Despite being the fastest growing youth populations in BC, Indigenous and racialized immigrant and refugee youth don’t have the same opportunities as other young people. Race continues to be a factor that hinders their ability to have a say on decisions that impact their lives.

In 2019, Vancouver Foundation created the LEVEL Youth Policy Program which brought together 12 Indigenous and racialized immigrant and refugee youth from across B.C. to learn how to shape and advocate for public policy that addresses issues impacting their lives. The seven-month program offered participants the opportunity to gain practical, hands-on experience in the public process and how to influence it. 

Donors like you made it possible for participants to not only create a professionally designed and printed policy project portfolio, but also strengthened their capacity to influence policy change at multiple levels.

Over the past five years, the Youth focus area has provided support to a a range of leading charities including: Little Mountain Neighbourhood House, Immigrant Services Society of BC, Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre, various School Districts, Global Youth Education Network, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, and PHS Community Services Society, among others.