Hello, Summer!
From the Malton Youth Hub: Jonathan Davis Centre Team
It has been three months since our last post, yet another one hundred days at the Malton Youth Hub: Jonathan Davis Centre (MYH: JDC). The MYH: JDC has been more lively and animated than ever, and we’re looking forward to a summer overflowing with programming and excellent opportunities.
Our last newsletter entry graced your screens just after March Break, which means we have a lot to cover, to say the least.
So, What’s Happened Since March?
We welcomed the month of April with a visit from Mississauga’s fourth poet laureate, Ayomide Bayowa, who ended his term representing the city with a youth poetry workshop at the MYH: JDC. The workshop taught youth some of the basics of writing poetry, and encouraged them to venture into their own inspirations and lives to create something that could be personally meaningful to them. Not to brag, but Malton is what Ayomide himself refers to as his “Bildungsroman neighborhood,” and was once the place where he wrote his award-winning poetry. The team at the MYH: JDC was honoured to have him return to Malton, and to have him mentor future generations of lyricists and poets. We would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to Ayomide for running such an excellent poetry workshop, and would like to also extend a congratulations to Andrea Josic, who will serve as Ayomide’s successor, the city’s fifth poet laureate, and Lisa Shen, who is the city’s youth poet laureate.
The Hub’s recording studio was, as usual, on fire during April, with dozens of artists having their songs recorded and mixed by our talented engineers, and up-and-coming artists learning to complete their electronic press kits (EPKs). EPKs are the gold standard in applying for music-related grants and negotiating record and song deals, and require artists to compile professional photos, a musical portfolio, and a biography, so they may approach grants and deals completely prepared. At the Hub, young artists can get advice from engineers, managers, and drop-in leaders to complete their biographies, compile professional photos, and create consistent branding for their music, in order to compile a final, professional EPK. The month of April was a great one for artistic ventures at the Hub, and saw many artists developing professionally with the guidance of MYH: JDC staff.
On the topic of the MYH: JDC’s state-of-the-art recording studio, April also saw an intense bracket on our Instagram story, where youth competed to name the studio’s recording booths. After two weeks of competing through polls, we ended up naming the booths…. drumroll please…… Rhythm n Blues!
Speaking of our Instagram, we’re hoping to reach one thousand followers soon… Are you following us?
If you do already follow our Instagram, you might’ve seen some posts about our new youth book club, which now meets after school, every other Wednesday, in the MYH: JDC’s multipurpose room. Our new book club is in collaboration with the Malton Library, whose efforts have made literature and reading increasingly accessible to the youth at the MYH: JDC, by providing guidance with reading lists and information about library cards. The book club meets to discuss their favourite genres and least favourite tropes, to rant about bad books and rave about great ones.
Not only does the book club allow youth to explore literature, but it allows them to tailor their experiences to their own interests and schedules. Rather than choosing one book and having a month to read it, the book club selects a new genre every two months, and members of the club can select any book in the genre, and as many as they’d like, to read and discuss with their peers at the club’s bi-weekly meetings. The book club offers vast ranges of literature and a flexible schedule to youth members in the club, and opens up a new world to many youth finding themselves at the MYH: JDC on the daily.
At the end of April, the MYH: JDC welcomed IDEA, a Mississauga-based organization that empowers youth entrepreneurs, and funds their summer business endeavours. We would like to thank them for visiting, and sharing information with our young business-minded youth about their summer business fund, which offers $3000 to young people interested in starting their own business. With the rate of youth innovation at the Hub, we’re going to need to launch our own version of Lion’s Den within a year to accommodate.
National Youth Weeks
The Hub said goodbye to April and welcomed May with Mississauga’s annual National Youth Week festivities. While National Youth Week was, unfortunately, no longer national this year, the City of Mississauga made sure to uphold their National Youth Week traditions with loads of different, city-wide opportunities for young people in the city. Not only did the city stay true to annual Youth Week traditions, but they made a big change that made the celebrations even better!
What’s better than one week filled with fun, celebration, and interesting workshops for Mississauga’s youth? Well, two of course! This year, Mississauga’s Youth Week was extended into two Youth Weeks, and Malton youth explored programming split between the Malton Community Centre and the MYH: JDC.
At the Hub, we celebrated Mississauga’s Youth Weeks with youth-run workshops, including watercolours, short story writing, and box-braiding; ping-pong and video game tournaments with very official brackets; and a final showcase of youth talent to end it all off. Not only did we enjoy celebrating the youth that populate and bring life to our spaces, but we had the pleasure of seeing a few of them step up into leadership positions, and teach their peers about their own hobbies and interests. The two Youth Weeks, taking up the last week of April and the first week of May, went off without a hitch, and the planned events saw dozens of young people showing up to learn new skills and show off their talents.
The final celebration, the youth talent showcase, was in partnership with the Missisauga Arts Council (MAC), who brought out some of their best performers to teach the crowd how to breakdance, and explored the world of Canadian hip-hop with the youth. After two weeks of practices and rehearsals, youth were able to showcase their dancing and singing to their peers, and we ended up with a wonderful show that highlighted different cultures and genres, and even featured music written and produced right here in the Hub. Thank you to Solar, Lynx Steppers, Twins, Jasmin, the McMaster Dance Crew, The South Asian Dance Group, SoDead, Selisia, Danish, and Sesame Street for their wonderful performances.
We’d also like to send a huge thank you to MAC for sending some of their most talented artists to join us, thank you to TESTAMENT, from the group PEACE, for extending his excellent hosting skills alongside the Hub’s very own Michael and Michael duo, and to 40ozheroestv, Creators at Play, Ground Illusionz b-boy dance crew, Mikey Bloom, J.O. Mairs + Killa Beatz, and IAMSAAM for their wonderful and interactive performances. It was lovely to see Mississauga’s up-and-coming talent alongside the city’s established artists, all sharing one stage.… By the way, did you know Mississauga has an anthem? We got to hear it performed live at our Youth Showcase, and we have to say, Mississauga talent really is really the best of the best.
Co-Op at the MYH: JDC
The end of May meant the wrapping up of cooperative education, or more commonly, co-op, for many local students at the Hub. We had four high school students, and one post-secondary student doing co-op at the hub this past semester. How was co-op at the Hub, you might ask? Well, our media team interviewed two students who spent the last semester working hard at the MYH: JDC, and here’s what they had to say:
Cristina is a student in the Community Social Services program at Guelph-Humber, and she conducted art therapy workshops with youth at the Hub. She sat down with our media team in June for a debrief about her co-op.
Interviewer: Briefly describe what your co-op at the JDC looked like.
Cristina: Within my program, we learn a lot about youth and their mental health, and certain techniques in terms of that, so coming here, I wanted to kind of use some of those skills that I learned in school and in practice here with the youth at Malton JDC. Here, I overlooked the youth, did a little bit of supervising, but, something I was really proud of doing here was actually incorporating art therapy in my supervision…we did two-three week watercolour art therapy kind of classes here, and it was very, very successful, and very fun, and a lot of the youth have really got a lot from it. That was something that, from my program, I kind of touched base on with my professors, how there’s alternative ways of therapy and how creativity can really help youth combat hard feelings and definitely expression in certain ways that sometimes speaking, and talking to people, and those types of therapies might not kind of hit close to home…I was very grateful to have the opportunity here to take that into practice with the youth at Malton JDC.
Interviewer: What are the specifics of how [co-op] related to your program?
Cristina: So, in my program, technically it’s like social work, so being a social worker, and that applies to a lot of things whether, it be like family social work, there is therapy, counselling to it, and…in schools, and there’s different branches of social work. Personally, I’ve always been interested in youth and their needs, and how we as adults, or as teachers can best meet their needs and where they’re at.
We learn a lot about aspects of what makes someone happy, sad, like emotions, and what we as social workers can do to best help our clients and what would that be based on where they are right now, in an unjudgmental way, like the most human way without like making them feel judged or discriminated, and just completely support them wherever they are. Working with youth has always been something that I’ve been interested in, because I really believe that youth are the future, and if we can help them at this age then they can lead the best lives, and be great people, and the chain goes on.
“I really believe that youth are the future, and if we can help them at this age then they can lead the best lives, and be great people, and the chain goes on.”
Cristina, student at Guelph-Humber
Interviewer: What do you plan on doing after you graduate?
Cristina: I’m still exploring a lot of options at this point, being that I’m going into my third year, but, I definitely already know I kind of want to work with youth and/or families. If I had to say my dream direction to go in in terms of my Community Social Services degree, it would be definitely working with youth in a [safe] environment, whether that be in schools or my own kind of facility. Definitely a dream of mine would be to kind of own a facility that would kind of tie-in creativity— whether that be art, music, poetry— and tie that in to how we can best like make youth feel heard, seen, and really encapsulate what it feels like to be young and have like all these emotions.
Cristina has been a member of the MYH: JDC’s youth board of directors since the team was first established, and found out that she would be able to do co-op at the Hub by speaking to Franz Thomas, the Hub’s director. As a Malton youth herself, her connection with the youth and her knowledge of therapeutic practices created a safe and understanding space for young people participating in her workshops, and we even went on to frame some of the art created by our young creatives.
If you’ve been at the Hub on a weekday the past few months, you’ve probably met Kesavaa, a student at the high school we share a building with, Lincoln Alexander. Kesavaa has been working hard in the studio every single day as part of his grade eleven co-op, and has become a bit of a prodigy at recording and audio engineering. Our media team had the opportunity to sit down with him as well to discuss his experience doing co-op in the MYH: JDC’s recording studio.
Interviewer: What has the focus of your co-op been?
Kesavaa: Learning how to make beats and production and beats.
Interviewer: What was the process at your school of beginning co-op at the Hub?
Kesavaa: One of my classmates suggested it for me, and I took the opportunity. I had to do safety checks, I had to do WHIMIS, and I had to learn the basic ground rules of co-op and being in the work force, and then [apply that to] my co-op experience.
Interviewer: In terms of first initiating co-op at the Hub, did you just let your co-op teacher know that you’d do it at the Hub? Did you tell the school what you were looking to do for co-op, and they sorted out where you could go?
Kesavaa: I had other destinations, to work at another music studio, but then that didn’t work out, so I got my placement here, as a backup for my music production. Usually it works by going to the teacher— the co-op teacher— and then he sorts it out for [us], and then [we] just interview and try getting the job, and write resumes and cover letters to try getting the job.
Interviewer: What did you learn during your co-op?
Kesavaa: I learned to be a music producer, an audio engineer, and learned how to make beats for different genres and different people and record them, and make music.
After our interview, Kesavaa mentioned that there is nothing he would have changed with his co-op, and that he learned new things each day, not only from our wonderful audio engineers, but also from his fellow youth. Kesavaa hopes to pursue a career in audio engineering, so keep an ear out for his name on the radio someday!
Are you interested in doing co-op at the Hub? Speak with the co-op teacher at your school, an academic advisor, or visit one of the following links to learn more about secondary school co-op in the area:
June at the MYH: JDC
June has been a very, very busy month at the Hub. With prom and graduation, we can feel the building buzzing with more and more excitement each day.
We had a weekend visit from McMaster’s Black in Engineering team, who led a diverse day of workshops focused on different types of engineering. McMaster’s Black in Engineering team created fun, interactive workshops targeted at youth who may see a future for themselves in engineering, and engaged both newcomers and daily visitors at the Hub. The workshop was not only a blast, but also taught youth about the different branches of engineering they may not have known about. Thank you to McMaster’s Black in Engineering team, we hope to see you again at the Hub very soon!
Our co-op students at the MYH: JDC had been talking about their prom months before the big day. We helped them make it a little less stressful by having a hair and makeup workshop the day before, and having a makeup artist come in the day of their prom to help them get ready for the festivities. We were even lucky enough that, when the time came to see their parents off, they decided to first stop by at the Hub to take their prom photos. Not only did they stun in their outfits, but we were so proud to see them off after witnessing their hard work first-hand over the past semester.
After hearing that their school was cancelling their Senior’s Day, the students took it upon themselves to ask if they could plan one at the MYH: JDC. The Hub’s Senior’s Day brought together students from both of Malton’s high schools for a day filled with good food, water fights, music, and games, all to celebrate their final month of school. The event was a hit… or should I say a splash? Nobody went home dry after our final Squid Games inspired game of Red Light, Green Light.
There is yet another, final big thing that happened in June, and it was pretty important not just to Malton, but the city of Mississauga as a whole. Our team at the MYH: JDC would like to congratulate our new Mayor Elect, Carolyn Parrish, who pioneered for the Malton Youth Hub: Jonathan Davis Centre since day one, and hopes to design more spaces like it in her term as mayor! We would also like to congratulate Ward 5 Councillor Elect Natalie Hart, who will now represent our ward in Mississauga’s city council.
Summer and Leadership Opportunities
As a youth, you might have popped in for an impromptu crochet lesson, or a workshop on how to make the next big radio hit, some of these lessons taught by your fellow youth, and others taught by the MYH: JDC’s talented arsenal of staff. This summer, we’d like to see you, our community’s youth, design and implement your own workshops to teach your peers about your own talent and skills. Would you be interested in teaching a course? Maybe coding or yoga? Painting or woodwork? Come up with a draft of a plan for your workshop, including any required supplies you might need, and speak to Franz Thomas, our MYH:JDC Community Development Coordinator, once it’s completed! We would love to see youth in leadership positions throughout the summer, teaching their peers what they know best.
Speaking of leadership positions, you may have heard that the MYH: JDC started out with a youth board of directors, who grew up in or attended high school in Malton. Well, the youth board is hoping to recruit local youth, specifically from Malton’s many middle schools, to join the board as a mentorship opportunity. We have heard amazing ideas from the younger members of the MYH: JDC time and time again, and this mentorship opportunity would ensure that their ideas are making it into the space, and that their interests are equally represented. Does this sound interesting to you? Email maltonhub@mississauga.ca to find out more about the opportunity, and how you can have a say in our board of youth directors!
Signing Off
Since our October soft-launch, the MYH: JDC has been a safe, accessible, and inclusive space for students and young people in Malton and beyond. Every single day our team gets to greet smiling faces and introduce young people in Malton to positive influences and new experiences, and we have been able to witness first-hand how the space has changed young lives for the better. To end off this quarter’s issue of the MYH: JDC newsletter, we would like to share a special note that was shared with Pat McNaughton, Facility Manager, and advocate of the MYH: JDC.
![Dear aunt Pat, Hello! I’m [redacted’s] girlfriend. I’m writing to say thank you for building this centre – not just for people like me (that have graduated highschool & still need a supportive, warm place), but also for high school students & youth. I remember my highschool classmates & the rest of my high school & this would be such a great place for them. I will be recommending this place to one of my professors who work w/ youth. I want to start a place like this for older adults someday & now I know that it’s more possible than I previously thought. Thank you. I want to say seeing how safe everybody feels here, and they’re being fed well by the kitchen. Thank you for building this place. W/ all my heart, [redacted].](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!OCtD!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F03514d51-f688-4ed4-9424-72a8e0585bf1_742x940.png "Dear aunt Pat, Hello! I’m [redacted’s] girlfriend. I’m writing to say thank you for building this centre – not just for people like me (that have graduated highschool & still need a supportive, warm place), but also for high school students & youth. I remember my highschool classmates & the rest of my high school & this would be such a great place for them. I will be recommending this place to one of my professors who work w/ youth. I want to start a place like this for older adults someday & now I know that it’s more possible than I previously thought. Thank you. I want to say seeing how safe everybody feels here, and they’re being fed well by the kitchen. Thank you for building this place. W/ all my heart, [redacted].")
Alternative Text:
Image One
For Ms. Pat,
From [redacted]
Image Two
Dear aunt Pat,
Hello! I’m [redacted’s] girlfriend.
I’m writing to say thank you for building this centre – not just for people like me (that have graduated highschool & still need a supportive, warm place), but also for high school students & youth.
I remember my highschool classmates & the rest of my high school & this would be such a great place for them. I will be recommending this place to one of my professors who work w/ youth. I want to start a place like this for older adults someday & now I know that it’s more possible than I previously thought.
Thank you.
I want to say seeing how safe everybody feels here, and they’re being fed well by the kitchen. Thank you for building this place.
- W/ all my heart, [redacted].
And, finally, here’s a wishlist from some of our most frequent visitors, for the fan-favourite PS5 game, Mortal Kombat 1:
We hope everyone has an excellent summer, and hope to see a busy Hub throughout the warmer months. As for our newsletter updates, we’ll see you back in September.
Want to hear from us directly in September? Subscribe to get our next newsletter directly in your inbox!
Until next time,
The MYH: JDC team