News Release                              For Immediate Release

                                                                                                                         July 13, 2009

Help Support Owen Sound Youth Friendly Community Award

The Owen Sound Youth Coalition (OSYC) would like to see the City of Owen Sound recognized as a Youth Friendly community. The coalition is applying through the Playworks: Youth Friendly Community Recognition Program for a Youth Friendly Community Award. The Program recognizes communities that are meeting the needs of their adolescent youth (ages 13 - 19) through access to a diversity of 'play' opportunities. Play being anything a young person does in his/her free time including sport, recreation, drama, dance, music, the arts, volunteerism, leadership development, service leadership and/or civic engagement.  

OSYC are local youth working with community partners to build assets for and promote the healthy development of our community’s youth. For over a year, the coalition has been working with community partners to promote positive youth development in the community and offer opportunities for play, to develop leadership skills and provide volunteer opportunities.

The coalition would like to ensure all organizations, service clubs, businesses, etc. that support and offer opportunities for youth are represented in the application process. Does your group or organization run a program for youth or hold youth events in the City of Owen Sound? If so, we want to hear from you.

For more information on Playworks and the 2009 Youth Friendly Community Recognition Program, visit www.playworkspartnership.ca.

If you or your organization has any information to support the Playworks application, please contact Lisa Prowd at the Grey Bruce Health Unit 519-376-9420 ext 1437 or osyc@live.com.

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For more information:

Lisa Prowd, Public Health Nurse

Grey Bruce Health Unit

Owen Sound Youth Coalition

519-376-9420 or 1-800-263-3456 ext. 1437

osyc@live.com