Here’s why you should support Penticton’s new youth centre

Iam writing to offer my endorsement for the youth centre and to provide a perspective from a young person about the importance of ensuring this project is successful. The experiences we have as children and young adults will be ones that develop our confidence, understanding and strengths for the remainder of our lives. Youth are heavily impacted by the environment and society they are raised within; they grow and change according to the support and opportunities they receive, both from those close to them and from the broader community

For the past five years, I have been a member of the YES Project, acting as a youth advisor and steering committee member. I joined the YES Project in response to the crisis that many young people in our community were and still are facing.

I was 13 when I first noticed many peers struggling with self-expression and others developing mental health issues that were going untreated. Throughout my four years of high school, several close friends and too many young acquaintances of mine took their own lives. I was deeply concerned about the health and well-being of my peers but knew there were few resources for them to access and limited awareness of the scope of the problem.

Around the same time, several community organizations came together to create the YES Project and to begin the work of creating a youth centre.

With the platform provided to me from The YES Project, I could speak with and on behalf of many youth in Penticton. I was able to connect and communicate with community leaders, organization members and speak face to face with the decision makers of my own region.

This opportunity grew into something bigger than I could have ever imagined. Through this work, I was able to connect with folks of other generations and in turn strengthen the inter-generational connects in our community. In particular, many older citizens have reached out to me with their support and opportunities, eager to help in any way they can. This impact is immense, and I believe it has been the most influential shift in the societal perceptions our community

This project is special. It is the future of youth success in our valley and it is undeniably the best avenue for support and resources to be shared. The project is strong, stable and will continue to better the lives of every member of our community; young or old, we are all affected by the health of the youth demographic.

As I move on from the valley and attend university this year, I am left hopeful that the youth of tomorrow will find even more support in Penticton. Although our town has suffered terrible loss, we have grown closer through a commitment to kindness and understanding. Our community is strong and it has proven to be a resilient place of hope, acceptance and opportunity.

We have come a long way, but there is still work to be done. Our community needs a youth centre; a hub of resources dedicated to helping all young people achieve their goals and reach their full potential. We are still facing crisis. We are still losing young lives and this hurts me more than words can express.

By donating to the youth centre, you are investing in our best chance at helping youth in crisis. You are funding a place of hope for our generation’s future. We need to raise $3 million to fund the purchase of a building in downtown Penticton and have raised over $1 million so far. Together as a community we can support our youth.

Donations of any size are being accepted for the centre by the Community Foundation of the South Okanagan Similkameen. All donations will receive a charitable tax receipt and can be made online at www.cfos.net or by calling the Community Foundation office at 250-493-9311.

Victoria Ritchie, 18, is a Penticton high school student, YES Project youth advisor, and past YES Project steering committee member