The West Vancouver Community Foundation’s Youth Philanthropy Council (YPC) works to inspire young people to get involved in giving back and making a difference in our community. YPC focuses on the needs of youth in the community and encourages them to lead and make a positive impact on the North Shore.
Other upcoming events:
- June – wrap up celebration.
- September – watch for details on our kickoff event
PAST EVENTS
100 Youth Who Care - March 11
We heard from 3 local charities and participants determined how the funding was distributed. Funding was from the West Vancouver Foundation’s Youth Fund, as well as money raised at past fundraising events. Charity participants were:
- BC Pets and Friends, received $1,500
- North Shore Neighbourhood House, received $1,500
- Big Sisters, received $2,000
Plus attendees received free pizza and volunteer hours, met new friends and there were door prizes!
Want to join the committee for the 2025/2026 season? The first meeting is in September. Fill out this form here>>
Volunteering
On March 6, a group of Youth Philanthropy Council members volunteered at Family Services North Shore to help with their Grad Shop at the Community Hub.
The Community Hub Grad Shop provides free formal wear to high school students who need it, ensuring that every young person feels supported, valued, and ready for their next step in life.
Thank you Noa, Shirley, Joy and Kayla for volunteering your time and making a difference for many grads this year.
YPC members are invited to join other volunteer opportunities, allowing you to get more volunteer hours but more importantly, give back to those in need in our community.
PAST EVENTS
The March 5 youth ‘giving circle’ event invited all high school students from West and North Vancouver to learn about some local charities that support youth, vote on which charities will receive funding from the West Vancouver Foundation.
The charities that received funding were:
- Covenant House
- Harvest Project
- North Shore Foundry
Thank you to the 3 charities for coming and presenting.
100 Youth Who Care
100 Youth Who Care is a 'giving circle' that invites local youth to hear from charities that serve North Shore youth and vote on which programs to grant to. Next event, watch for details.
Find our more about this initiative including how to attend the next event and past events.
Who Are We
The Youth Philanthropy Council (YPC), is a passionate group of West Vancouver students dedicated to developing leadership and next-gen philanthropy through youth-led grant making and volunteerism.
Find out more about our current members and committees. Interesting in joining?
Community Issues
Some key issues we have identified as important to our members are mental health, inclusivity and environment.
Find out about our latest activities around these issues that are important to us.
Want to keep update on YPC, our 100 Youth Who Care events and Community Activities, sign up for our newsletter here.
View previous editions: YPC Newsletter – May 2022, YPC Newsletter – February 2022, YPC Newsletter- June 2021 & YPC Newsletter- February 2021.
SUPPORT
The Youth Philanthropy Council relies on fundraising and donations to add to their Funds. Without community generosity, many programs for youth simply do not happen. Whether you are making a one-time donation or monthly, it all goes to helping youth programs on the North Shore.
Grants are recommended by the Youth Philanthropy Council.
The YPC acknowledges TD Bank Park Royal North for their recent contribution to the ‘Act of Kindness’ event.
The Caring Community Youth Fund will be used to support youth-involved projects across the North Shore and funds will flow through to grant right away.
The Caring Community Youth Endowment Fund will use the income from this fund to support youth-involved projects across the North Shore.
HOW TO GET INVOLVED
STUDENTS
Do you want to make a difference for West Vancouver youth & young adults? We are looking for committee members (Fund Development, Granting, Community Insights & Communication, Volunteerism and Leadership). There are also many opportunities to volunteer at community events.
If you are interesting in joining us, email; youthcouncil@westvanfoundation.ca, with your name, contact information, school and grade or occupation & employer or click Apply Here to download the application.
Commitment can be quarterly, monthly or more – it’s up to you.
Volunteer ADult mentors
We are seeking community volunteers to provide administrative support and general coaching for the Youth Philanthropy Council (YPC). The YPC’s mission is to activate youth leadership and generosity through philanthropy, with the goal of understanding and addressing the changing needs of youth in the community.
As far as possible, the YPC youth members should be leading their activities, but additional support is essential to help the youth develop leadership skills and efficiency skills as well as providing continuity especially through year-to-year transition.
We are seeking adult mentors for the below committees:
- Marketing & Communications - ideal candidate will have a marketing background.
- Volunteerism & Granting - ideal candidate will have a non-profit background.
The main responsibilities include:
- Attend YPC planning meetings to mentor and facilitate.
- Support the youth with coordination and implementation of events
- Track the youth volunteer hours
- Listen to the youth and help provide the direction for YPC going forward.
Six events will be held between September 2024 to May 2025. The Adult Coordinator can expect to spend around 4 hours per week supporting the Youth Committee, plus attend the 6 events. We are planning a one-time planning session this summer and ideally these volunteers will be part of this meeting.
We are also hoping to get input this summer as we reshape YPC to make the committee even stronger.
- Volunteers must be at least 19 years old and live in West Vancouver, North Vancouver, Squamish Nation or Tsleil-Waututh Nation.
- Strong communication skills and ability to motivate, encourage and recognize youth.
- Adequate availability, flexibility and capacity to the role for at least one year (meetings are generally outside of school hours, weekdays), ideally serve for 2 years with the option to serve an additional 2 year-term.
- Experience with platforms such as Zoom, SurveyMonkey, PowerPoint, Google Docs, Excel, Mailchimp and social media.
- As you will be working with youth, a criminal background check will be required.
- Ability to communicate regularly with the coordinator and with other committee members when necessary– preferably by both phone and email.
- Alignment with the values of the program.
- Marketing or non-profit background preferred.
- We welcome diverse perspectives such as young adults, language/ethnic background, length of time in the community, income, etc.
APPLY OR QUESTIONS
Please email your qualifications or questions to Rebecca, rebeccaj@westvanfoundation.ca
How we help
100 YOUTH WHO CARE
Our last event was March 5, 2024. Watch for our next event, to help grant to more charities who benefit youth in North and West Vancouver.
In 2019 we had our first 100 Youth Who Care meeting – a ‘giving circle’ that invites local youth out to hear from charities that serve North Shore youth and vote on which programs to grant to.
100 Youth Who Care events, attended by students from public and private high schools across West Vancouver have resulted in over $29,000 being granted to the below charitable organizations that benefit youth/young adults in our community and across the North Shore:
- ACCESS (Aboriginal Community Career Employment Services Society)
- Anxiety Canada/BC
- Athletics 4 Kids
- BC Wheelchair Sports Association
- Covenant House Vancouver
- District of West Vancouver (Youth in Crisis)
- Family Services North Shore Youth LAB
- Foundry
- Hollyburn Family Services
- North Shore Neighbourhood House
- North Shore Rescue
- North Shore Restorative Justice Society
- Ocean Ambassadors Canada
- Pathways Serious Mental Illness Society
- PLEA Community Services Society
- Red Fox Healthy Living Society
- Sea Smart School Society
- SOS Children’s Village BC
- UNYA (Urban Native Youth Association)
- Vancouver Adaptive Snow Sports
- Westcoast Family Centres
Pitches made at these events highlighted financial need for youth programming and initiatives in the areas of Mental Health, Environment and Social Well-being.
The event venue, which allows for a safe and all-inclusive space is donated in-kind by the District of West Vancouver Youth Services
GRANTING
Responding to the urgent needs around the COVID-19 pandemic, the YPC pivoted our granting efforts to social media with two successful online campaigns, helped by the generous donations of matching donors.
The ‘100 Youth Who Care’, events also held online in March and June 2021, contributed to the YPC granting a total of $19,700 to organizations supporting youth on the North Shore during 2020/1.
If you would like to help the youth of West Vancouver, please consider being a matching donor or adding to our funds with your donation, no matter how big or small.
Donate here.
$1720 Week 1 recipient – Family Services North Shore-Christmas Bureau
$2220 Week 2 recipient – Ocean Ambassadors
$2220 Week 3 recipient – PLEA BC
$1,250 Week 1 recipient – Foundry North Shore
$1,250 Week 2 recipient – Harvest Project
$1,000 Week 3 recipient – North Shore Crisis Services Society
$1,000 Week 4 recipient – Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention Centre of BC
A big thank you to our matching donors (varies by week); Naomi Denning, Adine Mees, Nancy Farran, Victoria and John Mendes, Linda Harrison Youth Fund, British Pacific Properties, Hartvikson Family, Christine McDonald, Denise Howell, Catherine Heath, TD Bank Park Royal North, Patti Minnes and some anonymous donors.
COMMUNITY INITIATIVES
YPC embrace the philosophy of inclusion, a sense of belonging and celebration of diversity by initiating youth events in, which connected with youth of West Vancouver and beyond. Find out more about some of the past Community Initiatives.
2023
The YPC sought out donations for the 2023 Act of Kindness whilst also contributing personal handmade gifts crafted by the youths themselves. December 2, saw the youths come together to create holiday cards and package gifts which were then distributed to families in need across the North Shore.
2022
On December 10, YPC members came together to package donated gifts, personal hygiene items and make holiday cards to be distributed across the North Shore to youth and families in need through the North Shore Family Services Christmas Bureau.
2021
Thanks to a West Vancouver Foundation Neighbourhood Small Grant, along with financial support from TD Bank Park Royal North, Silvercorp, and the families Li, Yoo, Ert, McDonald and Denning-Chunn, youth from West Vancouver came together On December 11, 2021 to create holiday cards and gift bags for youth and families in need. Partnering with Enhance West Van, these ‘Acts of Kindness’, were distributed across the North Shore.
A number of YPC members initiated, created, and planned the first ever TEDx Youth West Vancouver held on September 22, 2018 at the Kay Meek Centre and it was a great success! Click here for more information. TEDxYouth @ WestVancouver inspired the local youth community through demonstrating what is possible. Their diverse set of young and experienced speakers shared how their philanthropic, innovative, and entrepreneurial ventures have impacted the greater world. On September 22, youth from West Vancouver and beyond gathered to have conversations about what pushes the limits of what is possible.
YPC launched the first ever “Do1Give” event on April 19, 2018. They involved most youth of West Vancouver within West Van schools. For one day, they inspired every youth to do something special for someone else and inspired more than 4,000 acts of giving – successfully starting a wave of giving – and happiness! On April 17, 2019 there were 81,500 small acts of giving completed locally and globally! Every act of giving creates a ripple – and in this case #Do1Give Day created a WAVE of happiness all over the world.
Members
Youth Philanthropy Council Committee Chairs
Fund Development Committee; Frank Lu and Lola Cabral
Communication & Marketing Committee; Angelia Chopra and Kayla Bibby
Volunteerism & Granting Committee: Noa Dadon and Shirley Xu
Youth Philanthropy Council Committee Members
Leanne Chung, Tosca Norman-Thiessen, Natalie Lou, Paisley Evans, Dante Sikich, Kayla Yar, Xiao Bo Zeng, Keira Paterson, Joy Wang, Camellia Fazali, Emilio Molina, Eva Jarvis, Ella Thompson
With thanks to our adults mentors: Kevyn Karimi, Rebecca Johnson (WVF Staff).
COMMUNITY AWARDS
2021/2020/2018 -District of West Vancouver ‘Outstanding Youth Team Award’.
The Outstanding Youth Team Award recognizes a group of youth who have completed a minimum of 35 hours per youth of service, resulting in enhanced programs and/or services for their school or their local community.