Who We Are
The Regional Multicultural Youth Council (RMYC) is an inclusive group linking youths in small and isolated communities of Northwestern Ontario. The Council was formed as a follow-up to the special activities organized by the Multicultural Association of Northwestern Ontario (MANWO) in 1985 to mark the International Youth Year. Today, the RMYC is a dynamic organization promoting youth involvement in positive activities to foster the well-being of children and youth, and developing proactive programs to enhance the quality of life and improve social conditions in our communities.
The Council's success can be attributed to a youth-to-youth approach to reach out to peers. Youths from all backgrounds make up the Council's board of directors who run the Council's affairs. There are thirteen officers on a Central Committee responsible for managing the Multicultural Youth Centre in Thunder Bay.
An Executive consisting of the President, Past President, six Vice Presidents and five Assistant Vice Presidents heads the RMYC. The Council's board of directors hold regular meetings at the Youth Centre (usually on a pre-set day and time of the month) to plan activities, organize events, develop projects, implement work plans and evaluate programs.
There is also a regional board comprised of youth representatives from communities across Northwestern Ontario. RMYC officers from the region meet quarterly (usually in Thunder Bay), or when funding is available to cover travel and subsistence costs. The regional representatives provide a voice for youths in the isolated communities.
We serve an area that is two-thirds the land-mass of Ontario. Our population is diverse -- comprised of Aboriginal people, older immigrants and newcomers. Aboriginal people form the largest racial minority group, and live in over ninety traditional settlements scattered across the region. A majority of First Nation communities are under-serviced and over one third are only accessible by air.
The shaded portion of the map (from the shores of Lake Superior to the Hudson Bay and from the Manitoba border stretching east to near the town of White River) marks the general (807 area code) area of Northwestern Ontario we serve. However, our links with Nishnawbe-Aski Nation extend the area to the James Bay coast in the 705 area code.