This summer, with the generous help of the Federal Government’s 2018 Canada Summer Jobs funding, CEDA’s Community Schools program was able to hire 8 full-time youth staff to help with programming in various capacities. Our Summer Students, along with 8 additional youth volunteers, were mentored by CEDA Community Organizer, Raymond Ngarboui, to grow their leadership and entrepreneurial skills:

Community Gardens and Winnipeg Central Global Market:

The group worked alongside parents in our community gardens, tending plots and harvesting fruits and vegetables. Our gardens, located in Landmark, in Niverville, at Hugh John MacDonald School, and at the University of Manitoba, provide families with garden space and supplies to grow and harvest their own produce. Leftover produce not consumed by the families was brought to the Winnipeg Central Global Market and sold to the community for reasonable prices. Funds raised at these markets were used to provide honorariums to volunteers and to purchase program supplies. Students learned about social enterprises and co-operatives as viable and sustainable business options through this work.

Hugh John Macdonald Bike Shop:

Throughout the school year, students learned bike repair skills in Hugh John Macdonald’s bike program. Students were able to share these skills and help out their neighbours with their HJM mobile bike shop at the Winnipeg Central Global Market. Community members brought their bikes that were in need of repairs and our summer students made repairs and shared skills with others, increasing community capacity.

Giving Back:

This group of students also helped with the set-up and clean-up of various community events including Canada Day celebrations and the Annual Multi-cultural Feast celebration at Central Park. Their final project of the summer was the clean-up and beautification of the community around Gordon Bell High School in preparation for the new school year. Giving back to the community through clean-ups and beautification projects increased the students’ pride and ownership in their community!

Thank you, Summer Students, for all your hard work this summer!