Making Change

We've had a great run

Obstacles

• Waning interest
• Difficulty filling venue
• Nominations stagnant
• Proliferation of awards, MSBA, Red Cross, MB Government volunteers,

We tried everything

• Manitoba Teacher ads, mbteach.org, emails to Presidents and Executive, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, posters to all-schools mailings (MTS reps, principals, parent councils) radio commercials $40,000, promos at 2 MB Moose games $10,000 x 2, Ice Plex for 3 days, COSL e-blasts

Pandemic

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Press Pause

• COVID Protocols interfere with holding live events
• Scope of projects narrows in communities and schools
• Teddy Bears' picnic, pride parades, I Love to Read,

Rethinking YHA

Recognition vs. Help

• YHA engaged with youth after their work was complete
• We made no connection with them throughout their project
• The only recognition they received was at the end of the school year
• We said look at what they've done, they took a bow onstage, and we started on next year's event.

PLOT TWIST

• What if we engaged with youth while they were making change
• What if we funded them to do what they wanted to do
• What if we helped them garner media attention throughout the life of their projects

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Brand new vs. retread

• Fast fixed grants for 3-month projects
• Easily give away 20-30 grants of $500
• Each project can be fed to media as soon as work begins and throughout project
• Web page would list current projects with details about each
• Social media pics and video clips would be incorporated into the page
• Publicity would allow support for projects beyond immediate community

To What End?

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