in the subject line to receive program updates.

CBT works with youth and communities to increase youth opportunities and engagement through enhancing capacity, leadership and participation. In addition to this new program, CBT also funds youth developed projects through the Columbia Basin Youth Grants program and provides a forum for youth in the Columbia Basin to share their art, ideas and experiences with each other through Scratch magazine and www.scratchonline.ca.