Students, teachers, and non profits in the Okanagan could get a $10,000 grant this fall. Reel Youth, a media empowerment project that delivers community development programming to youth and adults across Canada, and TELUS STORYHIVE have joined forces, offering 10 grants to schools, teachers and organizations that work with youth. The grant program, called Youth Community Stories, aims to inspire youth (14-24 yrs old) in the Okanagan to create their own films about digital citizenship. Projects about digital citizenship should focus on how technology and social media can create impact with topics like anti-bullying, health and inclusion. Each successful team can spend the $10,000 grant toward production funding, training or mentorship. Successful teams will also be registered for filmmaking workshops as part of their grants.
“This is a huge opportunity for schools and non-profits in the Okanagan region. It’s a simple application process and we’re giving away ten $10,000 grants. There isn’t a lot of film production funding available for schools and social service organizations to engage youth in the media arts and this program fills a much needed gap,” says Mark Vonesch, Director at REEL YOUTH. “Young people usually only dream about having a budget to make a film. Most film funding is for more established artists. Not only are we providing funding, but successful applicants will also get mentorship from start to finish as they complete their film.”
Over the past 15 years, Reel Youth has produced 2,000+ films seen by millions of people. Over 5,000 young people have participated in their programs in BC and across Canada, as well in Vietnam, India, Morocco, USA, and Nepal. “The Youth Community Stories program is an amazing opportunity for teachers and students to learn together and gain fun, relevant, creative skills in filmmaking provided by expert filmmakers from Reel Youth,” says Elfred Matining, Manager, Training and Education at STORYHIVE. The program, he notes, is a great way for first-time filmmakers to gain experience and training.
Details about the program and the simple application form can be found here: https://www.storyhive.com/youth