Fake nails, custom decals and taking risks

Sometimes I wonder why things are the way they are. Actually, I wonder this frequently, about many things. For example, why do Starbucks go by tall, grande, and venti when the rest of the world seems to do just fine with small, medium and large? Or, why do people wear fake nails when the second you put them on your functional abilities decrease significantly. Today I even wondered why I sent my boss an email about the “promotion meetings”, when I clearly meant our “probation meetings.” Minor detail, I guess. Even as i got out of my car this evening, I wondered why I managed to find a Sunfire with custom decals flaming on the sides of the doors.

I would love to know why Starbucks name their sizes the way they do, the functional ability of fake nails, the reason why I made such an outrageous spelling error to my boss, and why my car is so noticeable in comparison to the rest of the vehicles on the road.

Or, maybe I wouldn’t?

Here’s a thought. In the first years of Starbucks, I’m sure they questioned why they were about to embark on a risky road of uncertainty. I’m sure they were worried that the public wouldn’t be receptive of this change; however, they did it anyways. And then there are fake nails. Sure, sometimes your ability is compromised, however maybe it is that one thing that your ‘evening outfit’ needs to just top it all off. Then comes the email. You’re probably wondering how something good could come out of that. Let’s just say the word “promotion” planted a seed. And then my car! In the beginning I questioned the custom decals; however I took a chance on the car because it had been good for the previous owner, so maybe it could be just the same for me.

Now, look at where Starbucks is. They are a huge franchise, with incredible success. I guess the unique naming of the sizes wasn’t such a bad idea after all. Or, the fake nails. I currently have some on now, and I can’t seem to stop staring at my hands because they look so lovely! There’s not too much wrong with a boost of self esteem, in my opinion. And then there is my spelling error to my boss. Well, let’s just say that i have an interview on Monday for a permanent position. Lastly, my car! To put it frankly, i have put money into oil changes and that is about all. Can’t complain too much about that.

What am I trying to say? Take a chance. Do something that you are unsure about. You never know how it may turn out.

Posted by Becky Molly, ACTIVATE 2010 volunteer

My summer at Motivate Canada: part 2

My first week on the job I had the privilege of attending the Youth Social Infrastructure of Ontario gathering in Bancroft, building a network of youth serving organizations to share best practices and form a collective vision for the future. I also had the opportunity shortly after to take part in a Motivate Canada staff retreat, participating fully in discussions to develop the future of the organization and the individual programs. The retreat gave me a greater understanding of the different branches of the organization and a chance to clarify the organization’s mission, vision, objectives and strategies. I truly appreciated that my ideas and opinions were accepted and respected as an equal staff member; attesting to Motivate Canada’s belief in the value of youth.

As an additional summer project, I assumed the responsibility of developing a new program idea for Motivate Canada that targets new immigrant and refugee youth in Canadian communities, inspired by the Citizenship and Immigration Canada call for proposals in June. Being entrusted with this responsibility was not only empowering, but also an incredible, hands on experience. I became invested in the development of this program and I am extremely excited to see how this idea progresses into a reality.

I look forward to sustaining involvement in the program should funding come through to support it. I was also able to take part in developing a proposal that integrates all of Motivate Canada’s programs into an initiative to achieve healthy weights in youth in underserved communities; another extremely valuable educational experience.

Overall, I am coming out of this summer internship with a more developed set of transferrable skills, a greater appreciation for the work of non-profit organizations, a comprehensive understanding of youth development and the current research trends. More importantly, I feel I have contributed meaningfully to an organization whose values I agree wholeheartedly with and who I trust will continue inspiring youth of all ages and backgrounds to believe in themselves and reach their potential. I am thrilled to have played a part in the development of a more active, healthy Canada, building youth who will shape a more promising future locally, nationally and globally.

Posted by Davina Finn

Part 1 of this blog post was published on July 14, 2010

Davina is an undergraduate at Queen’s University studying towards a BSc in Life Sciences. She will be working at Motivate Canada until July 28, 2010, after which she will fly off to Rwanda and Tanzania.

My summer at Motivate Canada: part 1

I was first introduced to Motivate Canada after my first year of university, in May 2008, as a delegate at the ACTIVATE National Youth Leadership Conference. I experienced the powerful impact that came from gathering a group of youth leaders with a shared passion for sport and physical activity from across Canada. With my horizons broadened and my realization about the potential to use sport as an effective vehicle for social change expanded, I returned to school the following September empowered and inspired.

When I was presented with the opportunity to become one of the ACTIVATE 2009 volunteers, I didn’t hesitate for a second. I was honoured to join this motivated group of young people, combining our energy, creativity and ideas to give back to a new cohort of our peers; hoping to provide them with the most memorable and meaningful experience possible.

After another incredible conference, I was upset that this could mark the end of my involvement with Motivate Canada. I knew there was so much more I could both learn from and contribute to this organization; an organization whose priorities align with everything I am passionate about- youth leadership and engagement, sport and physical activity and community development.

I am so thankful to have been given the opportunity to be a summer intern this year, being involved in a very different capacity than my previous Motivate Canada experiences, and learning more than a class could ever teach.

In my role as a Motivate Canada summer intern, I had many extremely interesting responsibilities. My major assignment entailed reviewing the ACTIVATE conference, and describing through both experience and research, why each component is integral to the overall outcome of the conference, and how the ACTIVATE structure is deliberately designed to model and reflect all features of an effective youth development program. For this project I familiarized myself with past and current research on Positive Youth Development, Community Driven Development and Youth Engagement, which really opened my eyes up to this interesting field of research, and helped me really understand the methodology behind the ACTIVATE program.

Posted by Davina Finn

Part 2 of this article will be published on July 21, 2010

Davina is an undergraduate at Queen’s University studying towards a BSc in Life Sciences. She will be working at Motivate Canada until July 28, 2010, after which she will fly off to Rwanda and Tanzania.

Accelerating the Movement of Youth Work in Ontario

This weekend, among the snowy nights and warm sleeping bags, more than 80 delegates from across Ontario came to Cedar Ridge in McArthur’s Mills to discuss Youth Social Infrastructure. We celebrated, amplified, explored and accelerated the movement of youth work in Ontario. The desire is to accelerate youth work that actually works. It was identified that many sectors want to engage youth in a meaningful way but don’t know how.

Eliminating tokenism may mean changing the culture of a particular sector. It may mean looking at the system and working within to build on what is working and evolving it, or creating an entirely new system based and built upon particular non-negotiable platforms identified by youth, youth workers and adult serving youth. But this can only happen when the quality of the relationship is the most important key element, that building trust is the only way to create buy-in and a sustainable future for youth work in the province.

Rural youth identified feeling isolated, left out, and bored, sometimes leading to substance abuse and violence in communities. Distances are major barriers to making connections and feeling included. But instead of playing the victim and dwelling in the “poor me” approach, we would develop an asset based approach that creates more connections, and bridges the distances that allows for information, knowledge and practice sharing. More connections and relationships between rural youth organizations are necessary. Kinship exchanges were identified as a particular approach that would allow for rural and urban youth to visit face to face and share their worlds with one another, sharing “street sense” and “bush sense”. This would give urban youth an opportunity to experience the outdoors by going canoeing and camping, learning how to make a fire and set-up a tent. It would give rural youth an opportunity to experience different cultures, food, and the vibrancy of what city life has to offer.

Gathering Coordinator Abe Drennan said, “It is an exciting time for North Hastings to celebrate, explore and accelerate the way youth work is happening, for us to look at our assets and build upon them. There has been a legacy left here as this gathering will never be forgotten.”

There was an international, intergenerational mix of people ages 14-55. People joined us from Longlac, Thunder Bay, Sault St. Marie, Bancroft, London, Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, and Halifax. There were grassroots youth organizations, youth serving organizations, provincial funders, public and mental health professionals and educators. A Native elder also joined us and grounded us in our work by reminding us where we were, the sacredness of the land and the importance of weaving the spiritual element in our lives and in our work.

The weekend offered an opportunity for individuals to gage their level of commitment to the movement. The next meeting will be held in early summer and will include people from this gathering who have committed to joining the core team to advance and accelerate the platforms that were created and built upon during the weekend. The weekend also offered many things as the wisdom of the crowd drove the process and created a vibrant, creative, energizing, and fun atmosphere. People engaged and immersed themselves in sharing circles, storytelling, open space and world cafe facilitation methods. While tackling difficult and complex topics, these methods were able to build trust and social infrastructure in the moment.

Youth in Action member Kent Rutledge thought “It was exciting to meet a group of individuals like myself who care about the youth not only in Bancroft and in their own hometowns, but Ontario, and all of Canada as well. There was a great spirit in the room and everyone felt like they could make a difference, which was made even greater as everyone got to know each better, and become friends and allies. The discussions held during YSI made me wonder if positive change is actually possible. It was empowering to know that the diverse delegates who came to YSI came from various youth organizations from all over Ontario. I got to wondering: if there are six councilor positions in Bancroft, why isn’t there a youth representative? Why don’t we have some youth in parliament? People say we should respect our elders. But shouldn’t our elders respect our youth? Better yet, shouldn’t everyone respect everyone?”

Christina Stone, a fellow member of Youth in Action who attended the event, wanted to add “how amazing it was to talk to people who take us, as youth, seriously.”

Who knows what the future will hold for Youth Social Infrastructure, but there is positive change in the air. Youth are not just our future, they are our present as well.

Posted by Kent Rutledge and Abe Drennan

ACTIVATE 2010: What kind of book will you write?

I was walking into Chapters the other day and my eyes started running wild. There is something about that place that gets my heart racing and my legs moving faster and faster as I walk. That may sound strange, but give me a second to explain and perhaps you’ll agree with my reasoning.

That place is filled with ideas. Creative ideas by people like you and me, that decided to pick up a pen and a piece of paper and start writing. Each book that stands on the shelves has a rich history; a history created by a person that wasn’t afraid to share their thoughts and ideas with the rest of the world. That person decided to take a chance on the world and the acceptance that they may or may not receive from critics like you and I.

What kind of critic are you? When you walk into Chapters do you judge a book by its cover? Or, do you read the short summary provided about the book and make a decision from there? Or maybe, just maybe, you open the book and stand in the middle of the aisle for a good ten minutes reading the first chapter, and then decide whether you’re going to invest your time in reading the rest.

As you board the plane to Ottawa, you’re mind is going to be racing with thoughts, questions, concerns, and ideas. I can tell you from experience that your mind is going to be racing even faster when you walk through the doors of Carleton University and have your first opportunity to examine the space that you’ll be spending a lot of time in over the period of the conference. In front of your eyes will display many creative ideas that youth just like you have come up with. These youth decided to take a chance; they took a risk that critics like you would accept and appreciate their ideas. There are going to be speakers that take the time to come to the ACTIVATE Conference to speak. These people, like the books that sit on the shelves of Chapters, come with a rich history that is geared to inspire and motivate others.

How are you going to react to this environment, full of ideas, opportunity for change and positive development? Are you going to judge it at first glance, and turn the other way? Or perhaps you may walk around a little bit, look at a few topics that will be covered over the conference and then stop there.

Here’s my suggestion: Start by boarding the plane with an open mind. Leave your expectations and fears at the gate. Allow your heart to race a little faster as the plane ascends towards Ottawa. When you arrive in Ottawa, accept that your legs may walk a little faster than normal in anticipation for what is in store for you over the course of the week. Then, when you finally arrive at the doors of Carleton University and you have your first look at the space where the conference will be held, walk around and take in all the creative ideas and opportunity that surrounds you.

The opportunities, experiences, and creative ideas that will be shared and experienced throughout the week will only be there if you allow your mind to take a chance. Making a positive difference in your community isn’t easy, but neither is writing a book. However, if you walk into Chapters there are hundreds, upon hundreds of books filling the shelves. What does that mean? It means that there are people that decided to take a chance at the world and succeeded.

So, take a chance on the world, open your mind to the possibilities and see what kind of book you may be able to write!

Posted by Becky Molly, ACTIVATE 2010 volunteer

When all you see are No Parking signs, don’t give up

Picture this. You’re driving around a parking lot, where there are no empty spots, until out of the corner of your eye you see a vacant space where you will surely fit in. Normally you hate parallel parking, but it looks like you have no choice. After manoeuvring your car into the space, you feel satisfied with yourself.

But then you look up and see it. Suddenly all your hard work is erased and you’re back to square one. Directly beside your passenger door is a sign that says No Parking. Tow Away Zone. Great, now where will you park? You circle the parking lot for what seems like hours, but nothing is becoming available to you. You’re convinced the world is against you.

There are going to be moments when you’re trying to make a positive change in your community and the only signs that seem to appear are the No Parking. Tow Away Zone. It can be so discouraging. I can remember so many times where I was attempting to do good, but nothing but bad was presenting itself.

Here’s an example. After only two weeks of being back at home after eight months of being away at school, I was hoping on a plane to move to Ontario. I had decided where I needed to be for the summer was in Paisley, Ontario working at a camp for intellectually challenged adults. However, instead of landing in Ontario with welcome banners and balloons to greet me, it was one emotional struggle after the next. One week into my stay all I wanted to do was hop on a plane back to BC. I was trying to make a difference, but the world wanted nothing of it.

You’re back in the car. You drive around that parking lot for what seems like hours, and you know what? A spot became available eventually. It might have taken longer than you expected, but it came nonetheless. The same can be said about my move to Ontario. In the beginning it didn’t seem like things were going to get better, but they did. In fact, my summer spent in Ontario has had such a huge impact on my life up to date, and I don’t know where I would be without my experience at that camp.

What am I trying to tell you? Be persistent.

There are going to be moments in your life when you are convinced that the only spots left are tow away zones, but hang in there. Continue to focus on your goal, and reassure yourself of the importance that goal has to you. Eventually your persistence is going to pay off, after all “Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.” (Dale Carnegie)

Posted by Becky Molly

Rêveurs du Canada: Kara Zakrzewski, athlète de volley-ball de plage

La plupart des gens, quand ils pensent à du sable, pensent à se détendre sur une plage ensoleillée. Pour Kara Zakrzewski cependant, le sable n’est pas un endroit pour se relaxer. Pour elle, le sable est la fondation sur laquelle ses rêves olympiques sont construits.

Zakrzewski, qui habite à Mississauga, a commencé à jouer au volley-ball de plage en 1997, pour maintenir sa forme physique pour le volleyball intérieur. Rapidement, elle est tombée en amour avec le volley-ball de plage. En particulier, elle dit qu’elle aimait « l’athlétisme de jouer à chaque tour ».

En 2006, Zakrzewski gagne le Championnat canadien de volley-ball de plage, une de ses plus grandes réalisations professionnelles. Depuis, elle travaille fort pour se qualifier pour les Jeux olympiques d’été de 2012.

Réaliser ses rêves est important pour Zakrzewski. Depuis les huit dernières années, elle fait des présentations de motivation avec l’Équipe Esteem. Elle inspire les jeunes à la suivre sa philosophie Dream Bigg: « Croyez; Inspirez-vous-même; Identifiez un objectif; et Allez-y! » Zakrzewski est d’avis que lorsque vous suivez ces principes, « vous pouvez réussir à quoi que ce soit dans la vie. »

Malheureusement, le financement présente un obstacle énorme à la réalisation des rêves - que ce soit dans les sports, la musique, ou à l’école - pour beaucoup de ces jeunes. Zakrzewksi le sait trop bien. Il y a beaucoup des coûts associés au fait d’être une athlète, pour l’entraînement, les compétitions et les voyages. Zakrzewski a donc essayé d’obtenir 12 000$ en douze jours en décembre dernier pour appuyer ses rêves olympiques en 2012. Avec l’appui de ses amis, de sa famille, de sa communauté, et des sociétés commanditaires, elle a recueilli 10 000$.

Bien que Zakrzewski regrette que la collecte de fonds prenne du temps qu’elle pourrait passer en entraînement, elle aime passer du temps à inspirer les jeunes. « Si je peux parler à l’enfant qui deviendra le prochain premier ministre, c’est bien plus important que d’aller aux Jeux olympiques», explique-t-elle. Comme le rêve de chaque athlète est de participer aux Jeux olympiques, cette philosophie en dit beaucoup sur la différence que Zakrzewski fait au Canada.

Pour en savoir plus sur Kara Zakrzewski et son programme Dream Bigg, veuillez visitez son site web.

Connaissez-vous un canadien ou une canadienne avec un grand rêve? Nommez-le ou la pour notre prochain profil Rêveurs du Canada. Envoyez un email à Ranita à rmanocha (arrobase) alumni (point) uwo (point) ca.

Partagé par Ranita Manocha

Canadian Dreamers: Kara Zakrzewski, Beach Volleyball Player

When most people think about sand, they think about lazing around on a sunny beach. For 30-year-old Mississauga native Kara Zakrzewski, however, sand is no place for slacking off. It’s the stuff Olympic dreams are built on.

Zakrzewski first started playing beach volleyball in 1997, as a way to stay in shape for indoor volleyball. She quickly fell in love with playing on the sand, however; particularly, she recalls, with the “athleticism demanded from being involved in every play.” The fact that diving for the ball was a little less painful also made the decision easier.

In 2006, Zakrzewski won the Canadian Beach Volleyball National Championship, one of her biggest professional accomplishments. Since then, she has been working hard towards qualifying for the 2012 London Olympics.

Chasing dreams is important to Zakrzewski. As an eight-year motivational speaker with the Esteem Team, she spends a lot of time inspiring youth to follow her Dream Bigg philosophy: “Believe; Inspire yourself; Goal set; and Go for it!” Zakrzewski believes that when you follow these basic fundamentals, “you can succeed at anything in life!”

Unfortunately, finances present a huge barrier to achieving dreams – whether in sports, music, or school – for many of these youth. Zakrzewksi knows this firsthand. There are significant costs associated with being a competitive athlete, such as coaching, training, competing, and travelling. Thus in order to support her 2012 Olympic dreams, Zakrzewski attempted to raise $12 000 in 12 days last December. With the support of friends, family, community, and corporate sponsors, Zakrzewski raised an incredible $10 000.

Although Zakrzewski regrets that raising money takes time away from training, she loves spending time inspiring youth. “If I can talk to the kid who becomes the next prime minister, that’s far bigger than going to the Olympics,” she explains. When every athlete’s dream is to compete at the Olympics, that says a lot about the difference Zakrzewski is making in Canada.

To learn more about Kara Zakrzewski and the Dream Bigg program, visit Kara’s website.

Know a Canadian with a big dream? Nominate him or her for our next Canadian Dreamer profile by contacting Ranita at rmanocha (at) alumni (dot) uwo (dot) ca.

Posted by Ranita Manocha

Attending ACTIVATE: my perseverance paid off

I was walking into Law class, discussing the ACTIVATE application with a friend of mine. As I sat down a girl behind me was curious to know what we were talking about. I explained to her what it was about, and she said that she was going to go home and apply that night. I didn’t dwell on it too much at the time and continued on with my day.

A few weeks later, she came up to me and said that her references were contacted. I was a little taken back because I knew mine hadn’t been contacted. A few days after that she excitedly came up to me at school and said she was accepted for the conference! Soon she was in the town newspaper and was getting a lot of attention due to this amazing accomplishment. I was so disappointed. I started wondering if I hadn’t told her about the conference, would I have been the Port Alberni girl they picked instead?

I remember the day she came back from the conference. My first question was, “what are you going to do for your ACTIVATE in Action plan!?” She didn’t seem as excited as I was. I didn’t understand! All I wanted was an opportunity to learn more, and I didn’t get that. It was so frustrating to see everyone take my chance away from me. Or, so I thought. I continued on with my life, went to university, and made a name for myself at Dalhousie University.

One day I was checking my email and noticed an email from ACTIVATE. It was encouraging me to apply for the 2009 conference. The disappointment that I felt from getting “rejected” definitely came back, but an emotion far stronger took over. Passion. Drive. Motivation. An urge to promote physical activity in the lives of youth. I spent my day on the application and clicked “Submit”. Although I didn’t know if I was going to get accepted, I knew I couldn’t give up. The ACTIVATE conference promotes the idea of pursuing dreams and overcoming adversity to do so, and I was doing just that.

And it paid off.

On a freezing day in Halifax, Nova Scotia I opened my email to see “Congratulations, you have been selected for the ACTIVATE 2009 Conference.”

Don’t give up on your dreams. If you want something bad enough, it’s worth fighting for. I may have not have been chosen the first time around, but I can tell you, it was well worth the wait.

Posted by Becky Molly

Becky was a delegate at the ACTIVATE 2009 National Youth Leadership Conference and was selected as a volunteer for the ACTIVATE 2010 conference.

On December 29, 2009, 20 members of the Motivate Canada family participated in the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay in Midland, Ontario. They had a great time! The team flew in from all over Canada and was sponsored by Coca Cola through the SOGO Active program.
Find out more about SOGO Active!