Charlottetown City Council voted this week to flow federal money to fund vital programs for at-risk youth that will promote better mental health, job readiness and healthy relationships.
A total of $490,910 will be provided to BGC Charlottetown (formally Boys and Girls Club of Charlottetown) and Inner City Life Skills Camp Inc. (Inner City) over the next two years to help encourage success with Charlottetown’s youth population. The funds come from the Building Safer Communities Fund offered through the federal government.
“We are tremendously proud to provide BGC Charlottetown and Inner City Life Skills Camp with this incredible funding opportunity designed to ensure a safer community for our young people,” said Councillor John McAleer, Chair of the Finance, Audit, Tendering and Administration Committee. “We are happy to support initiatives which align with our strategic vision of creating a safer community for everyone, and we believe this funding will greatly benefit these important and dedicated organizations.”
The funding was secured in partnership with the Charlottetown Police Department and will be given to the organizations over the next two years – $468,897 will go to BGCC and $22,013 will go to Inner City.
The funds will provide at-risk youth with:
• Supports for mental health and substance abuse
• Job-readiness and skills training to help youth find work
• Life-skills training such as managing finances, time management and building healthy relationships
• A six-week summer camp incorporating recreation and mentoring
“The Charlottetown Police Department fully supports any decision to approve funding which helps build resilience in our youth. This investment will promote better outcomes and a safer community,” said Charlottetown Police Chief Brad MacConnell. “The BGC Charlottetown and Inner City have long served to help better the lives of our youth, so we were very excited to assist in this initiative.”
“BGC Charlottetown is thrilled to be receiving this funding. Supporting youth in P.E.I. is more important than ever,” said BGCC Executive Director Caroline Woods. “This investment in our young people will not go unnoticed. With more and more youth struggling with mental and physical health, initiatives like this are instrumental in making a difference. Thank you to the City of Charlottetown and Public Safety Canada for the opportunity to change lives.”
BGC Charlottetown was formed in 1983 and has provided a structured environment with engaging programming for youth between 7 and 18 ever since. Inner City has operated in Charlottetown since 1988, providing valuable life skills to hundreds of Charlottetown youth through day camp programs throughout the years. Inner City founder, Len Sirois, told the City he has seen the increasing need for programs such as this and echoes the comments by Caroline Woods at BGC Charlottetown.
Partnering in this initiative aligns with the City of Charlottetown’s strategic priority of building up our communities.