Past Projects, Workshops, and Events

See a selection of past projects, workshops and events that the Guelph Youth Council (GYC) contributed to.

Large projects

Youth Week

• Youth Council helps plan programming for Guelph’s annual Youth Week in the months leading up to National Youth Week.
• • Youth Art Gallery at the West End Recreation Center (2024) and Youth Are Showcase hosted at Art Not Shame (2025)
  • A Nature Scavenger Hunt in collaboration with Enabling Garden (2024)All events and workshops run through Youth Week are free, with some past programming including:
  • A taco cooking competition in collaboration with The Grove Hub (2025)
  • A thrift switch in collaboration with Lutherwood
  • A 5k Run in partnership with ParkRun
  • A Nerf Games held at the Guelph Sports Dome

Music Works Stage Works—A Collaboration with the River Run Centre

• Music Works Stage Works is a showcase where local Guelph youth put on a two-night, professional show at the River Run Centre.
• The GYC collaborates with the River Run Centre to help organize, promote, and emcee this event. Members of the youth council are even trained and volunteer as a tech crew during the showcase.

Guelph Multicultural Festival

• The GYC teams up with local community groups to run the Youth and Children’s Tent at the Guelph and District Multicultural Festival.
• An activity for the Children’s tent included creating culture dolls with the Guelph Civic Museum in 2024.
• In 2025, The GYC partnered with the City of Guelph’s Community Engagement team at the festival, using a fun “Spin the Wheel” game to connect with youth and share info about the council in an engaging way

 

A collaboration with Good for Youth Guelph

The Guelph Youth Council partnered with Good For Youth Guelph to amplify youth voices and promote civic engagement across the city. Through leadership initiatives, community events, and advocacy efforts, the Council helped shape a more inclusive and youth-driven Guelph. Read more about the collaboration

Learn more about this project, here.

TEDxYouth@Guelph

• The Guelph Youth Council, with the guidance of the Youth Services Coordinator, organized, promoted, and executed a TEDx event in Guelph.
  

Free to Grow at Home Kits—A Collaboration with the Children Foundation (2021)

• The Children’s Foundation’s Free to Grow at Home kits initiative provides engaging toys, art supplies, games, and sports equipment—sourced from local organizations and businesses—to children and youth in Guelph to support them physically, creatively, and intellectually during the pandemic.
• The Youth Council provided support to this incredible initiative by giving feedback about the kits’ contents, contributing to the resource booklet included in the kits, and volunteering time to help pack the kits.
• Over 684 free kits were delivered to kids and youth in Guelph in 2021

Adopt a Family Program – With the Children’s Foundation

• The GYC sponsors a family-in-need every year through the Children’s Foundation’s Adopt a Family program to provide holiday meals and gifts

Advising

The GYC provides youth-specific feedback by advising city staff, city councilors, the mayor, and other high-profile decision-makers on programming, facilities, events, and policies. Some past facilities, policies, and programs that the GYC has played an advisory role in are:

• The Victoria Road Recreation Centre Renovation
• The new Central Guelph Public Library
• The new Transportation Master Plan
• The Children Foundation’s Free to Grow at Home Kits
• The Parks and Recreation Master Plan
• A new Youth Hub
• Youth Climate Action Fund
• Regarding City of Guelph Bylaws
• Many more

Workshops and presentations

The Youth Services Coordinator organizes for local guest speakers to attend meetings, run workshops, or give presentations. Some past workshops have included:

• Creating a resume
• Budgeting
• Youth gambling workshop
• Event Planning
• 2SLGTBQIA+ diversity and inclusion training
• Toastmasters public speaking workshop
• Many more