We Wish You A

Merry Christmas!       

                                                                                          Happy Holidays!

            Happy Hanukkah!!!

                                Happy Kwanzaa!!

              Happy Winter Solstice!

Or whatever holiday you like to celebrate!

                And a Happy New Year!

His Day Is Done

A Tribute Poem for Nelson Mandela by Dr. Maya Angelou.  Moving beyond words.
Watch Here.

I Am His Social Worker

He doesn't do it for the money.  Bobby Lefebre, an award-winning spoken word artist, actor and social worker, reveals in this tremendous slam poetry performance his passion for impacting change through his profession as a social worker.  Brilliant and only four minutes.

This Will Astonish and Put a Smile on Your Face

Titus is about three years old basketball whiz who can sink baskets and trick shots from dizzying heights and he makes it look so simple.  He even takes on Bradley Cooper.
Watch Here.

Toward A World Free from Violence:  Global Survey on Violence Against Children

This is the first comprehensive attempt to assess progress in preventing and eliminating violence against children since the groundbreaking 2006 UN Study on Violence against Children.   Preparations for the Global Survey began in 2011, five years after the submission of the Study to the General Assembly.
Read the Full Report.

Does My Goldfish Know Who I Am?

How we can be sure that life isn't just a dream?  Why we don't have memories from the time we were babies and toddlers?   What do newspapers do when there is no news?  Do animals like cows and sheep have accents?  Children's funny, poignant, innocent yet insightful questions about science and how life works, answered by celebrated minds.
Read More.

Transgender Children in Canada to Get More Support, Expert Says

A network of support for transgender children is growing in Canada, at clinics working to help youth transition from one gender to another.  But critics say it raises ethical questions about when children are able to make medical decisions.
For Full Report.

Youth Leadership Grants

The Starbucks Foundation is interested in supporting organizations that equip young people ages 15 to 24 years old in the three following areas: Business Savvy: Having the ability to leverage opportunities with integrity and innovation; to make good decisions and achieve results.  Social Conscience: Valuing the impact an individual and enterprise can have on the community.  Collaborative Communication: Engaging others in an inclusive manner across teams, functions and cultures; ability to leverage new and creative ways of communication.

Straight No Chaser

Probably the best rendition of The Twelve Days of Christmas you will ever hear.  Clever and funny.
Watch Here.

One in Seven Canadian Kids Living in Poverty

There are 967 000 children in Canada living in poverty - 24 years after federal pledge to eradicate it.  38.2% of children of single mother in Ontario are living in poverty.
Read more here.

Canada's Youngest Entrepreneurs Get a Head Start at School

Millennial's are twice as likely as the average Canadian to start a business in the next 12 months.  It turns out that Generation Y, the under 30 crowd that is often maligned as lazy and self-serving, may be full of would-be entrepreneurs who are embracing the idea of being their own bosses.
Read more here.

B.C. has Canada's Highest Child Poverty Rate

First Call:  BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition, released a report last Tuesday based on Statistics Canada data that shows more than 18% of children in the province live below the low-income cut off, which is synonymous with the poverty line.
Read More Here.

Solving Canada's Adoption Problem

There are a couple of things about children in care that most Canadians don't know.  If they "age out" of care at age 16 or 17, without becoming part of a family, the odds rise dramatically that they will fall prey to many social ills.  Criminal activity, homelessness, mental illness, substance abuse, teen pregnancy - all become more likely.  Ironically, this is likely to lead to another generation of children living out their lives in foster or institutional care, as their parents won't be able to provide for them.
Read More Here

A Reader Sent This In

Some information to help you navigate the internet with teens.

Hacking My Education

When 13 year old Logan LaPlante grows up, he wants to be happy and healthy.  He discusses how hacking his education is helping him achieve his goal.  A great way to spend 11 minutes and remember Logan is 13!
View Video Here.

"This is a Story of a Mother's Love For Her Baby."

Photographer and videographer Benjamin Scot of Columbus, Ohio, documented his son's first days in the neonatal intensive care unit all the way to the moment when Ward Miles Scot celebrated his first birthday at home.  Very moving!
Watch Here.

Little Girl Shares Her Wisdom About Having an Adopted Brother with Down Syndrome

Five-year-old Ace Eicher shares her feelings on why she loves her adopted brother with Down syndrome.. Even thought she doesn't understand everything, she knows enough to impart words of wisdom that will bring tears to your eyes.  Beautiful.
Watch Here.

Why We Procrastinate

Vik Nithy is the founder of 3 companies at the age of 20 including his own marketing consulting firm.  His life after school Vik has been extremely successful despite being diagnosed with ADHD after finishing his school exams.  Developing his passion for cognitive neuroscience, educational reform and the potential of young people
Watch Here.

Band of Elementary Schoolmates Rally Around Boy to Stop Teasing

After the group of fifth-grade football players from Massachusetts found out their 6 year old water boy was being teased for his attire and speech, they played great defines and showed their support in a novel way.
For More.

Children's Fitness Levels Declining Worldwide

A new study analyzed 50 studies on running fitness involving 25 million children ages 9 to 17 in 28 countries from 1964-2010.  In looking at how far children could run in 5 to 15 minutes and how quickly they ran distances ranging from half a mile to two miles, researchers discovered today's children are about 15% less fit than their parents were at their age.
For More.

This is Brilliant... "How to Change the World"

Kris Bronner is 18 years old and is also the innovator of the world's first levitating food.  Kris is a  co-creator of UNREAL ™  Brands, a mission-based company dedicated to proving that junk food, a leading contributor to the diabetes and obesity epidemic, can be "unjunked."  This past summer, UNREAL ™  launched with five reinvented versions of America's favourite candies in  25 000 stores nationwide.  These candies are sold side by side with the originals, cost the same, and we think tastes as good.  Such an amazing presentation.  Don't miss it.

TEDxYouthOttawa

During the 2011 reading of the throne speech today, a young page by the name of Brigitte Depape was yanked from the Senate Chamber as she tried to hold up a stop sign placard reading "Stop Harper."  A few months earlier Brigitte was a speaker at TEDxOttawaYouth, the first TEDx youth conference in Canada.  Watch a slightly different Brigitte in action.

And Then at TEDxTeen

Young Jacob Barnett, tells you to "Forget what  you know."  Jacob is autistic and was 13 when he made this presentation.  
Watch Here.

More About Jacob

Read more about Jacob and the Canadian connection in this fascinating recent MacLeans article.

Doing The Splits Like You May Have Never Seen Before

Jean-Claude Van Damme does the splits between two reversing trucks.  It's only a minute but it's a fascinating one.
Watch Here.

Excellent Website

Adobe Youth Voices (AYV) ignites young peoples Creative Confidence - the ability to harness creative skills to solve problems - using advanced digital media tools and tested storytelling techniques.  AYV is the Adobe Foundation's  global initiative to increase creativity.  Youth develop original media that highlights an issue they care about, identify solutions, and in the process foster critical creative skills and a passion to make a difference.
Visit Youth Voices

Sask. Government Wants Kids to Report Bullying Online

The government says it will create an anonymous online reporting tool for the reporting of bullying incidents.  It's part of an anti-bullying plan unveiled thursday by Education Minister Don Morgan.
For More:

B.C. School Bans Kindergarteners From Touching Each Other

A Langley elementary school has banned kindergarten students from touching each other at recess, a policy some parents think is both unnecessary and unworkable.
Read More.

Amira Is Nine and She Has an Amazing Voice

Watch a star being born.  Did we mention she is self taught?

Home Depot Canada Commits $10 Million to Address Youth Homelessness

The Home Depot Foundation has announced a three-year, $10 million initiative to address the problem of youth homelessness in Canada.  In addition to matching homelss youth with employment opportunities, the initiative will provide support for drop-in centres, shelters, and infrastructure for permanent housing.
 For More.

Baby Girl Gets All Emotional Listening to Her Mother Sing

Ten-month old Mary Lynne Leroux is moved to tears by her mother Amanda's angelic rendition of the Rod Stewart single "My Heart Can't Tell You No."
Watch Here.

A Job for New Graduates: Fix Canada's Education Gaps

Only 40% of First Nations students living on reserves graduate from high school.  And their numbers are about to explode.  So it might seem counterintuitive to send teachers with zero experience or even a teaching degree - to help boost their educational prospects.  But a new organization called Teach For Canada, thinks idealistic young grads are just the leaders these students need.
Read More.

Is Our Connected World Behind The Youth Movement in Canadian Politics?

When 34-year old Don Ivesson was elected may of Edmonton earlier this month, many people noted his age with interest.  However, Ivesson said that Edmontonians simply saw past his age and voted for thoughtful ideas and his plan for the future.  Still, some pundits took his success to signal a "generational shift" in voters.
Read More.

Young Business Owners More Ambitious than Older Peers

A new poll has found that business owners under 35 are the most likely to be planning a business expansion, suggesting the group is not only optimist about the marketplace but also experiencing results.
Read More.

Canada Post Gives Back to Youth

Groups that have a project that positively impacts kids in the community might want to access funding available through the Canada Post Community (CPC) Foundation.  The Foundation has raised over $8.4 million, Canada-wide, since its inception in 2007.  This year, $1.5 million in grants went to 109 organizations throughout Canada.
For More:

RBC Committing $100 M Over 5 Years to Help Kids

Canada's largest bank says it's committing itself to provide $100 million over five years to fund donations, sponsorships, youth employment initiatives and other investments geared to the well-being of children and youth.
Read More.

A Very Cool Canadian Website

Startup Canada is a national, grassroots, volunteer-led movement to enhance the nation's competitiveness and prosperity through uniting and strengthening entrepreneurship ecosystem and promoting a vibrant entrepreneurial culture to create unified brand as a rallying point for Canadians.
Visit the site.

New UK Resources to Support Suicide Prevention

A training program to support suicide prevention, "Youth self-harm and suicide awareness", has also been recently launched in the UK.  It seeks to increase participants knowledge and understanding about youth suicide and to look at developing youth suicide prevention guidelines and support within local areas and organizations.
Learn More.

Russell Brand At His Nuttiest and His Best!

The controversial comedian-turned actor has been making headlines this week after an interesting interview with the BBC's Jeremy Paxman about starting the revolution.  Paxman made the mistake of assuming that just because Brand doesn't vote, he doesn't understand what's going on, and boy did Russell have a good time proving him wrong!  If you get a chance to read the fascination Brand article in the New Statesman and see how his argument appeals to young people.

Halloween Treats Gone Wrong

With Halloween just around the spooky, poorly lit corner, Crest decided to play a little trick on the littlest Halloweeners by switching their candy with terrible tasting "veggie-flavored treats."  Funny!


UK Report Into Cyberbullying Calls for Immediate Action From Social Media Sites

The British youth anti-bullying charity Ditch the Label has recently released the results of its Annual Cyberbullying Survey, and says that there is still a long way to go to eliminate bullying in the cyber world.
An easy to read report.

Canada Could Use a Resource Like This One!

For an American view of the youth sector, it is worth looking at the National Clearinghouse on Family & Youth website, which is a service provided by the US Family and Youth Services Bureau within the US Department of Health and Human Services.
Website Here.



Two Very Cool Dudes

Malcolm Brickhouse and Jarad Dawkins are middle school students and metal heads with ambition.
Watch Them Rock!