By youth and for youth is the motto behind the launch of the new Metro Vancouver Young Leaders Community Council, the brainchild of credit union giant Coast Capital Savings.
Comprised of a group of eight individuals, all under the age of 30, the council will decide how to allocate the annual seven per cent budgeted pre-tax Coast Capital income that is dedicated to grants for youth-oriented projects.
The inaugural Metro Vancouver council features three members from Richmond, one of them being Charles E. London Secondary and UBC graduate Corinna Chan. Currently an articling student working towards her Chartered Accountant designation at Coast Capital, she jumped at the chance to apply for the unique opportunity.
"I wanted to align myself with people who engaged in the community and who have a great pulse on what matters most," said Chan. "It gives us the ability to help and have a say in important investment decisions."
Her new council duties are not a far departure from some of her previous positions - Chan was a co-chairperson of the 2009 Zenith Global Citizenship Conference that was sponsored by Coast Capital, an annual initiative designed to build leadership and inspiration among young people.
She is also an alumna of the Leadership Richmond Youth Now program and sits on the board of the Richmond Museum Society.
"Being with Coast and having grown up as an active Richmond citizen, it's a very unique combination I hope to leverage to make the community a better place."
Last year, Coast Capital committed $4.99 million to community efforts.
"We had previously reviewed the applications using a staff committee," said Maureen Young, manager for community partnerships and investments at Coast Capital Savings, adding the people on the committee were involved in youth issues but many were older.
"We decided it makes huge sense to engage the folks that impacts the investments that we make."
Prior to the formation of the young leaders council, the grants were spread out among projects that not only focused on youth but the community in general.
But Young said the board decided it was a bit too diverse to make a meaningful impact.
A similar pilot council was launched on Vancouver Island in 2011, and its success led to the creation of the one in the Lower Mainland as well as one in the Fraser Valley region this month.
Out of the eight members of each council in the different regions, four are selected from Coast Capital's staff and the others are leaders within their communities.
Key qualifications include financial literacy, critical thinking skills, and experience in areas of family/society and health, said Young.
Members officially meet quarterly outside of work hours, but may choose to schedule their own informal gatherings as they see fit.
Each term on the council lasts for one calendar year from the beginning of January to the end of December, and members may apply to renew their positions for up to three consecutive years.
For information or to apply at maureen.young@ coastcapitalsavings.com.
