Five Greater Victoria youth charities have been awarded $84,800 from Coast Capital Savings.
Coast Capital Savings’ Vancouver Island Young Leaders Community Council awarded $490,000 in grants to 37 Vancouver Island youth-focused, not-for-profit organizations.
The grants support programs that help more than 13,000 youth in the region, according to a Coast Capital press release.
Among this year’s recipients in Victoria are:
n University of Victoria’s TeenWork Youth Employment program, $25,800
n Community Living Victoria’s School and High School Project, $15,000
n University of Victoria Student Society’s Suicide Prevention Training, $12,000
n Victoria Brain Injury Society, $12,000
n KidSport Greater Victoria, $20,000
The grants, up to $30,000 each, are awarded through a unique “for youth, by youth” process led by the Vancouver Island YLCC, one of three regional Coast Capital youth councils.
Each YLCC is made up of eight youth volunteer leaders from the community and Coast Capital savings, all 30 years old or younger.
Conor Pommerville, chair of the Vancouver Island Council, said each year the funding decisions prove challenging.
“The granting decisions this year were not easy,” Pommerville said.
“The council worked long and hard to determine which organizations should receive grants, and we believe that these 2014 recipients truly embody Coast Capital’s community promise to build a richer future for youth.”
Pommerville, 31, has been on the council for two years.
“The great thing was to be able to grant these organizations money to help them run their programs and to meet the people who run these programs.
“It really hits home a lot more when you get to see it all in action.”
The local community investment program and the YLCCs were developed with the support and approval of the Coast Capital board of directors.
“The Coast Capital board of directors are excited with the work of our community-based YLCCs and the thoughtful funding decisions they are making that support local not-for-profits,” said Coast Capital board member Bill Wellburn.
The Vancouver Island Young Leaders Community Council is one of three regional YLCCs; there are also councils in the Fraser Valley and in Metro Vancouver.