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Empowering youth in the world of philanthropy

Dozens of high students in leadership classes, school clubs and more participate in the Vital Youth Program each year. Designed to engage youth with philanthropy, the Victoria Foundation partners with local schools to deliver the program.

Established in 2003, the Victoria Foundation is excited to celebrate the 23rd year of this program.

Icon, student

800 students have
participated in the
program

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Over 368 grants
have been awarded

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150 local charitable
organizations have
received grants

Icon, dollar sign shining

Over $448,082 in
funding has been
distributed

How the program works

  1. Using Victoria’s Vital Signs Report, the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action as tools, students learn about issues impacting our community. Through these lenses, they explore how their values intersect with community issues and philanthropy.

  2. Student committees then decide which cause area(s) they would like to support before researching local charitable organizations working within those areas.

  3. Student committees are then allocated $4,000 to recommend for funding to a charitable organization of their choice in our region. To celebrate the foundation’s 90th year, we are allocating an additional one-time $1000, increasing the total available to grant this year to $5000.

$500 is invested in the school’s permanent endowment fund held at the Victoria Foundation. As this investment grows, it continues to generate interest for future granting.

Importance of youth philanthropy

The Vital Youth program shifts power to youth by placing funding recommendations into their hands. Participants make informed decisions about which charities to support and are also encouraged to think critically about the responsibility of granting. With support from foundation staff, youth step into leadership roles and drive their own experiences with philanthropy. Our hope is for the program to inspire youth to support their communities throughout their lives.

The founding of Vital Youth

Launched in 2003, the Vital Youth Program was modelled after a similar program at the Winnipeg Foundation. Originally named ‘Students Who Care: Youth in Philanthropy’, it was designed to engage students in philanthropy and to inspire curiosity about our community. The first three high schools to participate in the program were Belmont Secondary School, Victoria High School and Oak Bay High School.

Participating schools

Belmont Secondary School
    Claremont Secondary School
      Esquimalt High School
        Frances Kelsey Secondary School
          Glenlyon Norfolk School
            Oak Bay High School
              Parkland Secondary School
                Pearson College UWC
                  Reynolds Secondary School
                    St. Michael’s University School
                      Stelly’s Secondary School
                        Victoria High School
                          * Lambrick Park Secondary School

                            Donors make it possible

                            The Millennium Fund, established by the Victoria Foundation’s Honorary Governors, supports the Vital Youth program. They developed the ‘adopt a school’ approach in the early days of the program which helped increase the number of participating schools.

                            The Vital Youth program would not be possible without the support of the Honorary Governors and our donors. We are grateful for their generosity.

                            • Honorary Governors’ Millennium Fund, which includes personal contributions from many Honorary Governors
                            • Various donors who contributed to the Vital Youth Program Fund
                            • Sara Neely
                            • Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Knights Hospitaller