Issue link: https://takingitglobal.uberflip.com/i/1477966
92 # R I S I N G Y O U T H C O M M U N I T Y I M P A C T V O L . 2 Alumni COMMUNITY Q 4 2 0 19 -2 0 Launched the #RisingYouth Podcast First youth made webinar Q1 2 02 0 -21 Start of alumni-led events Q2 2 02 0 -21 Began recording video capsules Hired first alumni event coordinators Hosted Voices by #RisingYouth: A listening party Q3 2 02 0 -21 Start of drop-ins Launch of the Alumni Hub Hired first part-time contracted alumni as community animators Ethical storytelling collab T hroughout the past 5 years, we have welcomed over 7,000 youth to the #RisingYouth alumni community. This group is filled with passionate people, who all share the collective vision of building a better future. Everyday we are in awe witnessing the incredible projects and leadership of the youth we work with so we've made it our mission to help Alumni fulfill their vision to be changemakers, even beyond their grant project. We do this by providing them with continued support and resources to help build their skills, confidence and leadership abilities, by showcasing them as "experts" and creating spaces for them to be fully recognized, and by offering employment opportunities and networks. To date, we have engaged over 650 alumni and have given over $70,000 directly to youth, either as honorarium or as funding to help support their involvement. Youth have been involved in storytelling, leadership, and skills development opportunities. For storytelling, we offer a variety of communications efforts, such as the Alumni newsletter, #RisingYouth Instagram, blog posts, podcast, video capsules, and zines. For leadership opportunities, youth had the chance for Alumni to bring the grants into their communities through various alumni-led outreach events. They also acted as youth mentors to help with application writing, project support, and report writing. This led to over 450 alumni referred applications! Seeing the demonstrated brilliance and diverse knowledge of our Alumni community brought us to contracting youth to create skills-based webinars, consulting over 100 youth to give feedback on their experience and to share insights on new projects and working with over 75 youth to represent the program as speakers during events. We also host networking nights and Alumni meet ups to help build and develop their networks. Finally, whenever possible, we hire from our alumni pool for various opportunities. We hired podcast and video capsule hosts, event coordinators and hosts, outreach activators, online community animators, communication coordinators, graphic designers, facilitators, consultants, and more! The beauty of the #RisingYouth grant goes beyond youth completing a one-time project. These grants are meant to help people develop their changemaking skills and realize that they can make a genuine impact. By nurturing the Alumni community, we wanted to demonstrate that #RisingYouth can continue to be a support network and a place where youth can grow. Our alumni become the legacy of this program and developing sustainable and cyclical alumni engagement opportunities was a way for us to embody the "for youth, by youth" motto that we love and live by. Khayla, Vivian, Ghita and Steve #RisingYouth Alumni Team