From April 14th to April 20th, we’re shining a spotlight on Calgary’s incredible youth volunteers who are making every moment matter! Defying national trends in volunteer shortages, youth in Calgary are building thriving communities and we want to celebrate them with a GIVEAWAY! Help us spread the love for the amazing young volunteers in Calgary by liking our posts during National Volunteer Week for your chance to win awesome volunteer swag!  Prizes 1st Prize: black crew neck sweater + a black metal water bottle 2nd Prize: black crew neck sweater (multiple draws) 3rd Prize: black meta ..read more

From a young age, Emerson sought an outlet for their interests and talents, eventually finding their calling within the Youth of Distinction Awards program at Youth Central. In this interview, Emerson shares their experiences, motivations, and the profound impact volunteering has had on their life and the community. Finding Purpose Through Volunteering Emerson’s journey with Youth Central began when they were just eleven years old and  searching for a meaningful extracurricular activity. Introduced to the Youth of Distinction Awards committee by their mother, Emerson found a place to dir ..read more

Youth have the power to make some real changes in our city. Every year, Youth Central calls on youth to step up and share their visions for a better Calgary through the Mayor for a Day contest. This isn’t just another activity – it’s a chance to collaborate with the Mayor and bring fresh ideas to life. The Mayor for a Day contest is a cornerstone of the Mayor’s Youth Council program, which takes leadership skills and civic engagement and puts them into action. The goal? To amplify youth voices on pressing local issues. Introducing Shay, our 2024 Mayor for a Day winner! Shay learned about ..read more

Danielle Ribeiro from Great.com interviewed Youth Central as part of their ‘Great.com Talks With…‘ podcast. This series is an antidote to negative news stories that aims to shed light on organizations and experts whose work is making a positive impact on the world. Michelle Hodgins, Coordinator of Communications & Philanthropy of Youth Central, talked with Great.com about cultivating leadership and volunteerism in Calgary youth. At the core of Youth Central’s philosophy is the belief that all youth have the power to make a meaningful impact in their community. Through various programs an ..read more

Youth are looking for meaningful ways to connect. Youth Central meets this need by providing group-based volunteer opportunities to youth ages 12-18 in Calgary. We empower youth to find and build their communities.  Volunteering is a great way to connect and build vital life skills that support future success. Over 1,600 youth choose to volunteer with Youth Central because our programs are accessible, flexible, and relevant. One of Youth Central’s programs, Youth Volunteer Corps (YVC), is inviting you to collaborate with us. Right now, we collaborate with over 90 organizations in Calgary ..read more

Youth volunteers are more important than ever. Young people are answering the calls to action in their communities, and are stepping up to make a difference. Youth Central welcomes this enthusiasm and has many different pathways to help youth find their passion, and develop their skills and understanding. But what happens when our youth volunteers age out of our programming? Where do they go and what do they take with them?  Azaad Gill and Alex Stevenson, were active Youth Central volunteers while they were in high school and they recently became amazing alumni. Saying yes to volunteeri ..read more

Ever heard of a steering committee? A steering committee is a group of volunteers who meet regularly to come up with ideas, and work together to reach a common goal. Most of the programs at Youth Central are driven by committees of youth volunteers.  Applying to join a committee is easy. Just fill out the online application HERE.  But wait. WHY should you bother?  In no particular order, here are a bunch of reasons why joining a steering committee is worth your time!  Seek passion. Find purpose.  Get out of the house. Make new friends. Discover your potential ..read more

3 talented youth artists have each won a $500 cash prize! https://youthcentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/20230718_111735.mp4 Maya Schaal, Alice Nam, and Jasmine Andersen, submitted their artwork online on a whim this spring along with 76 other contestants. The contest was coordinated by the Mayor’s Youth Council (MYC), a program of Youth Central, a committee of youth (ages 12-18) who met with Calgary’s mayor to provide insight and amplify youth voices on local issues. The Free. Period. Initiative was piloted at select Calgary Public Library and Cit ..read more

Youth are making an impact every day, yet too often it goes unnoticed. Youth Central is changing this by bringing awareness to the amazing youth in Calgary every year.  The Youth of Distinction Awards (YODA) celebrate local youth for the ways they make our community a better place to live.  With community and sponsor support, Youth Central hosted our 20th annual YODA ceremony on Saturday, May 6th at the Calgary Zoo. Recipients were announced live across nine categories ranging from community and volunteer work, activism, sportsmanship and being a great friend.  ..read more

How do youth volunteer in Calgary? Conscientiously! In other words, done with effort and intention. Youth Central won the Group category for the Accountability Award at the Drop-In Centre’s Orange Brunch on April 16th. “The accountability award recognizes volunteers who are among our most conscientious. They always operate with transparency and integrity in both their relationship and our commitments.” From left: Lisa Kindree, Executive Director, Peony Wong, Program Coordinator, Kayla & Anusua, Youth Central volunteers Youth Central volunteers stand out because they are energetic and ..read more