1:30 PM - 3:00 PM Eastern Time
The Mobilizing Local Capacity to End Youth Homelessness Program (MLC) is a national five-year pilot project that supports small and medium-sized communities across Canada to develop plans to prevent, reduce and end youth homelessness. The MLC draws on local resources, energies and capacity to raise awareness of the issues surrounding youth homelessness, and facilitates linkages to foster effective networks and collective action to address the housing and social support needs of youth.
Kingston, ON and Kamloops, BC were the first two communities selected to participate in the MLC program, led respectively by the United Way of Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington and the City of Kamloops. We will be joined by them both in discussion on the multi-year community-wide processes they underwent that involved solid research, direct involvement of youth and broad community consultations as they bring their community plans to action.
The inaugural community action plans to prevent, reduce and end youth homelessness were launched in the Fall of 2014, and are available at the following links: Youth Out Loud: Taking Action to End Youth Homelessness in KFL&A and A Way Home: A Plan to End Youth Homelessness in Kamloops. Or visit Eva's Initiatives.
The MLC is the result of an exciting partnership between The National Learning Community on Youth Homelessness, Eva’s Initiatives and the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association, with generous funding from the Catherine Donnelly Foundation.
Speakers:
Bhavana Varma is the President & CEO of the United Way of Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington. She joined the United Way in St. Catharines soon after she and her husband moved to Canada. She moved to Kingston in 1999 as the CEO of the local United Way.
Bhavana works closely with a large team of volunteers and a small staff team on fundraising and community impact. Working with community partners, Bhavana has developed and led shared community plans for poverty reduction, homelessness and youth homelessness.
Carmin Mazzotta is the Social and Community Development Supervisor for the City of Kamloops. His portfolio involves social planning, community engagement, and capacity building across a range of priority areas; two of these – youth issues, and housing and homelessness – are particularly relevant here.
Carmin works closely with local non-profit organizations, service clubs, community associations, and key stakeholders from the private sector, including land developers, property managers and local businesses, to address social issues and needs in the community through a collaborative, action-oriented approach.
Carmin has been involved in the planning and development of a number of municipal and community-based plans, including A Way Home: A Plan to End Youth Homelessness in Kamloops.
Space is limited. REGISTER NOW!
Please note that, as always, webinars are free for CHRA members. For non-members, the cost is $40 + tax.
