To connect everyday, real-life experiences of youth with social progression through multi-media.

We're a group of young activists and organizations representing/servicing youth from across the Greater Toronto Area. Project YouthTube is our collective effort to addressing important community issues that youth faces – straight from youth living in the reality – and help build effective solutions.

Project YouthTube was co-founded by a group of young activists following the 2006 Toronto Municipal Election. We have since identified the following on-going challenges in emerging youth organizing:

1.) Limited resources for youth mobilization/advocacy;

2.) Lack of equal space in older and more established networks of community organizing;

3.) A general lack of collaboration and follow-up; and

4.) The continuing exclusion of youths in electoral politics.

Our mission is to build an online "Digital Storyteller" – which captures, documents and shares everyday real-life experiences and stories from youths and the people affecting them. By using multi-media tools, we aim to:

a.) Empower direct participants in knowing their stories are being seen/heard/read;

b.) Provide opportunities for viewers to comment, network and organize; and

c.) Develop an online social network

"What do youth want?" "Why don't youth vote?"

We often hear politicians, media and general public ask these two questions about youth – but rarely are these questions being asked to young people. Without a direct answer, many conclude that 'youths are just not interested' in politics or social issues.

However, we have met and spoken to many knowledgeable and analytical young people who would prove the stereotype to be wrong. So why don't they do anything about it? Our hypothesis is that young people are interested in matters affecting their world but lack the opportunities to develop leadership. It's not easy to save the world while the rest of the population thinks of you as the problem.

But this is just our view.

Through this project, we aim to provide a space for young people to tell us who they are and what key issues are affecting their daily lives. Our online moderators will help make the connection between the issues and politics, as well as provide suggestions on how they can take action. This could include: giving contacts, "how to" workshops, chasing after politicians for answers, or any other ways of raising the youth voice.

At the same time, we will be collecting responses from political influencers/decision-makers and showcasing them on our web site. The viewers will act as watchdogs and hold politicians accountable for their promises to youths.

We hope this project will change mindsets and build youth political economy.