Youth Programs

Programs are designed to meet the unique needs of young people on all the Southern Gulf Islands from ages 11 to 29. Our programming enables preteen, youth, and young adults to build self-esteem and confidence through learning new community leadership skills.

Youth 20/20 CAN Project – Southern Gulf Islands

You're Invited!

If you are between 15 and 29 years old you are invited to join the new Youth 20/20 Can Project  connecting youth volunteers in Victoria, Cowichan, Nanaimo, Courtney, Southern Gulf Islands, and Powell River.

What's Expected?

Volunteers share ideas about projects, events, or activities that matter and that they want to lead and manage.  Youth contribute 120 hours of volunteering time before March 31, 2023 and partner with community groups, local businesses, and mentors to turn ideas into reality.

Why Volunteer?

There are a million reasons to volunteer.  The benefits include participation in free training and learning events, building connections and networks, gaining employment skills and references, having fun, meeting new friends, and leading and inspiring change in their community.


GET CREATIVE WITH OUR ART PROGRAMS HAPPENING NOW!

SGI Magazine & Photography/Design Club

Attention young artists of Pender, Galiano, Mayne, Saturna, and Salt Spring! We need your creative spark!

Submit your outstanding work – art, photography, music, literature, and more – for the upcoming SGI Magazine. Our team of young designers is uniting to support local creativity and connect the young people of the Southern Gulf Islands through art. We are also seeking enthusiastic volunteers to join our magazine publication. Don’t miss this chance to showcase your talent and be a part of this artistic movement.

The deadline for submissions is July 25th. 

 

FASHION CAMP

Hey Pender Island Youth, are you interested in any of the following: Fashion Design, Garment creation, fast fashion vs slow fashion, felting & more? If so we have the perfect camp for you!

Join Maddi and Karen for 5 days of fashionable learning and fun! 

Madi and Karen have lots of knowledge to share with you. Karen is a designer with a degree in fashion design and Maddi is a second year design student with a passion for fashion!

Camp runs from July 17-21st from 10am-4pm. 

 

In addition, we are excited to announce the launch of the Photography and Design Club! 

This club has been started by a group of young photographers and designers who are currently in university, beginning to pursue creative arts. The club aims to create a space for young people who are showing interest in careers within the creative industry. We will have guest creative professionals attending some meetings to provide photographic/artistic instruction and mentoring for young artists. This program is sponsored by Ptarmigan Arts and will be held at Hope Bay Gallery. 

The club will run on July 5th, 19th, and August 2nd and 16th, with the possibility of continuation into the fall based on the number of attendees. 


COMIC ART CLASS

Concept to Creation

Learn to create comics with compelling visual narritives and develop meaningful characters. 

By donation ($20 suggested donation)

Come on down to the Community Hall July 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th & 31st. From 5pm- 9pm 

Ages 10+

If you are interested in any of these programs, camps or clubs please contact Maddi at Maddi-youthnh@sginh.ca for information and registration.

STAY TUNED FOR OUR COMMUNITY ART PROJECT

Youth Engagement and Volunteering

The Youth Engagement and Volunteering Initiative commenced in 2017 as a collaborative activity between the Pender Community Hall and the SGICRC.

Our Goals

  1. Engage SGI community youth in volunteerism.
  2. Develop programs to support SGI youth in volunteering.
  3. Create an accessible database of volunteer opportunities for SGI community members.

Past work: In December 2019, funding from Volunteer Victoria broadened the initiative and 51 youth, completed 143 hours of volunteer time with a multitude of organizations. This set the youth engagement and volunteering initiative on track to more than 30 meetups, workshops, a weekly Gardening Party, group biking, group walks and more.

Activities, we currently offer :

  • Weekly Youth Volunteer Hub Meetings
  • Regular Social Events 
  • Creation of Web Resources
  • Regular ‘Volunteer for a Day’ program 
  • Volunteer Opportunity Matching Program
  • Volunteer Mentorship Program 
  • Skills Training
  • Social Media Presence

Previous Programs

Leadership For the Earth

Leadership for the Earth is an outdoor environmental leadership program for Pender Island youth ages 13 – 18.

The program meets biweekly on Friday afternoons for outdoor at-a-distance activities related to outdoor leadership, environmental awareness, and food security.

We also have a monthly newsletter with virtual resources and activities. This program is run in collaboration with the Pender Islands Community Hall.

Across the Ages

This is an initiative run in collaboration between the Pender Islands Community Hall and the Southern Gulf Islands Neighbourhood House.

The intention of this program is to provide an opportunity for intergenerational connection, knowledge sharing, laughter, and collective joy during what is a stressful and isolating time for many people in our communities.

We run virtual programming connecting youth community members (19 and under) and senior community members (55+) in Southern Gulf Islands communities.

Summer 2022 Programs

SGI Non-profit Leaders Network

The monthly meetup is a place for SGI Non-profit Leaders to have a place to discuss issues, trends and connect with each other. With no agenda, topics are diverse, meaningful and very valuable for those in attendance. The next meeting will be held August 5 at 10:30. FMI or to register, email youth@sginh.ca.

 

Pender Pride Picnic and Allyship Week of Activities

Come to the Pender Pride Picnic, August 8 from 12pm-3pm at the Community Hall and enjoy a fun-filled day of face-painting, queer artists and music, arts and crafts, and snacks! Or sign up to volunteer with face painting, set-up and clean-up. In the days before and after, join some of our other fun Allyship Activities that include:

Aug 6, 6 -7 pm at the Pender Community Hall – Start shattering the movie magic, come join us in watching a documentary about conversion therapy.

Aug 11, 5 – 6 pm Virtual workshop – Kick off our “Hot Topic Chats” with the first virtual seminar, where we discuss allyship, LGBTQ+ focused education, resilience and history during the Pender Pride week.

Aug 19 4 -7 pm at the Pender Epicentre- Zine making workshop (live streamed) in collaboration with Youth Activity Night. Come for a fun and celebratory night of making zines to celebrate queer resilience and the beauty of the LGBTQ+ community.

For more information email us  or see our page on Instagram @sgiyouth.

‘Hot topic chats,’ current topics which are affecting young people, Wednesdays – 5-6pm

Come join us to chat and discuss pressing “hot topics’’ which are affecting young people today, such as eco-anxiety, climate change, LGBTQ+ rights, racism, decolonization, mental wellness and wellbeing and how to support yourself so you can support others. These are going to be virtually weekly activities to engage with other young people and figure out what we can do as a community to tackle these topics! Come join us for these weekly virtual workshops on Wednesdays, 5 – 6p m to learn and contribute to the discussion! For more information email youth@sginh.ca or see our page on Instagram sgiyouth.

Shattering the Movie Magic – Movie Debriefing Series

August 6 – bi-weekly, join us for bi-weekly discussions on your favourite movies, beginning with a film about conversion therapy to connect up with local Pride week and continue with other “big box” movies that youth can suggest. We will discuss the issues and feelings that arise when watching movies and will decolonize and apply a critical lens to childhood favourites. It is time to break down the movie magic and get critical! For more information email us or see our page on Instagram sgiyouth.

Food Workshops and Programs

Sunday August 15, 2 – 5 pm

ONLINE! Jam and Chutney Workshop. Join us as we learn to make some delicious blackberry jam and chutney. For more information, contact penderhallheritage@gmail.com or call 250-629-3669

Sunday August 22, 2 – 5 pm

ONLINE! Tomato Canning Workshop. Learn about water canning of everyone’s favourite TOMATOES. Don’t forget to take your jar home with you! For more information, contact penderhallheritage@gmail.com or call 250-629-3669

Sunday, August 29, 2 – 5 pm

ONLINE! Fermentation Workshop. We’ll be creating a tasty, fermented cabbage today, you won’t want to miss it! For more information, contact penderhallheritage@gmail.com

 

Open Mic and Jam at Pender Community Hall

3:00 – 6:00 Wednesdays at the Farmers Food-only Markets, come and play informally and unamplified. Everyone is welcome; it’s a great environment to express your talents!

Youth Activity Night

The Pender Community Hall is partnering with the SGI Neighbourhood House and the Epicentre to host a weekly Youth Night. Registration is required and limited to youth 13 – 21 years old, FMI call 250-629-3669 email bookings@penderislands.org

Adventure Earth – Weekly

The Neighbourhood House is partnering with the Pender Community Hall for weekly activity for youth 13 – 18 years interested in outdoor leadership, wilderness skills, environmental leadership, food security, farming skills and civic engagement! Older youth may be interested in joining as assistant leaders! Each week is something different, we may challenge ourselves to climb a mountain, go to a local farm to meet the animals and help in the garden, volunteer to help a local organization, travel off island to a special site, or learn how to lead games and other activities! FMI call 250-629-3669 or email bookings@penderislands.org.

Heritage Skills Keepers

The Neighbourhood House is partnering with the Pender Community Hall for this fun group. Are you knowledgeable or skilled in self sufficiency skills? Are you a D.I.Y. savant? Are you a Fall Fair champion? The youth and adults of our community need your help! The unpredictability of the world has ignited their desire to gain the lost arts of homesteading and self sufficiency and they would like mentorship and guidance. This group of knowledgeable and want to be knowledgeable, will meet regularly to talk about what skills and experiences are needed to manage more like our homesteader forebearers. Please let us know if you are interested in joining us or what skills you can share. Call 250-629-3669 or email bookings@penderislands.org.