D A Y N E P I L G R I MP I L G R I M ’ S P R O G R E S S I N C

YOUTH LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

The Youth Leadership Development Program is funded by Ontario Trillium Foundation and mentored by FYI (For Youth Initiative).

As the largest granting foundation in Canada, Ontario Trillium Foundation has invested in the Youth Leadership Development Program to make change that matters to communities. With their support the program has a greater opportunity to enhance the services it provides and impact more youth in Toronto.

Mentored by For Youth Initiative, Dayne Pilgrim has placed the Youth Leadership Development Program in a unique position to enhance the practical skills youth need to adapt and succeed in the professional world and different social environments.

MISSION

PURPOSE

To develop personal leadership skills in an interpersonal environment.

Set the foundation for personal leadership, growth and success in people.

Understanding

Commitment

Integrity

Respect

Faith & Belief

The Person

The Task

The Mission

Purpose of the Program

Understand others before requiring others to understand you

Don’t quit when faced with challenges

Be truthful, even when no one is around or when the result seems undesirable

Treat others with kindness and patience

Believe what you set in motion will be fulfilled

Always put the value of a person over the value of a thing, thought, and action. The person is responsible for creating and therefore, can sustain them or destroy them. Put the person first.

Focus on the current task. Divided focus leads to sub-par results.

When all other pieces are done well the mission will be complete. As long as regular reflection is made on what the mission is.

Set the foundation for personal leadership, growth and success in people.

PROGRAM PRINCIPLES

VALUES

PRIORITIES

LEADERSHIPDEVELOPMENT

Facilitator

Program Objectives

Youth League

Physical Component

Dayne Pilgrim

There are two main objectives of the Leadership Development League.

1. To provide a basketball league for youth ages 13-18 at no cost to them. The recreational activity will encourage physical activity and teamwork. (Youth League)

2. To enable positive mental growth by delivering an understanding of self-influence, through support from professionals such as Police Officers, Fire Fighters, and Emergency Medical Services employees, who will help guide youth in learning how to fulfill their goals. (Leadership Development Program)

The league is composed of youth ages 13-18 from different communities across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Games are held twice a week at HoopDome, Toronto’s Premier basketball only facility. Games are held twice a week for a total of eight (8) weeks, including two weeks of playoffs. Each team is composed of 8-12 players and at least one team coach. At least two Scorekeepers, two Statistics Recorders and four referees are assigned to each game to provide a professional level game experience for the all eight weeks of the league.

The game schedule is as follows:

Week 1

Week 2

League Schedule

Time Court 1 Court 2

4:15 1 vs. 2 3 vs. 4

5:15 5 vs. 6 7 vs. 8

6:15 9 vs. 10 10 vs. 11

Time Court 1 Court 2

4:15 1 vs. 3 4 vs. 2

5:15 5 vs. 7 8 vs. 6

6:15 10 vs. 11 9 vs. 12

Time Court 1 Court 2

4:15 1 vs. 11 2 vs. 3

5:15 4 vs. 5 6 vs. 7

6:15 8 vs. 9 10 vs. 12

Time Court 1 Court 2

4:15 1 vs. 6 2 vs. 11

5:15 4 vs. 7 3 vs. 10

6:15 5 vs. 9 8 vs. 12

Week 3 Time Court 1 Court 2

4:15 1 vs. 10 2 vs. 9

5:15 3 vs. 11 4 vs. 6

6:15 5 vs. 8 7 vs. 8

Time Court 1 Court 2

4:15 1 vs. 9 2 vs. 10

5:15 4 vs. 8 3 vs. 7

6:15 5 vs. 11 6 vs. 12

Week 5

Week 4

Week 6

League Schedule cont.

Time Court 1 Court 2

4:15 1 vs. 5 2 vs. 7

5:15 8 vs. 10 6 vs. 9

6:15 4 vs. 11 3 vs. 12

Time Court 1 Court 2

4:15 1 vs. 4 6 vs. 2

5:15 3 vs. 9 7 vs. 10

6:15 9 vs. 11 6 vs. 12

Time Court 1 Court 2

4:15 7 vs. 9 2 vs. 5

5:15 3 vs. 6 8 vs. 11

6:15 4 vs. 10 1 vs. 12

Time Court 1 Court 2

4:15 1 vs. 8 7 vs. 11

5:15 3 vs. 5 6 vs. 10

6:15 4 vs. 9 12 vs. 2

Time Court 1 Court 2

4:15 1 vs. 7 2 vs. 8

5:15 3 vs. 9 5 vs. 10

6:15 6 vs. 11 3 vs. 4

LEADERSHIPDEVELOPMENT

Week 7

Week 8

Playoffs

Time Court 1 Court 2

4:15 1st Place vs. 12th Place 2nd Place vs. 11th Place

5:15 3rd Place vs. 10th Place 4th Place vs. 9th Place

6:15 5th Place vs. 8th Place 6th Place vs. 7th Place

Time Court 1

6:30 Game 2 Winner vs. Game 6 Winner

Time Court 1

6:30 Finals

Time Court 1 Court 2

6:30Game 1 Winner

vs. Game 3 Winner

Game 2 Winner vs.

Game 4 Winner

7:30 Game 5 Winner vs. Game 6 Winner

Mental Component During the eight operational weeks of the youth league, youth participate in the leadership development program. The program is held during weeks one (1), three (3), five (5) and seven (7) of the league. This provides youth the opportunity to network with professionals from various fields in a relaxed social setting and learn how to apply the following tools for success:

A set of guidelines used to make decisions. The guidelines are principles to live by,which can be applied to many areas of life and will influence behavior, allowing anindividual to adapt to changes in their life responsibly.

Knowing the difference between a dream and goal and how one forms a goal using objectives.

Roles define who you are in the world (i.e. brother, son, father, or friend). Youth willlearn how one applies values to their roles and set goals through objectives to beeffective in each role.

Develop a mission statement that will outline and summarize the outcome expectedthrough regular practice of values, goals and priorities.

1. Values

2. Dreams, Goals, and Objectives

3. Roles and Priorities

4. Mission Statement

LEADERSHIPDEVELOPMENT

Why This Program Is Needed

What Makes This Program Different?

Who Will Be Participating

This program encourages youth to pursue their goals and gives tools that help them achieve their goals. The YLDP provide youth with needed support to help them understand and develop themselves. Through the program they are given the knowledge needed to establish a solid foundation professionally and socially while adding personal value and self worth. With a sense of worth and confidence planted firm in the acknowledgement of who they are and how to assess individual effectiveness youth are able to transform themselves on purpose rather than react to their changing environment. This program teaches youth how to take responsibility for their state of mind and gives them the tools to change it through awareness and sound principles.

What sets this program apart from other programs in the GTA is its purpose. The purpose of this program is to assist youth in forming a foundation on which their personal and professional conduct should stem, by developing knowledge of their own personal core values. Other programs encourage physical activity through sports, then teach participants how to reproduce that same program for future use. This program teaches participants about the tools that can be used to create, improve or work with any other type of program, event, service, business and/or person – it allows them the flexibility to carve their own path.

The YLDP is also comprised of many communities across the GTA with youth being pulled from different geographical areas and demographics. This program bridges gaps in generation, geography, demographics and gender as all are welcome.

Youth ages 13-18 and professional such as Fire Fighters, Police Officers, Emergency Medical Service employee, Athletes, Entrepreneurs, Teachers, etc...

Program Marketing

Events

Marketing is done through events, social media, radio, and community organizations.

The run is promoted through social media, community supporters and organizations. The ultra-marathon is an awareness campaign aimed to increase support from the public and private sector.

This is a fundraising effort that will gain support of the community. Promotion will be done on line through social media and emails and canvassing through communities.

My network on social media includes Forbes #1 ranked for social Media influence, the President of the largest personal branding conference in North America, who I know personally and I have access to their followers along with my own. I have access to several million people on social media in Toronto and globally.

Local public services are in support of the program already and will be prompted to commit staff and resources to the program, as it aligns with their community efforts. Targets are in the Metro region in Scarborough, North York and the downtown core.

A string of events involving healthy competition between high school students, Toronto Association of Basketball Officials (TABO), Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) and emergency service workers (Fire, Police and EMS).

Ultra Marathon

Car Wash

Social Media

Canvassing

Basketball Exhibition

PROGRAMMARKETING

Expected Outcomes

Program Success Evaluation

What resources are needed to run the program?

• Participants will build a network and develop skills that will empower them to create opportunities for themselves and others.

• Jobs and volunteer opportunities will be created, along with positive relationships that foster growth and development.

Evaluation of the Leadership Development program will be based on the participants understanding of the Leadership Development/Mental Component Objectives. Participants must understand:

• How to live a lifestyle based on a value system

• How to establish goals, objectives and priorities that are based on their values

• How to write a mission statement

• How to write and apply an effective action plan

• How to evaluate their journey and success

• Teaching facility with the capacity to hold 150 people – 120 Students, 12 Mentors, 5 Staff Members, 12 Coaches and an occasional visit from funders.

• Two regulation high school basketball courts, two days per week for eight (8) weeks

• Two Score Keepers and two Statistics Recorders per day

• Four Referees per day

• Uniforms for players

• Food for weeks one (1), three (3), five (5) and seven (7), when the Leadership Development Program will be held.

YOUTH LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM EVALUATION REPORT

Overview The Youth Leadership Development Program (YLDP) established a free and high-quality youth basketball league in the summer of 2016. Evaluation of the program is based primarily on youth participant’s pre- and post- survey results.

Twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays, youth participants would play basketball with designated teams and coaches at the HoopDome facility located in Downsview Park. A central component of the YLDP program was to deliver free, accessible, and premier basketball program.

Program Objectives:

1. 1. To provide a basketball league for youth ages 13-18 at no cost. The recreational activity will encourage physical activity and teamwork building skills.

2. To enable positive mental growth by delivering an understanding of self-influence, through support from professionals such as Police Officers, Fire Fighters, and Emergency Medical Services employees, who will help guide youth in learning how to fulfill their goals.

The league was composed of youth ages 13-18 from different communities across the Lawrence Heights Area of Toronto. Each team was composed of 8-12 players with at least one team coach. At least two Scorekeepers, two Statistics Recorders, and four Professional Referees were assigned to each game to provide a qualified level game experience throughout the eight weeks of the league

EVALUATIONREPORT

Key Findings There was a statistically significant change in pre-and post- survey scores on the Linkert Scale. The effect size indicates a moderate change (i.e. improvement) in self-reported mental and physical well-being.

23 youth participants filled out the pre-questionnaire, and 11 youth completed the post-questionnaire (both had a survey sample over 20% of youth participants)*. Each session ranged of 80 participants.

*Attrition from post-questionnaires was mainly due to low interest from youth and difficulty in timing due to time constraints from games and coach. Those that did not complete a post-course questionnaire were not statistically different from the youth who completed the survey.

Frequency Report

• 10 coaching staff per day • 4-6 volunteers, per day• 80 participants per day

1 Post-Questionnaire Question 1 2 Post-Questionnaire Question 7 3 Pre- and Post-Questionnaire comparison 4 Post-Questionnaire Question 11 5 Post-Questionnaire Question 13

Majority of youth indicated they are participated in competitive sports outside of school

90% of youth stated they would enroll in the program again1

80% agree that the program helped developed their basketball skills 2

80% shown improvement in groups skills 3

80% saw an improvement in their self-esteem 4

90% felt the program helped them identify and achieve their goals 5

100% agreed the coaches provided strong mentorship

Demographics Average age: 13-14

Gender: Male

Ethnicity: 86% identified as Black, 10 % identified as Asian, 4% identified as mixed

Youth heard about the program from: Word of mouth/friends, Instagram, Facebook, Flyer

25% of participants identified as a newcomer (arrived in Canada last 10 years)

40% of participants identified as living in the M6A area code of Toronto

Participants comments about recreational programs

Youth put age, location, and cost as the three biggest causes preventing from accessing recreational programs 6

Comments from Participants

“Filming the games so youth can get more exposure”

“Matching players with slightly better skill level or with older youth in order to improve skills”

*Due to the short nature of the program youth felt two surveys within a short-time was burden

6 Pre-Questionnaire Question 9

EVALUATIONREPORT

Methodology • Establish a baseline to measure progress before and after taking part in the program; which will help gauge the performance of the participants.

• Identify participant’s skills, behaviors, and attitudes before the program begins to compare this with the same traits after the program

Learning outcomes/indicators:

• Physical Component: Provide physical activity through sports that youth may not have otherwise access to base on their financial situations or skill level.

• Mental Component: Connect with role models so young people can be empowered with appropriate support, network and mentorship

• Participation in physical activities assist in the development of a healthier body by increasing brain power and mental development while reducing stress and toxins in the body.

• We believe physically, and mentally healthy youth will be able to create a positive impact in the community.

• Learning goal of the project is to discover how physical activity with mentors/roles can contribute to the positive development of youth who experience social and economic barriers to recreational programs.

• Learning points: Engaging youth as partners in the evaluation process, sitting down with youth and explaining the importance of the evaluation process, how it helps improve program experience.

CONCLUSION

EVALUATIONREPORT

Physically active youth are better prepared to learn, grow, and build skills they need to succeed as adults7. The evaluation report provides lessons in some of the main advantages of recreational activities. Supporting physical and mental health through recreational activities enhances the academic success and employment outcomes of youth8. The youth had access to high-quality coaching, referees, and facilities at no cost. In comparison with pre- and post- survey results, youth participant’s had a strong positive mental and physical impact. The program was successful in promoting positive health at no cost, which youth have indicated a barrier in accessing recreational activities9.

7 Government of Ontario. (2014). Stepping Up: A Strategic Framework to Help Ontario’s Youth. 8 Social Planning Toronto (2016). Newcomer youth access to recreation in Toronto: Relationships, resources, and relevance. 9 Social Planning Toronto (2016)