Youth centre shows government how it spent its money

Lisha Van Nieuwenhove

The Uxbridge Youth Centre recently took the opportunity to show the provincial government how money it had received has been spent.

Last Friday afternoon, Pickering-Uxbridge MPP Peter Bethlenfalvy stopped by the UYC to meet with its staff and board of directors. During this meeting, he learned how the $25,600 Resilient Communities Fund grant the UYC received from the provincial government’s Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) was used. The grant, which was awarded in 2022, was used by the UYC board members to receive training that would “help build more resiliency following the impact of the pandemic by developing new fundraising strategies and grant-writing capabilities.”

“Aside from staff training and procuring new tools to seek out and request grant funding, the OTF grant we received allowed members of our board to receive professional training from Canadian Nonprofit Academy,” said James Houghton, chair of the UYC board. “This training has strengthened our governance and will benefit the Uxbridge Youth Centre and our wider community for years to come."

The UYC relies on a volunteer board of directors to direct its operations, and secure funding. The OTF grant also enabled the purchase of new equipment to improve the centre’s operations, and access to non-profit tools and resources.

"The Ontario Trillium Foundation grant, supported through government funding, has played an important role in enhancing the Uxbridge Youth Centre's ability to serve our community," said Bethlenfalvy. "By providing resources and training, it has built a foundation for resilience and a lasting positive impact."

The Uxbridge Youth Centre offers a safe and supervised drop-in space for youth to socialize and participate in daily programs at no cost. To learn more about what the Uxbridge Youth Centre has to offer the community, or to join its team of volunteers, please visit uxbridgeyouthcentre.com