Seeds of Hope in Bloom: Eco-Influencers
With the help of a Seeds of Hope grant, Camp Cosmos is encouraging youth leaders in a way that really resonates!
Thanks to support from the United Church of Canada Foundation, Camp Cosmos re-energized their Youth Leadership program with their Eco Influencers Pilot Project. Along with their usual skill building activities and responsibilities, youth volunteers participated in a summer-long project planning, creating, and publishing environmentally focused educational content for our social media pages. Through this project, youth volunteers explored their creative side, learned the importance of social media literacy and safety, and worked collaboratively to share eco-friendly practices
and inspire positive environmental action.
Seven Youth Leadership Volunteers, ages 13–17, successfully planned, designed, and delivered original social media infographics focused on environmental awareness and sustainability. These materials addressed topics like pollinator education, step-by-step recycling and upcycling crafts, and reflective documentation of garden visits within Camp Cosmos’ Environmental Program.
When they weren’t engaged in the Eco-Influencers project, our youth leaders provided translation, mentorship, and guidance to campers, helped counselors with daily tasks, and assisted in organizing our end-of-summer Spirit Week activities.
A Diverse Community in Thunder Bay
In the short term, they anticipate that youth participants will continue to apply the skills they developed. Campers and families will benefit from ongoing engagement with the youth-created environmental content, increasing awareness of sustainability and conservation topics.
Over the long term, this project will strengthen Camp Cosmos’ Environmental and Youth Leadership Programs by embedding youth-led environmental education and digital engagement as core components. The project also established lasting community partnerships with Jardin pour Tous, AB Compost Concordia, McGill’s Morgan Arboretum and Mac Market, and McGill UV and Me, creating opportunities for ongoing collaboration and enhanced environmental programming in future summers
Plant Your Own Seeds of Hope… and Watch Them Bloom!
The United Church of Canada Foundation offers a variety of grant opportunities for organizations and individuals to bring life to the mission and values of the United Church. The Seeds of Hope granting program awards approximately one million dollars every year is support of innovative United Church projects. Our spring granting round is open now! How will a funding boost from Seeds of Hope help your project take flight? Learn more and apply now: unitedchurchfoundation.ca/grants/seeds-of-hope.
We are always available if you need help completing your application. Should you have any questions, please email us at grants@united-church.ca.
Grants from the Foundation, representing the generosity of many United Church people, help make this work possible! To make a financial gift to support this good work, please click here. Thank you!
