Children, Youth & FamiliesYouth in Philanthropy students share their visions for Winnipeg with Mayor Bowman.
What is your vision for the future of our city? Youth in Philanthropy (YiP) students set out to answer this question last fall, and they delivered their visions to Mayor Brian Bowman in mid-January.
The Foundation’s Youth in Philanthropy program exposes high school-aged young people to philanthropy and community development. On Jan. 15, YiP students from high schools across the city visited the Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG) where they heard from speakers including WAG CEO Stephen Borys, WAG Capital Campaign Executive Lila Goodspeed Everett, and Mayor Bowman, who offered words of encouragement and highlighted the importance of working towards reconciliation.
“We are grateful to have had the opportunity to partner with the Winnipeg Art Gallery on a dynamic event. For many of them, it was their first-time attending the WAG, but certainly not the last,” says The Foundation’s Youth Engagement Coordinator, Brigette DePape. “Youth had the chance to ask questions and share their visions for the future of Winnipeg.”
You can read one of those visions below.
My vision for Winnipeg
By Navjashan Brar, YiP participant
I want my city to make composting accessible. Overall, Winnipeg is working towards becoming a better city, but it is falling behind in the green initiative. Businesses have started providing compostable containers, but the city has failed to provide a place to compost them.
This past October, I walked all over downtown, hoping to find a place to compost my take-out container. I walked my way through the skywalks. Not a single of one of the facilities along the way had compost bins. The bins were either entirely non-existent or locked away in offices within the buildings. It was not until I arrived at the University of Winnipeg that I was able to compost my container.
I feel it is the responsibility of the City of Winnipeg to arrange for compost bins in public places. After talking to Mayor Brian Bowman at the YiP event, I realize household composting will take time and strategic planning, as well as a demand from Winnipeggers. In the meantime, the city needs to collaborate with businesses and public places to provide access to compost bins. However, that alone is not enough. In order to encourage composting, the city needs to start educating Winnipeggers about its importance and I believe that with time and effort, we will be able to take pride in Winnipeg.
This story is featured in the Spring 2019 issue of our Working Together magazine. Download or view the full issue on our Publications page.