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The program model is derived
on the premise that with
exposure to positive role
models and through engaging
youth in self-esteem and
leadership skill building
activities youth are less
likely to engage in socially
self-destructive behaviors.
This model that has been
developed and refined over
the last four years and has
assisted in engaging youth
in a manner that has
resulted in increased
attendance in class,
withdrawal from substance
usage, less involvement in
gang activities, more
awareness of youth issues
(domestic violence,
HIV/AIDS, conflict
management, substance abuse,
sexuality), exposure to
mentors that can guide youth
through difficult
experiences, increased
communication between
parents and students,
increased communication
between the Tamil community,
Tamil students and the TDSB,
increased integration into
mainstream society for young
Tamil newcomers, and safer
school environments on the
whole. We find that this
model works because of the
incorporation of the three
different components (youth
projects, one-on-one
mentorship, workshops) that
are necessary to address
youth issues and also
develop the skills of Tamil
youth. Programs are also
delivered in a manner in
which information is
presented in creative ways
and students are encouraged
to explore issues and often
times come up with solutions
that work in their lives. We
also find that this model is
a holistic approach that
looks at the project staff
and volunteers as meditative
bodies between all parties
involved whether it be
parents, the police, the
school or the students.
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Selvy’s Circle is an ongoing
program at CanTYD. It solely
works out of the four
highschools we hold drop-ins
at. Selvy’s Circle is a
program which has been very
effective within our
community. CanTYD youth
volunteers attending high
schools, Colleges and
Universities are part of the
Selvy’s Circle team,
involved in the decision
making of the organization.
We occasionally use focus
groups consisting of at-risk
young Tamil females to
identify key issues,
services gaps and developing
the program much more to
meet those identified
issues. The focus groups and
informal interviews with
youth Tamil female
participants are used to
evaluate the program and we
constantly incorporate
valuable suggestions to
improve Selvy’s Circle.
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For many Tamil youth,
parents have always
encouraged academia as a
first priority. Dramatic
arts and Visual arts have
always been inferior to
classical dance (Bharathanatyam)
and Carnatic music. This
cultural clash is one of the
many issues faced by Tamil
youth on a daily basis.
While the youth embrace
cultural arts, there is a
new found passion in drama,
film making and skit
writing. By carrying out
such a program we provide
our youth to express
themselves in various
channels.
As CanTYD, we view excluded
youth as newcomers who have
been isolated by the Tamil
youth who have grown up in
Canada. These excluded youth
also struggle to fit into
the contemporary society.
Another group of excluded
youth are students who have
dropped out or have been
suspended or expelled from
high schools.
Medai Konal was created to
provide a forum and an
opportunity for the excluded
youth to come together and
engage themselves in
developing their skills. The
project was self initiated
by youth who identified a
large disconnect between the
performing arts and the
community.
Our goal is to build
self-confidence for both the
youth that are and are not
afraid to express their
talents within the visual
and dramatic arts. Along
with building confidence we
also intend on fostering
speech skills. Through Medai
Konal we give our youth the
opportunity to let their
frustrations out through
drama and allow them to
express themselves as Tamil
youth in today’s society.
This program builds as a
positive channel to voice
our youth’s opinions and
issues to the community, the
country and the world.
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The objective of this
project is to expand on our
existing website and provide
more cultural content for
both our target audience
(Tamil youth and parents) as
well as information sharing
and exposure for Canadians
to learn about Tamil culture
and traditions. The project
will enhance and expand our
current website to include
materials of cultural arts
such as those produced by
our drama and media team.
The website will also
include productions of our
creative arts team which
produces an arts (Akka
Thamizha Arts Magazine) and
a written (Directions
Magazine) publication
quarterly. The availability
of these two publications
online will create a larger
access to the information
that is available on them
for a larger audience by
making also available
online. In addition to
those, the project will
include a section dedicated
to providing education and
information sharing about
Tamil culture and festivals
in English. Through a focus
group that was conducted it
had been identified that
many of the Tamil youth
living and growing up here
in Canada do not know how to
read and write in Tamil. As
a result they feel that they
do not have access to read
about the tradition and
cultures of their ancestors.
The rich practice of
story-telling through elders
in the community as changed
over the last decade in this
fast-paced world. Through
this project we will be able
to hopefully remove those
linguistic barriers by
translating accurate
information and cross check
with various community
leaders and academics before
providing the information
online for others to view to
ensure accuracy and
relevancy. The website will
also have all contents
produced available in both
English and Tamil so that
parents and newcomer youth
may have access to the same
information to eliminate
linguistic barriers. An
important part of the
website will be creating an
online magazine on a monthly
basis which will include
upcoming events, programs
and celebrate diversity
through information sharing
in other communities so that
there is a cross-cultural
experience with an emphasis
on the Tamil community.
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This program is aimed at new
and emerging Tamil
communities. As the
community expands
geographically into areas
such as York and Durham
Region, CanTYD works with
youths in these specific
regions to address their
needs. Some of the
organization’s activities
include community
school-based drop-ins,
peer-to-peer counselling and
youth focussed discussion
forums.
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The kids summer camp is a
leadership summer camp for
boys and girls aged 6-11.
Our focus is to blend
traditional summer camp
activities with leadership
skill building exercises.
The camp brings together
youth from different areas
with different life
experiences which they can
utilize while taking part in
the different activities at
the camp.
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Project Empower targets
youth who are involved in
the criminal justice system
or display unhealthy social
behaviour. This program
provides one-on-one support
to allow for an open
dialogue between youth and
outreach worker to pursue
holistic solutions.
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AKKA
THAMIZHA ART MAGAZINE |
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A collection of literary
contributions and artwork by
Tamil students from Grade 7
to 12. The aim is to give
students an opportunity to
express themselves and their
ideas creativity through a
visible and lasting medium.
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DM
(Directions Magazine) is a
publication that focuses on
the issues and thoughts of
young people by providing a
forum to express
themselves. It is written,
designed, and edited for
youth by youth. This
publication by CanTYD
provides youth with a forum
to express themselves
through written
contributions.
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The Awards of Excellence
seeks to motivate and
inspire youth by profiling
and celebrating the
accomplishments of
individuals who have
achieved great heights or
overcome numerous obstacles.
The awards recognize high
school students for their
achievements in a variety of
categories, ranging from
academic and athletic
excellence to community
contributions. In addition,
the awards recognize
students how have prevailed
over substantial barriers to
achieve their goals and in
doing so have set an example
for the entire community.
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The CanTYD Youth Council is
a group of youth
representing all of the High
Schools in the GTA. Each
Member of the Youth Council
has the responsibility of
representing their school
and CanTYD to their
community.
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