The Community Action Project

The Community Action Project is designed for Aboriginal youth (15-30) within the Wood Buffalo region that have not been successful in traditional education. As a result, these youth face multiple barriers on their path to employment and active citizenship. In many cases, a lack of success in school has built negative associations with education—and that may stop them from attending typical school-based training programs that are offered.

This project proposes a new approach: one that engages youth as “agents of change” within their own community, making real-life community development projects the central focus of the learning process. These community development projects will provide an entirely different way to build skills, gain work experience and restore confidence, one that is not based on typical classroom instruction. Self discovery, recognition of personal strengths and the development of key skills will happen through participation in personally chosen community improvement projects that are meaningful and purposeful.

Participants will be coached in their projects by specially trained program facilitators as well as community mentors. They will gain new skills, knowledge, contacts and experience that will broaden life opportunities and improve employment options. The overall goal is to have youth leave the program with a better understanding of themselves, their personal strengths and their choices and next steps in creating a positive future for themselves and their community.