Pinoy Casey Community Inc (PCCI) officially launched a pilot initiative, the Junior PCCI Catalyst Award in April.
It is a program tailored for 10 to 15-year-old to nurture civic-mindedness, cultural awareness, and leadership prowess among the youth, particularly within Casey’s growing multicultural community. Junior Catalysts refer to enthusiastic young participants.
The program is focused on four key streams: community immersion and volunteering, green living and sustainability, physical and mental well-being activities, and cultural and indigenous awareness.
The self-paced and non-competitive program runs for six months from April to October 2024. Participants will aim to achieve at least one hour a week for five weeks across each key stream.
An orientation session on April 21 featured the first volunteer experience for the participants where they assembled hygiene packs filled with travel-sized toiletries and treats for the homeless and disadvantaged.
The teamwork created 51 blessing bags, made possible through generous donations from various individuals and organisations.
The program coordinator Rachelle Orodio emphasised the profound impact such initiatives had on the youth, fostering camaraderie, personal growth, and a sense of achievement, especially for migrant families with growing kids and teens, that drove her to make the program a success.
“Most kids these days have extracurricular activities already, from weekly sports sessions to going to fairs and festivals with the family. So why not document these activities, volunteer, gain more friends, learn from experts, have fun, and gain an award at the end of it?” she said
A series of free information sessions are also lined up during the year, which are open to the public to attend.
Please check the PCCI’s Facebook page for more details:
• 11 May, 10am-1pm – Empowering Teens for a Sustainable Future
• 25 May, 1pm-4pm – Healing through Eating (All ages)
• 15 June, 1pm-4pm – Empowering Teens: Strategies for Cultivating Physical & Mental Health
• 27 July, 1pm-4pm – Empowering Teens: Navigating the Digital World Safely
With this pilot project, PCCI endeavours to gather valuable feedback, envisioning its evolution into an annual youth leadership program open to a broader community, empowering future generations to lead with compassion and purpose.
