St. Paul’s High School Youth in Philanthropy Committee.
Youth in Philanthropy is a program which has offered a great deal to St. Paul’s High School.
Philanthropy can be defined as the desire to promote the welfare of others, expressed especially by the generous donation of money to good causes.
Youth in Philanthropy has allowed its student members to explore and discover as well as experience things they would have not encountered otherwise. For example, this year students visited places such as The Salvation Army, Rehabilitation Centre for Children, and Immaculate Conception.
My partner and I visited Rehabilitation Centre for Children, which recently relocated from Wellington Crescent to Notre Damn Avenue. Children accessing services provided by the Centre are supported by funds raised by the Children’s Rehabilitation Foundation, a charity dedicated to improving the lives of children who are disabled so they may live as independently as possible.
Because the Foundation, and the Centre, do not receive any financial assistance from the government, their need for money is great, as they are completely supported through private donations, grants and special events.
The Foundation provides children with wheelchairs, custom bikes, iPads, communication devices, and offers programs such as active living programs, bike clinics, as well as communications services.
The Youth in Philanthropy program is structured to ignite a sense of responsibility and generosity, as well as a sense of giving back to the community in its members.
At first, all members choose sites to visit; second, members visit the sites; and third, members discuss which charities have the greatest need. This structure builds the skills of realization, communication, cooperation and teamwork.
In school, when our group meets, we usually just talk about how much progress each small group has made in visiting the charities. If someone is unable to reach their respective charity, we try and help them do so.
We also had two meetings at lunchtime in order to decide our recommendations based on the needs of the charities. In our first meeting, every small group gave a mini presentation, which was followed by the second meeting, in which we prioritized charities based on the extent of their needs.
Check out more Youth in Philanthropy stories on CNC at Young Winnipeggers Connect 2017.
