FIRST NATION YouthBuild Canada (fnybc)

So what is First Nation YouthBuild Canada?

The mission of YouthBuild International is to unleash the intelligence and positive energy of low-income young people to rebuild their communities and their lives.

First Nation YouthBuild Canada has now joined with others to help build a movement toward a more just society in which respect, love, responsibility, and cooperation are the dominant unifying values, and sufficient opportunities are available for all people in all communities to fulfill their own potential and contribute to the well-being of others.

The intelligence and positive energy of young people need to be liberated and enlisted in solving the problems facing our society. Young people in low-income communities want to rebuild their neighborhoods and lives, and will do so if given the opportunity. The desire to serve, to do meaningful work that is of value to other people, is universal. Community-based organizations need the resources to solve local problems and to mobilize local people, including neighborhood youth. Leadership development is a central element of effective community development and youth service. 

Build a broad network of YouthBuild programs across Canada and continue to be apart of the broader countries. Ensure their excellence through providing funding, staff training, on-site technical assistance, publications, quality assurance systems, reflection on best practices, peer support, innovation, and relevant research on impact.

Lead and support the First Nation YouthBuild Canada and Affiliated Network as the center of gravity of the YouthBuild movement in Canada, and build similar national networks abroad.

Organize national and state coalitions in support of public policies and resources that support YouthBuild programs and facilitate youth and community development.

Link this network with other like-minded networks for maximum learning and impact.

Attract, inspire, develop, and organize new young leaders and sophisticated adult leaders within low-income communities.

Spread the philosophy and methodology of youth leadership development as a central part of working with youth in all contexts, including education, job training, national service, crime prevention, and counseling.

In early 2016 a meeting was held in the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation to produce a detailed list of priorities for the ATEC centre. ATEC invited YouthBuild International (YBI) and Lockheed martin to assist in the exercise. During their visit YBI was introduced to ATEC's Intake Education Training Pathway (IETP). Long story short...by end of Jan 2016 we became the first, First Nation in Canada by signing an MoU as a YB site. Check out our photos below to see some projects we worked on. 

The YouthBuild International (YBI) mission is to unleash the intelligence and positive energy of young people to transform their lives and rebuild their communities. YBI provides technical resources to support the planning and implementation of locally operated YouthBuild programs and scaled networks of national, and regional YouthBuild programs outside of the United States. YBI also builds the capacity of local, national, and regional partners who have assessed the need for and potential impact of YouthBuild and who lead the process of adaptation and implementation.

Since 1999, YouthBuild ideas and practices have directly influenced the youth sectors in 32 different countries. These early engagements laid the foundation for the YBI present day scope of work where, in 22 countries, local partners are now implementing adapted YouthBuild programs. In 11 of these 22 country locations, YouthBuild partners are planning for second stage expansion of the model. These programs are being implemented in rural and urban settings, located in developing countries, emerging economies and industrialized nations. 

Common features of the YouthBuild International operating context:

• Large numbers of young people between the ages of 16 and 24 who are not connected to formal education or opportunities for safe, productive employment
• A significant mismatch between the numbers of young people needing jobs and the numbers of jobs that will be generated by the formal economy, and where the informal sector may generate the bulk of livelihood opportunities for young people
• Destroyed, dilapidated, or insufficient stocks of community infrastructure that need to be built or rebuilt (housing, schools, health clinics, ‘green’ infrastructure)
• Employment and training systems that are not reaching or retaining marginalized youth, or are providing training that is not aligned with the demands of the private sector
• High degrees of community unrest, manifested through conflict or violence, that require the input and leadership of local youth in order to be resolved
• Locations that absorb the natural disaster impacts of a warming planet that need to mobilize the energy and technical know-how of young people to both respond to these disasters and lead adaptation efforts
• Locally led and effective NGO, government, private-sector, and development-finance partners with a commitment to reach disconnected youth, providing access to education and training resources and pathways to productive livelihoods

YBI operations and the YouthBuild work of country-based implementing partners is supported by a range of financial resources from individuals, foundations, corporations, bi-and multilateral donor institutions, the US Government (USAID, USDOL, and US Department of State), development banks, national governments and local municipalities. The national governments in six countries support the operational costs of local YouthBuild programs. 

There are currently 360 YouthBuild programs around the globe:

• 14,000 young people were engaged as YouthBuild participants 
• 1.7 million community-service leadership hours were performed
• 2,300 community-asset building projects, including 2,000 units of affordable housing, were completed
• 7,300 YouthBuild graduates were placed in jobs, education, entrepreneurship, and other opportunities leading to productive livelihoods +  long-term focus