MAXIMIZING YOUTH POTENTIAL FOR COMMUNITY BUILDING
A Personal Development and Leadership Training Program
(Made possible by the generous sponsorship of the TD Financial Group)

Funded by the Toronto Dominion Bank Employee Charity Auction, a proactive approach to crime prevention was piloted this January, 2008 in two schools in the Flemingdon area. The project is designed to develop and fine-tune an effective model suitable for grades 7,8 and 9 particularly in high-risk areas in Toronto.

PROJECT PROPOSAL

Objective: To develop self-esteem, self-confidence, respect for others and resilience in order to strengthen a sense of hope for self-fulfillment and social contribution through:

• a) knowledge of great ideas of world leaders and exploration of their applications in meeting present-day challenges;
• b) appreciation and respect for diversity of ideas;
• c) understanding of the extraordinariness of ordinary people as they make a difference in their community;
• d) discovery of one's creative potential and honing of ability for creative problem solving;
• e) acquisition of a positive outlook on life and an appreciation of its possibilities in transforming one's life and that of others;
  
• f) enhancement of critical thinking and evaluative skills;
• g) promotion of physical and mental health through stress management;
• h) development of social responsibility and leadership skills through direct hands-on school/community engagement;
• i) realization that commitment and perseverance are necessary to to achieve set goals;
• j) promotion of empathy and feeling of oneness with others.

Activities: Invocation of Great Ideas (Participation in the World Council in which each student participant personifies an emenent world leader (Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Margaret Mead, Albert Einstein, Rachel Carson, Thomas Edison, etc.) Fwo-Day Workshop on:

• a) New Heroes from around the world introducing revolutionary ideas, daring actions and transformative impacts on millions of needy people - alleviating poverty, restoring justice, saving the environment, etc.;
• b) Positive Thinking. Law of Magnetism and Law of Self-Expectancy;
• c) Creative Thinking and Problem Solving;
• d) Stress and Stress Management;
• e) Synergy of the Head (intellect). Heart (emotions) and the Hand (actions) as Key to Self-Fulfillment and Social Contributions; Guided School/Community Project Planning and Implementation; Individual and Group Mentoring and Monitoring of Projects to Completion; Group Sharing and Celebration of Success with Peers, Parents and School Staff.
  

Participants will receive Certificate of Participation in the Two-Day Workshops. Participants of successful projects will be awarded Certificate of Distinction and caps with a patch: HEADS, HEARTS, HANDS ON!

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Project: Community Builders in Action

A project begun at the outset of 2005 will enter its implementation stage this fall at various schools in Toronto. Presented below are the project proposals forwarded by the students that are participating in the project. Titled Community Builders in Action, the project's aim is similar in implementation to its inaugural initiative, The World Council.

Funded solely by the Maurice Price Foundation, PMC initiated a new project jointly with the Children's Peace Initiative to develop caring leadership in the school and in the community.

The first group of PMC scholars who are now attending high school participated in a "World Council Meeting" on April 23, 2005 at the Ontario Institute For Studies in Education (OISE), University of Toronto, which was facilitated by Linda Rosier and Marcia Stanley. Three groups have now participated in the World Council and a fourth one is expected to be formed at the beginning of the 2006-2007 school year.

Below are transcriptions of the original proposals and the World Council Initiative:

The World Council

The World Council is a round table for higher perspective discussion of any matter affecting the well-being of humanity and our natural world. Its purpose is to resolve each challenge in discussion by analyzing its present state, envisioning its desired state, and agreeing to courses of action that will attain this desired state for the greater good of all.

The World Council taps into a way of being - with one another and for one another - rooted in the commonality of our inner greatness - that greatness which understands what truly matters to us, and that intuitively responds for the greater good of all.

Without exception, the following attributes of universal, unconditional human greatness are witnessed at each World Council table:

• the ability to listen and truly consider others' perspectives
• the insight to recognize and accept the solutions that best serves the whole
• the generating and contributing of ideas that are greater than oneself
• the knowledge and attitude that there is always a solution
• the concern for all aspects of life and living things
• the confidence to discuss mindfully, clear of personal agendas
• the capability to work in unity toward a common goal
• the grace to communicate with respect

Peace is the Priority

Issue: Bullying

• Types: verbal, physical and psychological
• Who are we focusing on?
  • People of all ages: students, teachers, all adults

Action Plan: Positive Influence

• What is "cool" in society? can we use "cool" to stop bullying (E.g. 20 years ago pop was seen as a more popular drink than water).
• Canadian role models to set good examples (E.g. Canadian Idol - Kalan Porter, Much Music Host).
• Put on a show for Anti-bullying

Project Proposal:

• Speak to the principal (with a display of our ideas)
• Contact organizations such as Much Music Canada, Canadian Idol etc. through e-mail or by telephone
• Obtain school funding (our school board TDSB)
• Place concern boxes titled "Confidential" in every classroom, where students write to their teachers about the bullying that they face so that class discussions could be held discussing the topic
• School sponsored parent information sessions to raise awareness of the bullying that is taking place, making sure that the parents of children that are involved as bullies, or victims, or witnesses, have the chance to attend and become involved

Organizations:

• Youth Can Make a Difference (a special program offered at our school)
• Kids Help Phone

Other:

• During the process of developing this proposal, the author of this proposal met with a police officer from the local police division. He spoke about how bullying was one of the most common issues facing schools. Other than bullying, gun violence is another key issue that we face today. At the meeting he described a new program that will be starting for youth, funded by the Toronto Metropolitan Police Departments. For further details we may contact or visit our local police department.
  

Take Action:

• Over the next few weeks the project discussion group will work on a proposal for holding in-school activities to tackle the issue of bullying. We will then present our proposal to our principal. Upon approval, we will begin to contact the listed organizations to implement our proposal, and it is hoped, begin to take control of the issue at our school.

Public Speaking

• The purpose of this project is to educate others about interesting topics to enrich their education and to foster leadership and speaking skills among fellow peers.
• This will be achieved through creating and presenting workshops to elementary school children in the community on topics of choice (such as science experimenting, debating current local issues, and peer pressure).
• One could prepare a presentation with a few other peers and gain the support of a teacher advisor to oversee the project.
• Create exciting presentations that maximize class involvement and participation. Suggestions include; hands-on activities and interactive quizzes on the topic(s) to conclude the presentation.
  
• Arrange presentation times with principals and teachers of local elementary schools.
• After having groups present to students, receive general feedback to improve for the future.
• In my situation, a few groups presented within a span of two months and the workshops were quite successful and educational. Both the teachers of our high school and the elementary schools were pleased with the results and success of the presentations that these educational workshops will be implemented into senior science curriculums in the following year. The initiative has spread beyond the sole activity towards the benefit of many more individuals.

Community Cleanup

After having a discussion about the problems at my school with a few friends, we agreed that the school was a very safe and friendly place. However, the only major problem in our school and around our school community was the vast amounts of garbage lying around and the littering in the school. So I decided to focus my project on addressing this problem. The problem is important to solve because the garbage is destroying our school environment and can also pose a health hazard as it attracts roaches and mice. Although this problem does not connect as much to peacemaking, it does however help the environment we live in and it promotes the well-being of all students.

My plan is to make the students of my school aware of the problems littering is causing in the school. Also I plan to organize a group of people to help clean up the litter in our school and the community. In addition, I plan to inform the hall monitors at our school to monitor the littering. This plan will be a good start to make a safe and friendly school environment to be in.

The best way to get support for my plan would be to bring the issue to the student council. Using the student council will be a great way to get a lot of students involved in this project. This action will be implemented at the first student council meeting once the next school year begins.

I will know if I have been successful of the school becomes a cleaner setting. It will also be important to ask other students if they have also observed a change in the school.

Stop the Violence Before it Starts

This proposal was created with the help of a group of twenty-five in the Flemington Park Youth in a leadership group sponsored by the TCHC (Toronto Community Housing Corporation).

Issue: Gun Violence

Action Plan: I will speak to:

• gun producers
• media: CTV, City TV, OMNI etc. (all cultural groups)
• conduct interviews with community leaders: city councillors, etc.
• hold speak-outs where all members of communities can voice their individual opinions

Project Proposal:

• I will hold bake sales/rallies to which city councillors, MP's and community and religious leaders will be invited.
  • These activities will reinforce the orientation of student invloved and will be from my own perspective Muslim female
  • The highlight of these activities will be to speak against violence through dance, art - a creative approach.
  • The incentive will be to get young people - the future of our next generation to take action on what they think needs to change for the better of all.
• At school I will undertake workshops to make students aware and start programs to bring an end to the issue of gun violence. In order to do this, I will make presentations to student clubs on-campus.

Organizations/Contacts:

• Youth Cabinet
• Youth Councillors and Public Speakers

Take Action:

• Over the next few weeks I will have to follow up on my project proposal in both my school and community. This will be a long-term project so it will take time to see my plan at work.

Leadership and Speaking Skills

• The purpose of this project is to educate others about interesting topics to enrich their education and foster leadership and speaking skills among fellow students.
• This will be achieved through creating and presenting workshops to elementary school children in the community on topics of choice (such as science experiments, debates on current local issues, and issues that affect children, such as peer pressure).
• One could prepare a presentation with a few other peers and gain the support of a teacher-advisor who would oversee the project.
• One could create exciting presentations that maximize class involvement and participation. Suggestions include hands-on activities and interactive quizzes on the presentation topics at the conclusion of presentations.
• Incorporate feedback about the process in order to improve the presentations for the future.
• In the situation of the student that has prepared this proposal, a few presentations have been made to date and the workshops were judged to be successful and educational. Both the supervising high school and elementary school teachers were pleased with the results and successes of the presentations, and these presentations will be made a part of the senior science curriculum in the following year. The initiative has spread beyond a singular activity to become one that has involved and has benefitted many individuals.

 

Community Builders in Action at OISE UofT, 2006
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 PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION

This is a an innovative and holistic (Heads, Hearts and Hands On) approach to INSPIRE, EMPOWER AND DARE the young and vulnerable to act on their passions to make a positive difference. The PRIME Mentors of Canada (PMC) piloted the program with the ultimate purpose of creating a working model that could be adapted for all schools, particularly those in high-risk areas in order to build safe and strong schools and communities through youth initiatives.

Methodology

“Maximizing Youth Potential for Community Building” was launched at the beginning of 2008 in two schools in the Flemingdon Park area (Valley Park Middle Public School and John XXIII Catholic Schools). Selected grades 7 and 8 students (24 from each school) initially filled out two forms: one focusing on their achievements, strengths, interests, aspirations and their heroes; the other on their major concerns in their schools and their communities. Teachers in both schools were also requested to list down their concerns in their respective schools and communities. On the first day of the program, the students participated in a World Council at their own schools for which each received a formal invitation well in advance along with a three-four page biographical sketch of the past world leader they were each requested to personify( such as Mahatma Gandhi, Albert Einstein, Margaret Mead, Rachel Carson, Thomas Edison, Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, Thomas Edison, Joan of Arc, Martin Luther King, Pauline Johnson, Abraham Lincoln and Gene Rodenberry). With Socrates as the facilitator in a roundtable discussion, they focused their deliberations on current global issues (such as poverty, hunger, homelessness, abuse of human rights, inequality, discrimination and oppression, degradation and pollution of the environment, global warming and wars) from the leaders personal perspectives. Ideas and suggestions were offered to meet the challenges the world is facing today and ways to create their ideal world of the future. As a conclusion, each group of eight students in the two pilot schools formulated a World Agreement (total of six which are attached at the end of this report) which embodies universal values and practices that the leaders believed in and deemed necessary to help build a better world.

A two-day series of workshops followed to strengthen further personal resilience and a sense of hope for self-fulfillment and social contributions through awareness of ordinary people in different parts of the world improving the lives of millions through innovative ideas and daring actions in their local communities; affirmation of their own unlimited possibilities; enhancement of their creativity and creative problem-solving abilities; development of open-mindedness and positive mental attitudes; and acquisition of skills on how to manage stress and anxieties.

To synchronize and synergize their thoughts and feelings with their actions, the students had the opportunity to work on self-selected projects which they were concerned about in their schools and communities in cooperation with their peers and teachers with the continuing guidance of PMC mentors. Progress and developments of individual and group projects were monitored in the subsequent months. Final reports were eventually shared and celebrated with students and interested teachers at the end of the year, with special emphasis on what individual students learned from the experience.

Each student received a certificate of participation in the program and a book (with blank pages) with his/her name and title of the book he/she hoped to write in the future printed on the front cover. Quite unexpectedly, a few highly enthusiastic students immediately took up the dare and started writing their books.

Results and Analysis

Overall feedback from the Evaluationnaire indicated students’ very positive reception of the program, with a strong suggestion that this should be done more often and should involve all the students in the schools. They were much inspired and empowered in taking on the personas of past world leaders, most of whom they had never heard of, much less
know about, with the exception of Einstein. To personify a great world leader in a World Council is a unique and privileged experience, some claimed, they will never forget. An examination of the World Agreements they formulated, though phrased differently, showed a striking resemblance to the essence of the Declaration of Human Rights drafted by the United Nations in December 10, 1948. This firmly supported the consistent findings of Linda Rosier (founder of the World Council ) and associates in many years of holding World Councils for different groups of participants coming from all walks of life (from corporate executives to professional groups, community leaders, youth leaders, students and to street children): Participants, regardless of age, race, culture, creed, religion, educational background, profession and wherewithal, almost instinctively apprehend and advocate without hesitation what is universally right, just and humane for everyone across the world.

The students were equally impressed by the “New Heroes” who have taken the risks of introducing innovative and often radical ideas, and of undertaking extraordinary courageous actions to address longstanding challenges of poverty, abuse of human rights, discrimination and inequality, exploitation of children and women, lack of opportunity for education and environmental pollution. In their final analysis, they characterized past world leaders and new world heroes quite similarly - knowledgeable, capable, caring, courageous, curious, observant, creative, open-minded, visionary, and principled. The workshops helped them arrive at the conclusion that everyone is capable and creative; that if there are problems, there must be ways of solving them; that there are many diverse ways of viewing anything as there are many different strategies to generate ideas and solve problems effectively and efficiently; that being open-minded and keeping a positive mental attitude are necessary for success in life and feelings of well-being; and that there are ways of managing stress and anxieties which they could easily put into practice. It is a very revealing finding to know that the children ( 12-13 years of age) were feeling stressed out, so they claimed, to be due to school workload and demands.

Most of the students affirmed that they have learned a lot not only from attending the World Council and the workshops but also from working on their projects. Specifically, they emphasized their “discovery” of the magnitude and complexities of certain issues such as, gangs, bullying, vandalism environmental pollution and hygiene and sanitation in the schools, which they initially thought could be managed by simply imposing rules and regulations and corresponding punishments or fines to any infractions thereof. It was demonstrably evident that there was an “awakening”, the realization that far more knowledge and understanding are necessary to enable them to reflect better on specific challenges before they could offer informed suggestions or workable solutions. Quite surprising for the participants was that, in their own words, “a few or even one person could effect real change”, as they have witnessed in their schools. Their common view is that everyone in the schools should be made aware of the issues as a first step in meeting any of the identified challenges. Some of those who felt very committed to their projects offered to come back to work with the new set of participants in the following school year (2008-2009). The few who did not accomplish their set goals wanted to carry on with their work during the summer, but this not being possible as the schools will be closed, planned to continue the pursuit in the following school year (2008-2009).

Future Directions

The PRIME Mentors of Canada is prepared to continue its second year of operation in the two pilot schools “to deepen and broaden the culture of making a difference” in those schools before handing over the program to them. The plan is to start the program much earlier in the school year (late October or early November 2008) to give the students more time to work on their projects until the end of May and to avoid competing with schools’ busy schedule of activities in June. An additional workshop, “Youths Pathways to Success”, is being considered to reinforce the application of time-tested principles, values and attitudes in achieving set goals. More active participation of school teachers will be encouraged to assist PMC in monitoring the progress of projects closely. This will also help the schools in the transition process of taking over the program after the second year.

PMC expects to expand the program to other schools in high-risk areas in Toronto with a much refined working model to unleash young people’s potential for community building . The model will be shared with other schools and organizations who are interested in youth development and in keeping safe and strong schools and communities.

To reach more students in the thirty-two schools participating in PMC’s one-on-one mentoring program, a modified version of  “Maximizing Youth Potential for Community Building” will be offered to hundreds of grades 6, 7, and 8 students at the First PRIME Mentors of Canada Annual Youth Conference to be held at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto. The event will celebrate the organization’s twentieth anniversary of continuous community service.

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World Agreements
We agree to: Share and contribute more to good causes and those in need. Raise awareness of what a better world looks like. Teach others better and more positive ways of living beginning with our families and ourselves. Be a better example for others. Start developing more efficient modes of transportation for the future, and begin now to walk more and use public transit. Find homes for abandoned animals. Share knowledge with other people and countries. Cooperate with other countries to develop cures for diseases. Be aware of how we use water and conserve water. Do what we say we will do -- follow our good words with right action. Teach children early to respect differences. Care for and nurture our children. Give property and possessions we no longer need to those who need or want it. Listen to our hearts and do what is good	We agree to: To make a difference starting with one person. To not judge each other. To tell other people of the challenges today so they'll make a better world tomorrow. To listen to all voices of the world to help solve challenges of the world. To make sure that companies and restaurants cannot offer food that is harmful to us. To stop world consumption, testing and cruelty to animals. To equal rights for everyone, including right to free speech. To work to ward better and higher education for teachers. That rich countries should help poor countries in the way they need help. To be happy with who we are. That wealth is richness In knowledge, money, soul or culture.	We agree to: To stop global warming. To create less pollution. To destroy the factories that pollute our air and water. To stop destruction against nature. To clean our air and water. To recycle reduce landfills and be more energy efficient. To use sustainable methods in farming, travelling, & living. To have more exploration and acceptance of other cultures and religions. To stop child abortion and keep your child no matter what. To explore new perspectives even If they are different from ours. To respect each other. To have awareness of what's going on in the world.
We agree to: Be the change that will make our world a better place. Become a world union of diverse, happy, passionate, positive thinkers. Create a peaceful society where fairness and reasonable behaviour is practised. Provide education for all, providing individual choice, open mindedness, and the opportunity for classical study. Nourish our future leaders through creativity, knowledge, imagination,inspiration and respect. Encourage every world citizen to be actively engaged in preserving ourbeautiful environment. Give and share our knowledge. Work in a targeted way to eliminate poverty. Negotiate more, fight less, through open communication, common sense, and self-restraint. Show our strength through love, not violence.	We agree to: Help eliminate pollution by embracing the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Program. Use power of education to persuade people that doing many small things to help the environment and make a difference. That penalties will need to be introduced to convince some to conform. Make education the vehicle of change. - It needs to be free for those who show respect and ambition. - It needs to be available to all people throughout their lifetimes. Help stop world hunger. - Agree to reduce our indulgences and increase giving to the less advantaged - Education will help society to realize how small sacrifices by us make huge differences in the lives of the less fortunate. Help bridge/ reduce the gap between the rich and poor. Use charities to redistribute wealth to poorer countries. Keep the "dream " alive for all people. Encourage diversity. Like a tree, we need to provide water, light and a home.	We agree to : Recycle more -- creating recyclable materials and renewable sources ofenergy -- and to reduce waste. Be tolerant of other people differences, respecting rather than judging others, regardless of wealth, status or culture. Create a World Government that takes into account the Greater Good. Focus on the positive and possible side of life. Discover and establish better methods of education, more accessible and appealing forms of education. Research and develop better forms of transportation. Support, endorse, and practice peace in our own lives. Reduce our consumption of luxuries to pro vide others with their basic needs. Create laws and enforce a justice system that works for all people. Be good people.

 

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PMC Team Presenters: John Bertram, Linda Rosier, Norma Gamble, Nadine Lucki, Don Grant, Heather Ramsey and Conchita Tan-Willman

School Coordinators: Nancy Stewart (Valley Park Middle Public School) and
Marianne Cook (John XXIII Catholic School)

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