YouthWrite Society Canada

YouthWrite Society Canada is a Canadian nonprofit and charitable arts organization dedicated to creative arts and creative writing for youth. Established in 1996, the organization seeks to foster critical and creative thinking among young participants while encouraging global and environmental awareness. It emphasizes writing as a powerful means for social change and personal expression.

History and Background

YouthWrite was founded by coordinator and creator Gail Sidonie Sobat. Its first location was the Bennett Centre in Edmonton, Alberta. Over the years, YouthWrite expanded its offerings to include a weekend winter camp known as Winter WordPlay and a two-week immersive camp held at Kamp Kiwanis near Bragg Creek, Alberta.

Mission and Activities

The organization's core theme is WordPlay—an innovative integration of playing with writing. YouthWrite offers multidisciplinary workshops designed to be meaningful and engaging, addressing various learning styles. The organization prides itself on inclusivity and being attentive to participants' backgrounds and experiences.

Impact

• Over the past decade, more than 1,100 youth have participated as "YouthWriters."
• In 2023 alone, 103 Canadian artists were hired as instructors.
• Since its inception, YouthWrite has provided over 540 scholarships to support young writers.
• It has become known for fostering a supportive and creative environment, humorously noting that approximately one million pencils have been chewed during its programs.

Legal and Organizational Status

YouthWrite Society Canada is registered as a charitable organization under Canadian law, with the business registration number 812464717RR0001. It is classified under the charitable category of Advancement of Education, specifically supporting schools and educational development.

Location

The organization is based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, from where it coordinates its national programming.

YouthWrite Society Canada continues to be a vital platform for nurturing young writers and artists, promoting creative literacy and empowerment through innovative educational programming.

[1] https://youthwrite.com [2] https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/youthwrite-society-canada/ [3] https://youthwrite.com/about-youthwrite [4] https://www.charitydata.ca/charity/youthwrite-society-canada/812464717RR0001/ [5] https://mycharityfund.ca/charity/46216/youthwrite-society-canada