HCF funds the YOUth Create after-school program in the McQuesten neighbourhood. Its focus is on fitness, nutrition, health, well-being and the arts. Read about their activities in Canadian Cyclist magazine.

Grants

Great Grant Stories

Bringing together youth, community and creativity

A brainstorming session and a desire to collaborate on a community project led to the production of "Writing All Wrongs," a collection of songs and a video depicting the experiences and struggles for youth living in the McQuesten neighbourhood of east Hamilton.

The music project involved 17 teenagers from McQuesten who, under the supervision of the neighbourhood youth engagement leader, wrote the lyrics and produced and recorded "Writing all Wrongs."

The goal of the group was to create something that reflected the youth perspective in McQuesten through original music and dance. It also taught determination and teamwork and provided an outlet for creative expression to share with other young artists.

The results of their hard work were revealed at a celebration in August 2009, and the video was also shown at the McQuesten Block Party in September 2009, to rave reviews. The project was supported by Youth Engagement and Action in Hamilton (YEAH!) and also received funding from HCF's Youth-Led Community Action Projects.