Dare to be Youth in the spotlight at first BPAC Pay it Forward event

The Burlington Performing Arts Centre (BPAC) held its first ever 5 to 7 Pay it Forward session, a monthly after-work initiative that brings together local businesses and charities. 

Approximately 50 attendees turned out yesterday (Sept. 20) to network and listen to a brief presentation by representatives from Dare To Be Youth. 

“We’re so grateful to have community partners like BPAC,” Shannon Tobin, founder and CEO of Dare To Be Youth, says. “We’re very intentional about building these relationships. We know community is everything, and it takes a community to create massive change.”

Dare To Be Youth empowers young people between ages 14 and 24 in Halton and Hamilton, teaching them life skills and successful habits, and aids them in achieving their goals. The group offers peer-to-peer support for youth where some of the older members mentor the younger members. 

On Wednesday night, two members of Dare To Be Youth spoke to the crowd at BPAC. Sheridan Avavey was one of the speakers and was part of the RBC Launch Program, which places youth leaders with local charities. 

“I always wanted to do something in event coordination, and my manager found Dare To Be Youth,” Avavey says. “It is local to me, and we run the Youth Inspire Community Day.”

The Youth Inspire Community Day is on November 5 at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre for high school students to listen to keynote speakers and participate in workshops that connect and inspire young people. 

BPAC itself is a not-for-profit organization, though many people think it is a municipal venue. The performing arts centre staff understands it has a space in the community that can be used for more than concerts and shows. 

“I really wanted to come up with a monthly series where I can support my friends and the non-profit community, while also introducing them to the local business community,” Tammy Fox, executive director of BPAC, says. “Now, moving forward each month, we’ll have one of our sponsors host a not-for-profit organization of their choosing to be a presenter at a 5 to 7 Pay it Forward.”

As part of the first program to be selected for the event, Tobin saw that the charity is working, getting in front of people and making a difference in youth’s lives. 

“I’m so proud we have our young leaders presenting here tonight, to me that is a symbol of our success,” Tobin says. “Public speaking is not easy, and I’ve done a lot of it. But it’s time for me to get off the stage and encourage them to do it.”

The next BPAC 5 to 7 Pay it Forward is set for Oct 18, in support of Reach Out Centre for Kids, a youth mental health service in Burlington.