What could happen if young people were given the time, support and opportunity to spend a year contributing to their community?
It is an idea that has been gaining attention in Canada: creating meaningful service opportunities for young people who are between high school and their next step, while helping community organizations benefit from their energy, skills and perspectives.
This fall, the Rideau Hall Foundation (RHF) is helping put that idea into practice through the new Ottawa Youth Service Year (OYSY).
Starting this month, the program will give an inaugural cohort of 26 young people, ages 17 to 19, paid, full-time placements with nonprofit organizations across Ottawa. Over the course of the year, participants will gain hands-on work experience while receiving training, coaching and professional development alongside their peers. Those who successfully complete the program will also receive a guaranteed post-secondary education award.
For RHF, the program builds on what we have learned about the kinds of opportunities that help young people participate and grow.
Research commissioned by RHF in 2021 found that time and financial constraints are among the biggest barriers to youth participation, particularly for young people who need to work or have fewer resources available to them.
It also found that many young people don’t feel qualified for the opportunities they see: three-quarters of youth surveyed said they felt they lacked the qualifications to take part.
At the same time, young people emphasized the value of hands-on experiences that allow them to actively participate, develop new skills, learn from others and build connections. OYSY offers an opportunity to put some of those findings into practice: creating a paid, sustained experience that gives young people responsibility, practical skills and a stronger connection to their communities.
There is also the potential for an impact that lasts beyond the year itself. A positive experience of service can help young people see the many ways they can continue to contribute to their communities, whether through volunteering, mentoring, community leadership or other forms of participation.
The program was founded by the Honourable Dalton McGuinty and is being delivered by Volunteer Ottawa, which has brought together more than 30 partners as well as Ottawa school boards and post-secondary institutions to support recruitment, placements, training and program delivery.
RHF is proud to fund this pilot year and to work alongside Volunteer Ottawa, participating organizations and educational partners to learn what a sustained approach to youth service can make possible.
Most of all, we are excited to see what the first 26 participants do with the opportunity. Their experiences over the coming months will help us better understand how service can support young people to build skills, find new pathways and discover the many ways they can contribute to their communities.
