East Metro Youth Services program has big impact in the community
Today’s newscasts often portray images similar to those found in violent video games and action films. What’s more, a number of these stories involve Toronto’s youth. When Thansha Sadacharm came to this realization after noticing increasing coverage of youth violence in the news, she decided to take action. She began volunteering at the Violence Intervention Program (VIP) at United Way agency East Metro Youth Services after hearing about the program from a friend.
Since joining VIP in September 2006, Thansha, 17, has kept busy participating in a number of youth-led initiatives focused on violence prevention. She facilitates workshops on bullying, gang violence and healthy relationships at local schools in the Scarborough community. She writes articles for the VIP newsletter and was a youth writer on the magazine committee of the Showcasing the Endless Possibilities of Scarborough (STEPS) event. “There are so many different projects underway at VIP, but no matter what you’re doing, it always relates back to the program’s emphasis on violence prevention,” said Thansha.
Volunteering with VIP has changed how Thansha views her peers and youth in general. She wanted change, but didn’t realize so many others felt the same until she met the 65 other youth volunteers at VIP. “Being a part of this group has restored my faith in the future generation,” said Thansha.
VIP delivers a number of services and workshops to thousands of youth in the community, and Thansha has witnessed firsthand the impact the program has had on her peers. “You can see the changes in these kids over time, it’s really incredible,” said Thansha. “I’ve met kids who were living on the street when they came to the program, and now they’re in school and getting back on their feet.”
The impact of the program continues to grow and to date the VIP community program has offered 95 training and consultations to youth regarding violence prevention, provided 605 group sessions in the community with local schools, provided outreach during traumatic times within school settings and touched the lives of over 5,000 youth. United Way Toronto provides funding for the VIP program, ensuring that there are sufficient resources to continue to offer these services to youth in the community.
East Metro Youth Services is a United Way member agency that serves seven priority neighbourhoods, six of them in Scarborough – Steels L’Amoureaux, Eglinton East-Kennedy Park, Scarborough Village, Kingston-Galloway, Malvern, Dorset Park and Crescent Town.
It is your generous gift to United Way that makes programs like VIP and youth like Thansha make positive change in our community.