Youth Climate Action

On November 7, over 130 elementary students and more than 30 educators from 27 schools across Grey and Bruce counties gathered at the Harmony Centre in Owen Sound for the third annual Youth Climate Action Conference (YCAC). The event provided a platform for students, educators, and community organizations to come together, learn, and collaborate on climate action initiatives.

The conference featured a keynote presentation by two Grade 8 students from Arran-Tara Elementary School, Jana Lott and Nina Pieterman.

“Leaving YCAC last year, we were inspired by the speakers and the other students,” said Lott and Pieterman. “This motivated us to start the Trees for Tara project. We teamed up with other classes at our school and planted 100 trees and shrubs.”

Over the course of the day, students attending the conference participated in hands-on workshops that explored various climate topics such as how to make shorelines more resilient, composting, and how to use state-of-the-art climate modeling to experiment with different factors that impact climate change.

At lunch, youth visited interactive booths from community organizations, such as the Grey Bruce Public Health, Owen Sound Field Naturalists, Georgian Bluffs Climate Action Team and Stewardship Grey Bruce. In the afternoon, students began planning their school and community action projects. In a very energized session at the end of the day, students shared their project ideas, such as planting trees, starting or revitalizing school gardens, or starting a composting program at their school. Each school that attended will receive $500 from Learning for a Sustainable Future towards implementing this project and students will have an opportunity to share their work at Owen Sound’s Earth Day event in April 2025.

While students were in their sessions, teachers participated in a full day of professional development on how to connect climate to their curriculum, led by Learning for a Sustainable Future. One of the event organizers, Samantha Gawron from Learning for a Sustainable Future shared, “We are excited to have the opportunity to work with so many local educators, who will shape and inspire students for years to come, amplifying our impact.”

The conference was made possible through financial support from the Government of Canada as well as over $10,000 raised by The Sustainability Project in sponsorships from local community organizations, climate action teams, municipalities, and individuals.

To learn more about Grey County’s Climate Action Plan, Going Green in Grey, visit grey.ca/climate-action. For more information on the conference, visit the Sustainability Project’s website at ycac.info

Harmony Centre has been home to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Grey Bruce & Western Simcoe (BBBSGBWS) since 2016, and in that time, the organization has tripled in size and reach.

According to Executive Director Beth Aubrey, much of this success can be attributed to a strong volunteer network and a deep commitment to the transformative power of mentoring. But it also has to do with an expansion of services that is meeting the changing needs or our community.

“This year, BBBSGBWS has seen a sharp rise in youth seeking services while simultaneously experiencing a drop in volunteer and donor acquisition,” she says. “This has had a tremendous impact on how the agency operates, and how we work to reach those youth and families most in need.”

As a result of these challenges, the agency is sending out a call to action, requesting donations and volunteer support.

Aubrey believes in providing preventative services to youth and families that have a generational impact. These services include a growing youth council, outdoor wellness program, group skill building programs, as well as traditional one-to-one and in-school mentoring programs.

“Each of our services are aimed at creating a lasting impact on the lives of some of the most vulnerable and at-risk youth across our community,” she says.

Harmony Centre has played a role in this process. “I can’t say enough good things about this place,” says Aubrey, pointing out that Harmony Centre values, as social enterprise, are a perfect fit for their organization.

“The low overhead we’ve been able to maintain, thanks to subsidized accommodation, has helped us deliver more with less,” she says. “Our accessible presence at the heart of the community is also an important aspect of our residency here.”