Who is Free The Children (FTC)?

Free The Children is the world's largest network of children helping children through education. It was founded by Craig Kielburger along with a group of 12-year-olds who dreamed of changing the world. Since then, Free The Children has grown into a youth movement that spans the globe. Today, through the voices and actions of youth, Free The Children has built more than 500 schools in developing countries around the world, providing quality primary education to more than 50,000 students every day.

Free The Children has a proven track record of success. Awards and accomplishments include:

• More than one million youth involved in Free The Children's innovative education and development programs in 45 countries
• Recipient of the World's Children's Prize for the Rights of the Child (also known as the Children's Nobel Prize), Human Rights Award from the United Nations/World Association of Non-Government Organizations, Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship
• Featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN, 60 Minutes and The Today Show
• Profiled in publications including People, Time and The Economist

Visit www.freethechildren.com/whiteknight to learn more.

Issue

Poverty and violence are on the rise in Toronto, especially among underserved populations. Free The Children's latest leadership initiative targets the youth of these communities and is based on Free The Children's successful programs around the world. This leadership development program is designed to empower underserved and marginalized youth. For only $6,500 per school, youth are provided the opportunity to learn the leadership and skills required to become positive leaders in their own communities

This program has been piloted in schools in the United States as well as one remarkable school in Toronto, Monarch Park. The results include:

• Decreased levels of violence
• Decreased destructive behaviour
• Decreased school suspensions and disciplinary issues
• Increased student self-confidence
• Increased school participation
• Increased community volunteerism

Solution

GO Local

GO Local will be offered to resource poor schools with high immigrant populations in our own backyards. Through the following four facets of the program, students will develop important leadership skills that will enable them to effect positive change in themselves, in their communities and beyond:

1. Motivational speaking tour
2. Leadership training workshops and educational resources
3. On-going mentorship and support from Free the Children
4. Social justice engagement through volunteerism and community based activities

Encouraging youth to volunteer and contribute to the development of their communities will not only improve safety in our local neighborhoods, but will also benefit the individual by reducing feelings of alienation from the community, which in turn translates into a lower high school drop-out rate and fewer instances of violent behaviour in schools.