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When and where do we meet? 

Our regular meeting is on Monday evenings 6-8.30pm at Newton Youth Resource Centre, 76th  Ave and King George, Surrey. We also meet at other times and places when there are other events, activities.

Can you join? 

The only qualification for membership is to be LGBTQ or an ally and be 13 to 21 years of age. You don’t have to live in Surrey. You do have to be prepared to educate yourself and to participate. Not everyone does public speaking but everyone is engaged and part of our decision making and advocacy at some level.

Looking for a Student Practicum/Placement? 

We do take students for work experience for college and university.  Please contact sylviatraphan@yahoo.ca

Want to support us? 

We gratefully accept donations both monetary and in-kind (eg non perishable food items, raffle prizes etc). We can provide charitable tax receipts if necessary. Please contact sylviatraphan@yahoo.ca.

Interested in volunteering?

There are two ways of volunteering, the first is as an adult (over 25), the second is as a Peer Leader (over 20-24). Both require a successful interview with one of the Co-Founders and a Youth representative and a Criminal Record Check. If you wish to be available to drive youth you will also need a Drivers’ Abstract and enhanced liability insurance.

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Welcome to the home page of Youth For A Change

Youth for A Change History 

Youth for A Change was founded by Jen Marchbank and Sylvia Traphan in March 2012 under the name Youth OUTreach.  In total around 30 youth have visited over the 2 plus years and we now have a very active core of around 10 very dedicated young people. The group meets each Monday night from 6 to 8.30pm to educate, discuss and plan our activities. Although we are based in Surrey we work all over.

Who we are 

We are a group of young lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans* and queer youth (13-22) who want to make a difference in the lives of youth. We are advocates, activists and educators. We come from diverse backgrounds and experiences but we share a need to make positive change and be active.

What do we do? 

We educate ourselves and others through a variety of means 

We offer workshops to schools, learning centres and other youth groups on topics such as: Homophobia and Transphobia (called What’s in it for the Homophobe?); Gender Identities; Youth Homelessness and Healthy Teen Relationships.

·         We educate ourselves about LGBTQ history through documentaries, research and discussions

·         We network with other LGBTQ groups to further our knowledge about their activities both locally and internationally

·         We participate in the training of youth and community workers

·         We attend Pride and other festivals to spread the word about ourselves and the issues important to LGBTQ youth

·         We train ourselves to be advocates, how to lobby politicians, how to make requests of Council and School Board

·         We train the next generation of youth leaders, we have two Peer Leaders (youth from the group now taking more leadership)

·         We flash mob

·         We monitor School Board policy on Anti-Homophobia and Transphobia

·         We participate in campaigns, such as Encourage City Hall to Fly the Pride Flag

·         We do intergenerational work so that we learn from our elders and can inform them about our lives

·         We do creative performances, express ourselves through art, poetry and spoken word

·         We organize community events

·         Our members take leadership roles in other organizations, such as Gay Straight Alliances in schools amongst others

·         We go on field trips, often to Council Chambers

·         We lobby for gender neutral facilities

·         We support each other

·         We have lots of fun

     

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Surrey, Whiterock & New Westminster

 

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