ProsperUs is pleased to introduce newly elected Youth Chair members to the Youth Community Action Network (Y-CAN).
The Y-CAN formed in July 2020. There are 18 youth members on the Y-CAN from 15-27 years of age from across three neighbourhoods, including Downtown Windsor, West Windsor, and Leamington. The Y-CAN will be addressing solutions to help students be more successful with grade 3 literacy and grade 6 math. There are three youth chairs, one from each neighbourhood. All youth members have just completed Human Centred Design training to get ready for their work as solution designers in the new year.
Sanah Al-Haddad – Downtown Youth Chair
Meet our Downtown Windsor Y-CAN Chair, Sanah! Sanah is 18 years old and is currently in her first year at St. Clair College, where she studies Business Administration and Accounting. She’s passionate about advocating for the youth voices in her community and hopes to give back as much as she can to the community that gave so much to her family. As the Youth Chair of Downtown Windsor, Sanah is looking forward to creating solutions to the barriers that youth the Downtown community face daily. She enjoys painting in her spare time and is very passionate about the environment.
Keren Bernal – West Windsor Y-CAN Chair
Meet our West Windsor Y-CAN Chair, Keren! Keren is 24 years old and is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Education at the University of Windsor. She’s interested in becoming an active member of her community, where she can work with like-minded people who are passionate about finding solutions that work for everyone in the community. As Youth Chair of West Windsor, Keren hopes to learn about new resources and techniques to help those in need. In her spare time, she enjoys hanging out with her dog, Chloe.
Ryan Ciliska – Leamington Y-CAN Chair
Meet our Leamington Y-CAN Chair, Ryan! Ryan is 16 years old and is a Grade 11 student at Leamington District Secondary School. As Youth Chair of Leamington, Ryan wants to make a difference in his community and expand his knowledge of the issues that exist in Leamington. He also hopes to expand his communication and leadership skills and meet new people in his community. Ryan also has a great memory! In his spare time, he likes to learn about the history of everything and really enjoys turtles.
Youth Mentor Chair- Tammy Drazilov from Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare will be working with the Y-CAN to conduct meetings. All the Y-CAN group members will provide valuable insights into the development of community solutions that will ultimately provide more opportunities for youth in our community. This is the team that will be leading the way.