« Youth Explore Potential Solutions to Barriers in Their Lives

Youth Agencies Alliance (YAA) has come together once again to host an art show with the intention of helping youth explore belonging, urban & world issues, and human rights from a positive perspective.

Artists from Art City, Graffiti Art Programming and North End Art Centre (Ndinawe) facilitated a series of workshops with over 130 participants from the 18 youth-serving organizations across the city that make up the Youth Agencies Alliance. In these workshops we asked youth to discuss barriers in their lives, and they have created artwork and a unique hashtag reflecting their ideas for solutions to breaking down these barriers. We hope that by being part of this project, youth will feel empowered and become actively engaged in discussions within their own communities.

[An exhibition Aug.23-26 launched] the videos and artwork youth made to go along with their hashtags. These videos and art pieces will continue to circulate online throughout the campaign and serve as a topic and inspiration for other youth and the general public. We hope that the campaign will take off and serve to connect youth from many regions of the world and for them to come together to discuss the notion of ‘breaking barriers’ and affecting social change. »

-from Youth Agencies Alliance