On May 26th, 2009, MT Space, along with the KW Multicultural Centre and the Centre For Community Based Research, held a rehearsal at St. Mary’s High School. This rehearsal offered students and teachers the opportunity to critique and provide constructive feedback on the actors’ performance and the play’s themes and ideas. In addition, students were able to use this time to reflect on their personal experiences and relate to the struggles portrayed throughout the play. The project team then traveled to Forest Heights Collegiate Institute on May 28th with a similar plan of action that provided additional feedback and contributions towards the play. Overall, these rehearsals were very well received and stimulated a great amount of discussion between the project team, teachers and students concerning newcomer youth volunteerism. These worthwhile occasions generated valuable feedback that were used to revise the play making it even more effective and relevant for newcomer youth volunteerism and helping to shape the final performance of “Volunteering Eh!”. |
On April 30th, 2008 the Ontario Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, the Honourable Michael Chan and his Ministry staff, met with a group of newcomer youth in Waterloo Region at the Kitchener-Waterloo Multicultural Centre to discuss the barriers, gaps, challenges and experiences of volunteerism with newcomer youth. This event provided an excellent opportunity for youth leaders and the Ministry to gain more perspective and insight into newcomer youth volunteerism as well as to raise awareness and understanding of the issue |
