30. November 2024
Youth Action Now 2024 Yannies

Pictured: Youth4Youth Canada member Akina Ohlman, YAN co-founder Julia Sneyd, and Youth4Youth Canada co-founders Taliah and Sarina Lyons
Once upon a time, before Kisac and before Youth4Youth Canada, there was the project that gave us our start. It was so successful that it made it necessary for us to create Y4Y Canada as the managing organization for funding and planning projects.
That project was (and still is) Talk Overdose — which evolved from a student project to an ongoing initiative. But back in the beginning, we received a microgrant from Youth Action Now. Founded in 2018 by late Member of Parliament and teacher, Paul Dewar, YAN has continued to fulfill Paul’s vision for an organization led by and for youth, since his passing.
In celebration of their 6th year anniversary on November 30th, 2024, YAN hosted a gala they described as “a red-carpet awards ceremony meets networking meets celebration event.” Fourteen awards were given to youth in the Ottawa region that were recipients of Youth Action Now’s microgrants over their history.
Talk Overdose won the Best Health Policy & Wellness award, and as long as we were there to receive an award, we decided to perform jigging and pow-wow.

Thank you Youth Action Now for funding us when we just needed a chance. Kisac and our umbrella organization Youth4Youth Canada now exist because people like you made support and success believable for us.