Children and youth programming will get a $12,000 boost from the City of North Vancouver.
Beneficiaries of the city’s Child and Youth Initiatives Fund, approved by council May 2, include Carson Graham, Mountainside and Sutherland secondary schools, Capilano elementary, Family Services of the North Shore, Capilano Community Services and North Shore Crisis Services Society. The review committee approved half of the 24 applications received, for a total allocation of $12,300.
Mountainside secondary received the most funding, $3,000, for an art therapy program and a non-competitive physical education class in which kids do activities such as yoga, rock climbing, golf and swimming.
North Shore Crisis Services Society was awarded $2,000 towards a summer camp for kids who face challenges at home and whose families cannot afford organized activities. FSNS received $1,500 for a program that provides support for transgender children, youth and their parents.
Sutherland secondary was awarded $1,200 for four programs, including a project called Blissful Bods that promotes positive body image in young women, and Equipment 4 Kids, which affords underprivileged kids a chance to play sports using equipment donated by the community.
Capilano elementary’s parent advisory group received $1,500 to purchase tools such as wobble stools and wiggle cushions that support self-regulation for students.
Since 1998 the city has provided seed money to support children and youth programming. Coun. Linda Buchanan, who represents council on the fund’s review committee, said they are seeing the same organizations apply year after year.
To encourage a diverse range of applicants, Buchanan suggested soliciting feedback to find out why some groups might not be applying and look at making changes to the process.
One of the challenges, speculated Buchanan, is that the funding application deadline falls around Spring Break when teachers and school administrators are busy with report cards.
There is still $8,200 left in the budget, which could fund a second intake of applications this fall.
