MISSISSAUGA – Earlier this year we took you on a tour of a new space in Peel Region that is offering media opportunities to youth who are interested in things like podcasting and photography but may not have the resources to pursue those interests. Lead to Change has a new facility in Mississauga that provides state-of-the-art equipment, mentorship, and a space for Black youth between the ages of 18 and 24 to learn, grow, and create.
Well, Lead to Change is proud to announce that they have opened applications for their first round of participants!
Applications are now open!
Applications are open for youth between 18 and 27. There are several different programs for those interested in everything from photography to clothing design. Different streams offered by Lead to Change include:
- Podcasting
- Audio Recording & Engineering
- Photography & Videography
- Garment Design
We may be a little biased, but the space gives off major college vibes. With different studios for broadcasting, podcasting, photography, and more, aspiring media moguls can grow their craft. Meantime, those interested in clothing design can look forward to screen printing, embroidering, and more.
When we toured the facility, the team behind Lead to Change explained what inspired them to create this program and open this space.
They wanted to focus on youth in the suburbs. Founders Nicole and Carl are cousins who grew up in Peel, and know firsthand how young people are often forgotten about when it comes to community programming in suburbia.
“It’s looked at like a place in the suburbs so they figure ‘you know what these kids are okay, they don’t really need that intensive programming.’ But we both know that there is Black youth here that need these programs,” Carl explained.
Carl said that after speaking with youth and community leaders, they found that many kids in the region were interested in media, but did not have access to leadership or equipment to pursue it.
The program also includes mental health support for youth involved in their programming.
“There’s also an opportunity for them to gain access to our mental health supports through our Black therapist collective,” Nicole explained.
“A big thing that really defines us in our mental health work is self-care. Everyone is always talking about ‘oh self-care is taking a bubble bath, self-care is doing your nails’ but for us, in the Black community, I feel we don’t have the luxury of self-care to be just about us. Self-care is really about community care,” Nicole explained, adding that it’s also about those who came before us, and tapping into the power of our ancestors, and our next generation.
Applying can be done in a few simple steps! Once you’ve gathered some of your work to submit with your application, you can get started here.
The program begins in September 2022!
