Overview of Accomplishments
Since being established in 1985 as a legacy of the International Youth Year, the Regional Multicultural
Youth Council (RMYC) links youths across Northwestern Ontario and runs programs that include the following:
* Orientation program to welcome newcomers to Canada, and Aboriginal students from reserves to urban centres and help them to
adjust to life and integrate into a new environment.
* Revolution Girl Style / Girl- Power Initiatives to empower young women to believe themselves and follow their passions.
* Multiculturalism to improve race relations, celebrate diversity and promote responsible citizenship
* Safer Communities Campaign to promote personal safety and collective security,
* The Breakfast Club, Food bank and Used Clothing for destitute youth.
* After-school Program to keep youths busy in the evenings and promote healthy lifestyles.
* Entrepreneurship/Business Ventures for fundraising, self-reliance, work experience and careers.
* Environmental Issues for conservation, social consciousness and caring for Mother Earth.
* Leadership and Organizational Development Training to provide lifeskills and organizational skills.
* Volunteering for lifeskills development, work experience and community involvement
* Multicultural Youth Centre, a model drop-in facility for empowerment and proactive programs.
To give youth a voice, the RMYC has sat on the following advisory boards and committees:
* Thunder Bay City Council’s Race Relations Committee
* Thunder Chamber of Commerce Community Issues Committee
* The Community Advisory Committee on Race Relations to the Thunder Bay Police
* The Lakehead Public and Catholic School Boards’ Anti-racism Policy Development Committees
* Thunder Bay Violence Prevention Action Committee,
* Diversity Thunder Bay and Thunder Bay, Aboriginal Inter-agency Council
* Community Coalition Unified for the Protection of our Children and Youth
For involvement in community development, race relations, social justice and equality, the RMYC has been acknowledged as
follows:
* Lakehead Social Planning Council Award for Equality and Social Justice - 2002.
* 2002 The J.S. Woodsworth Award for Social Justice
* The 2002 Royal Commonwealth Youth Service Award for the RMYC Orientation Program
* 2003 Canadian Race Relations Foundation Award of Distinction
* Identified by the Laidlaw Foundation as a model youth group for governance and decision making - 2001.
During their term of office on the RMYC executive, the following youths were acknowledged for exemplary leadership as follows:
* Founding RMYC president, Melanie Goodchild was the first Aboriginal youth to get the YTV Award.
* During their terms as RMYC president, Pauline Fogarty and Heather McMullen won the Ontario Medal for Young Volunteers in
2000 and 2001 respectively.
* While serving as President of the RMYC Naana Jumah, received the ‘97 Canadian Council for Multicultural and Intercultural
Education Youth Award.
* RMYC President, Tamara McDonald was a recipient of the 2002 Lincoln Alexander Award. Other RMYC officers--Terra Campbell
and Miriam Figueroa received the same award in 1993 &1999 respectively for their work to combat racism.
* Bobby Narcisse, as RMYC Vice President received the Aboriginal Role Model Award in 1997.
* Lina Mayer, during her term as RMYC President, was appointed to the Premier’s Committee on Ontario in Confederation in 1994
* Mary-Jean Cormier Past Resident and Programs Co-ordinator received the Canada 125 Award, and was the first youth to sit
on the Ontario Multicultural Association and Ontario Trillium Foundation boards
* Jennifer Manitowabi, a team leader of the RMYC Orientation Program was the first Aboriginal young female in the community
to get the Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Award in 2000. Wendy Partnoy was the first RMYC executive officer to receive the same award
in 1999.
* Tiina Kivinen, vice president, received the City of Thunder Bay Student of Exceptional Achievement Award in 2002. Other RMYC
officers-Mohammed Isse, Mike Sklazeski, and Sara Swerdlyk got the same award in 2003.
* Many other RMYC officers have been recipients of the Canada Day Youth Award and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold, Silver and
Bronze awards. Many more have received the Ontario Volunteer Youth Service Awards we successfully lobbied the Ministry of
Citizenship to create in recognition of youth involvement in community development. More information appears on the RMYC
Honour Roll on our website: http://my.tbaytel.net/manwoyc