Street Youth Outreach

Passion for Youth

In October 2008 OIM initiated Passion for Youth: ‘empowering street youth by engaging their passions through Assets Based Community Development’.

This program followed a similar model as pARTners, except the goal was to build self-esteem and self worth in the lives of street engaged youth. Many of our youth on the streets have dreams and aspirations that will never come to fruition because of limited resources and opportunities.

Passion’s youth art program gathered street youth around common interests and provided opportunity for the young people to express themselves through the creative arts. By engaging the youth in what they were passionate about (their strengths, in this case art), we began to see positive changes.

Members of the business community joined with the Community Foundation of Ottawa and our network of supporters, and the program was a success. Community was established within the group through various trips and excursions; almost $5,000 of art was sold in the course of the pilot project; four of the participants (previously homeless) were able to acquire shelter. This program continues to impact lives.