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Katimavik coming to Lethbridge |
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Written by Caroline Zentner LETHBRIDGE HERALD
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Monday, 06 July 2009 |
Katimavik is coming to Lethbridge later this summer.
“It is a go for sure,” said Marie-Maude Hamelin, Katimavik spokesperson. “We are confirming work partners.”
Katimavik, a youth volunteer service program, has 100 projects in communities across Canada. Groups of 11 volunteers, young people aged 17 to 21, from all regions of Canada come to a community to do service work in six or nine-month programs. Participants must have a medical check, criminal record clearance and be a Canadian citizen or landed immigrant. They live in a house leased and paid for by Katimavik. A trained Katimavik project leader lives with the group to make sure the program is followed and behavioural standards are met.
The Lethbridge project has an environmental and healthy lifestyle theme. Volunteers spend 35 hours a week during regular business hours volunteering with community partners. They also may contribute extra time by volunteering at festivals, events, fundraisers and other community initiatives that have an environmental or healthy lifestyle focus. Volunteers also take part in educational workshops.
Katimavik representatives were in Lethbridge earlier this year to meet with community agencies and find a house in a central location and large enough to accommodate the volunteers.
The project will be evaluated close to the end of the year and may be continued for further years. Typically, Katimavik stays in a community for three or four years.
Katimavik, a not-for-profit organization, is funded through Canadian Heritage and private-sector sponsors. This year 1,360 youth will participate. The Lethbridge project will host six different groups of volunteers in the 2009-2010 program year with the first group arriving Sept 2.
More information about Katimavik for potential applicants or community partners is available online at www.katimavik.org or by calling the Calgary regional office at 1-403-693-3090, extension 101.
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