YAG

Welcome to the YAG!

Youth Action Gathering July 21-25, 2008

MacSkimming Outdoor Education Centre, Cumberland, Ontario

The Community Youth Action Project aims to inform, activate, and empower high school youth, ages 14-19, to undertake projects leading to ecological and social well-being in their communities.

We do this by:

• Talking about the issues
• Building the necessary skills for taking action
• Creating a youth positive space
• Just being cool at our YAG!

So what’s a YAG?

The Youth Action Gathering is an opportunity for you to learn about environmental and social justice issues in your community. It’s a chance for you to meet other like-mined individuals and share experiences and ideas. It’s also a starting place for promoting positive youth action in your personal lives, schools, and communities.

The Community Youth Action Project is meant to encourage and support youth in creating a plan for taking action locally, regionally and nationally. The gathering serves as a forum to discuss and define those actions.


The YAG is also about meeting new friends and creating new allies that will last a lifetime.

It's about knowing the issues, and acquiring the skills to make a difference.

It’s about you, but what are you about?

In previous years the YAG has included workshops such as:

Exploring the herbs in our environment * Kleercut Campaign *Action Planning * How to Take Action * Aboriginal Issues * Community Organising * Working in an Anti-Oppressive Framework * Globalisation* International- and Free Trade * Food—from Production to Consumption * Consumerism * Sweatshops * Zine Making * Climate Change * Keep Kyoto Campaign * Jumpstart Ford Campaign * Caribou Nation* Privilege * Politics and the Environment * Fundraising * Nuclear Phaseout * Planning an Event * Working with Multi-Stakeholders * Sustainable Campuses project and Sustainable High Schools * Alternative (Green) Energy * Bicycle Repair * Eco-Forestry * Banner Making * Yoga * Media/Communication Skills * Facilitation Skills * Cooking * Gardening *Belly Dancing *



This year's program is now being finalized, and we can promise you that it will be just as diverse and thought-provoking as the above. There will also be music, crafts, and art expressions (please bring any instrument if you are musically inclined!). We will also be playing games, sports and other activities.

To get connected right away, visit us on our Yag Facebook Profile!!!





Please follow the link below for a copy of the 2008 YAG Application form. Note: In order to open the document you need to save it to your desktop first. For our mailing address please see the bottom of this page.

YAG Application Form_Word.doc (37.89 Kb)

If you for some reason are unable to open the document above you can also copy and paste the application form text found below into a Word-document, and print it off as usual.

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Tell us about yourself! If you want, you can include any one of the following: a story, drawing, poem, photos, a 250 word written statement or anything else that will tell us who you are and what you are about!

Tell us what is important to you! An issue that you are concerned about, and what you would like to see done about it.

What do you want to see at the YAG? Please let us know if there is anything that we have missed!


At Sierra Youth Coalition, we prioritise making space for youth who are coming from traditionally discriminated communities, including gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity and social class. We also recognise that
being young is enough to silence our voices. If you feel comfortable, please indicate the categories that you fall into:

Ο youth (14-18)
Ο young adult (19-24)
Ο female
Ο ethnic minority
Ο gay/lesbian/bisexual/trans/queer
Ο disAbled
Ο visually impaired
Ο other(s)


Name:...........................................................................................................................................
Address:........................................................................................................................................
Telephone:....................................................................................................................................
E-mail:..........................................................................................................................................
Languages spoken:........................................................................................................................
Date of birth:.................................................................................................................................
Male.....Female.....Other.....

I give permission for my child to attend the Sierra Youth Coalition's Youth Action Gathering at MacSkimming Outdoor Education Centre from July 21 to July 25, 2008;

Parent/Guardian name and signature:


.............................................................(name) ............................................................(signature)


After we receive your application someone wil call you to confirm your acceptance, and to see if you have any questions or concerns. We will also send you a package that will include more information plus a list of things that you will need to bring. All applicants are accepted on a first come first served basis.


As a non-profit organisation we work hard to fundraise for the gathering so that we can subsidise the cost to youth. We are asking each person to contribute $45 to offset our cost, $20 of which will go towards your membership in the SYC family. A membership now includes a 40% discount in VIA rail fares. If needed your membership can be refunded. This year we recieved less funding than previous years. Thus, if you are able to to donate more than $45, we would be very grateful. Membership fees are renewable annually.

Please select an option:

• I would like to donate $.......over the $45 to support the program
• I am already a member of SYC. I would like to donate my $45 to SYC
• I would like to donate my $25 to SYC
• I would like my $25 refunded please

Please make cheques payable to Sierra Youth Coalition.

If you have any questions regarding the fee, or want more information, contact us at the SYC office at 613-241-1615, toll free at 1-888-790-7393, or by e-mail at intern@syc-cjs.org

Application forms can be dropped off in person or mailed to our office:

1 Rue Nicholas St, Suite 406
K1N 7B7, Ottawa, ON