Bedouin Soundclash at Venue – Benefit Concert for Broadway Youth Resource Centre
Given that I live in Mount Pleasant and that I am so involved with causes of homelessness and youth, I thought that this would be very fitting for my blog. I found out that Virgin Mobile Canada, through Virgin Unite (their charitable arm), are raising awareness and thus are holding a concert with Bedouin Soundclash from where proceeds will be donated to the Broadway Youth Resource Centre (which is located on Broadway and Fraser on Mount Pleasant). I really like Bedouin Soundclash, and it is indeed a fact that this kind of benefit concert is totally up my alley.
Right now, 65,000 Canadian youth don’t have a place to call home. That’s the same as the population of Saint John, New Brunswick. In partnership with Virgin Unite, we’re on a mission to raise awareness of an epidemic of youth homelessness in Canada. Over 65,000 young people endure homelessness in this country every year. We’re working on new programs that will create opportunities for our community to inspire real change for these young people, and that’s where we need your help. We want to make November 17th National Youth Homelessness Awareness Day to show the government that we need lasting solutions and not temporary band-aids
Proceeds from the show will support Virgin Unite partner Broadway Youth Resource Centre. Located in Vancouver, Broadway Youth Resource Centre is an integrated one-stop centre that provides a wide range of social, health, education, employment and life skills services to homeless and at-risk youth between the ages of 12 and 24.
Tickets for the Bedouin Soundclash show on December 1, 2011 are $25 each (plus applicable service charges) and will be available for purchase online at Ticket Web starting at 10:00 a.m. PST on October 21, 2011. Concertgoers must be 19+ and doors will open at 8:00 p.m. PST. Whether or not they can make it to the show, Canadians can support Virgin Unite by texting REGEN to 30333 from their mobile phone to donate $5 for at-risk and homeless youth programs in Canada.
And because I love my readers and Virgin Mobile Canada is being so kind, I have a pair of tickets to give away to the concert. I will hold the giveaway for about a week, drawing winners on November 4th, 2011 at 2pm. so you should enter FAST. And if you don’t win, you can always buy tickets as indicated above, at Ticket Web.
To enter, write on the comments something that you would think could help at-risk homeless youth in Canada (or worldwide). As I often tell my Public Policy students, no suggestion is too crazy. To gain an additional entry feel free to post the following on your Twitter stream:
Commented on youth homelessness on @hummingbird604 ‘s blog http://is.gd/Xtx0CD 2 enter 2 win tix 2 @bedouinsndclsh via @virginmobilecan
I will draw a random winner from all entries up to November 4th, 2011 at 2pm. And remember, with the weather being this cold, please consider buying a warm beverage to someone who might not be as lucky as you to have a roof above their heads.
Related posts:
- FOR THE PEOPLE: A Benefit Concert for the Children of Randy Ponzio
- Choreographing Change: The Dance Transition Resource Centre Fundraiser (Dec 1st, 2011)
- 65 Red Roses Benefit Concert (win tickets)
- The @5days_Vancouver campaign for homeless/at risk youth
- Bedouin Soundclash Play Free Concert to Support InSite
Better education about resources available to youth at risk would definitely help them make the right decision.
Electing politicians who support mental health, social justice and education programs is one step towards providing better support for homeless youth and, more importantly, making sure that they don’t become homeless to begin with. I know I’ll be considering that in the upcoming civic elections.
I think the most important aspect of solving the problem of homelessness and youth is healing damaged family relationships, which is a difficult problem to tackle in a measureable way. If I were homeless, I’m sure that the thing I would want most is the feeling that someone cares, whether it was a support worker or a member of my own family.
Social programs need to be available to all youth, that could enable them to educate, be healthy, and work their way back up off the streets. Band-aid solutions never work for very long – the programs need to fundamentally change the outlook of these kids to realize what they can achieve in a positive manner
I don’[t have the solution, but addictions can be part of a complex of reasons that homelessness can occur in youth. There have to be better ways to treat and prevent addictions. Education, openness, discussion -all these are necessary to begin to address this problem.
Educating youths about help and resources available to them, such as the Covenant House of Vancouver!
Might seem simplistic, but more age appropriate detox beds! I’ve heard so many stories firsthand about people being turned away in the DTES told they weren’t their targeted client base and should look elsewhere! Seems regardless of your view on drug & alchohol abuse *everyone* acknowloedges the need for people with dependancy issues a place to get sober, and this is especially true for young people. Problem is it’s awfully expensive to keep empty beds open, but that’s the price society really needs to manage the times of high demand (perhaps during times of economic hardship?).
Programs that focus on helping youth find their true potential.
Complete revamping of the provincial government’s Ministry of Child and Family Development and continuted prioritization of social services for marginalized people and families.
Also, having youth engagement. Use youth to conceptualize and implement programs for themselves. Self-empowerment!
I agree with Liz, I think we can start by electing politicians who support mental health, social justice and education programs – lets make this a consideration in the upcomin civic elections.
UPDATE – THE WINNER IS PANAMA JACK – CONGRATULATIONS!
Doing things for a cause is very inspiring especially when the beneficiaries are our youth. I do believe that if we help our teens today to keep them away from influences that can destroy their future will benefit the society in the future because they can do a lot of things in the favor of improvements.