BGC Cape Breton

Mission To provide safe, supportive places where children and youth can experience new opportunities, overcome barriers, build positive relationships, and develop confidence and skills for life. VISION All children and youth discover and achieve their dreams and grow up to be healthy, successful, and active participants in society.

Hope Blooms

Hope Blooms was founded in 2008 by Jessie Jollymore, Community Dietician in the inner city of the North End of Halifax. Working on food security issues and helping people with chronic illness, Jessie saw that simply telling people about the importance of a healthy diet wasn’t enough, and that if people cannot afford to buy healthy food, they were left feeling helpless. Jessie was warned that the garden would be vandalized, or she was shrugged off as being too idealistic, but six years later with a lot of perseverance and community support, the garden is thriving with over 40 youth and their families changing their community for the better, and demonstrating that “when you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” Source: http://hopeblooms.ca/

MARITIME CENTRE FOR AFRICAN DANCE (MCAD INC.)

The Maritime Centre for African Dance (MCAD), most recently noted for performing at President Obama’s African Inaugural Ball, was formed in 2005, is an organization dedicated to teaching, sharing and promoting African Culture though the art of dance, to youth and adults across Nova Scotia and Canada. To date, MCAD has taught well over 600,0000 children and adults in schools, community centres, camps and programs. This number is ever increasing. This organization was formed out of a necessity for lack of cultural representation in the form of traditional dance in Canada, UK and the US. It is a collective of different individuals from Africa who have are trained in traditional dance and ranges from the South, North, West and East of Africa. As of 2009, MCAD began expanding not only within Canada but also in the US and Zimbabwe. In 2011, MCAD launched in the UK. Every year, MCAD holds Afro Dance Camps, (trademarked) for children/youth ages 8-Adults, which features cultural dance from areas such as Kenya, Nigeria, Zambia and South Africa to learning to play traditional instruments such as Marimba, (xylophone), jembe (drum), and mbira (thumb piano). ANYONE of any background, with or without dance experience is encouraged to come to this camp. MCAD also has resource material that is available for schools, communities and individuals. The resource material includes dvds, books and powerpoint presentations. For information on this email, admin@mcafricancamps.com. MCAD also hosts workshops and classes at various times all across the Canada. As well as two hip hop dance competitions, The Dance Off each year, one in Halifax and one in Toronto. The Dance Off is quickly growing and is now one of the largest Hip Hop dance competitions in the Maritimes. This years Halifax finalists competed for both prize money, as well as a chance to perform live at this summer rush, which has previously featured performers such as Rhianna, Akon, Girlicious, and Jesse McCartney, as well as ABDC winners Supercrew. MCAD’s adult troupe was the only Canadian dance troupe invited to perform last year for President Barrack Obama’s presidential inauguration.

Teens Now Talk

Finally teens have a chance to express themselves and be published, filling a very real need in Atlantic Canada. A curious facilitator discovered throughout the years of working with youth that “Teens ask the same questions today that where asked years ago”. Although the times have changed – teens are in a much faster era, with technology at their fingertips – they’re still asking the questions. No one seems to be listening to them. From the powerful suggestions given by teens, to help the facilitator on her journey to show the world just what makes teens tick, Teens Now Talk was born. Teens Now Talk is an explosive literary vehicle responding to the needs and wants of today’s teens in the HRM and Atlantic Canada. We are committed to raising teen awareness, confidence, self- esteem and motivation to a level where teens will discover tools and resourceful outlets through creative writing, expression and art. What are the bigest issues affecting teens today? Written by teens, for teens; Atlantic Canadian teen issues, viewpoints and concerns will ignite and educated the writer and reader. Their teen voices will generate interest, stimulate creativity and provide the creation of content. TNT platform involves teens addressing teens key issues of today, on social, physical, mental, educational, spiritual, and emotional struggles. Our platform will provide teens with oppuntunities to showcase and express their dynamic creative abilities in the form of… poetry, short stories, art, spoken word or song while receiving DaBomb Braggin’ Rights. T.N.T. understands that teens are the future leaders and developers of our community, and we also believe that it takes a village to raise a child. Therefore, we operate as a movement on a grass-roots community level, igniting and empowering teens of the ages 13-19 to Be Seen, Be Heard and Be the Teen VOICE of the future, as they Write Their World. Shout out to all Teens We invite you to become a part of the experience you’ve been waiting for – a chance to have your creativity seen and your voices heard. Thousands of teens are listening and thousands more silently feel the same way as you. Submit your original short stories, spoken word, life articles, poetry, song lyrics, art and more… Get it off your chest…Write your world – send them all in!

East Preston Daycare Centre

The East Preston Day Care and Family Resource Centre is a non-profit organization that has been in the community of East Preston for over 40 years. Our main goal is to nurture and support families in our region, surrounding communities and beyond. We have a supportive, family feeling — in fact, many children who attend our day care eventually go through our youth program (one is even back working at the day care while she is advancing towards her diploma in early childhood education!). Open to everyone and anyone, we’re proud of East Preston and our surrounding communities. Even more importantly, we’re proud of our children, youth, and families, and their accomplishments during their years with us.

North Preston Day Care Centre

Business Is Jammin'

Business is Jammin’ shapes youth into vibrant members of the business community. We work with young people through a range of educational, social, mentorship, and financial support programs to build business acumen and leadership skills. In the last decade we’ve helped inspire thousands of program participants to stay in school, start up their own ventures, and bring an exceptional level of professionalism to any workplace. Business is Jammin’ has a proven value within both the Black community and Nova Scotia’s economy. In the last two years alone, our program participation levels have grown by more than 60%, a number that will only increase as we respond to Now or Never One Nova Scotia report. We work with children as young as 8 to adults up to the age of 35. We’ve developed an extensive range of programs to help address the needs of three segmented age groups: 8-15,16-20 and 21-35. We envision a future where program participants will highlight their involvement with Business is Jammin’ on resumes, business loan applications, and speaking engagements. We aim to be the premier partner in mentoring and guiding Black youth to be in-demand members of the business world.