FERGUS – It’s International Women’s Day on March 8 and to mark the day, The Grove youth hub is highlighting four young women and their contributions to the local community.
“Eager to amplify youth voices and create opportunities for growth, The Grove wants to shine a light on the shining stars behind its day-to-day operations,” the organization stated in a press release.
Cyndy Moffat Forsyth, director of The Grove, said she often hears from people her age lamenting the state of youth and wondering what will become of the next generation.
“I say, ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’ I see youth who are very intelligent and who are passionate about moving things forward and making the world better,” Moffat Forsyth said.
“With International Women’s Day, we want to highlight the outstanding women leaders who are coming through The Grove because they are awesome.”
Abby Graham
Abby Graham
Abby Graham is a student at Centre Wellington District High School and a member of the school’s student action committee, the group that organized a student unity march in November in response to acts of violence and transphobia at the school in October.
That experience got her thinking about hate and where it originates.
“It doesn’t come from the students themselves,” she told the Advertiser in an interview in January.
“It’s coming from parents or grandparents or caregivers. Young people are learning it from adults.”
And so she initiated the kindness campaign, asking individuals, businesses, community groups and especially community leaders, to pledge to be more kind and inclusive.
And with support from The Grove, her campaign is gaining traction with more than 700 people and organizations signed on.
Moffat Forsyth said Graham’s passion for fairness and equity is admirable and needs to be encouraged.
“Abby is taking a positive step to help us recover from the pandemic. And she recognizes this will have a beneficial ripple down effect for youth,” Moffat Forsyth said.
The pledge can be found at www.kindnesspledge.ca.
Alyx Roulston
Alyx Roulston
Alyx Roulston gained some local notoriety when she spoke at the grand opening of The Grove in Fergus last summer.
There she shared her story of crippling anxiety, being bullied at school and of an eating disorder that spiralled out of control.
“I think how much this space would have helped me,” she said at the opening.
“I could have had help; I could have had a specialist. And to be within walking distance – that’s game changing.
“I know a place like this has the potential to literally save lives.”
Now Roulston works at The Grove as a youth ambassador. She greets young people when they come in, remembers their names, what they last talked about, their interests and concerns and makes them feel welcome.
At 23, she’s older than most of the youth who frequent the space but still young enough not to be eyed with suspicion, as might happen with adults in this youth space.
She’s feeling confident and capable yet still can’t quite believe that she is now seen as a role model for youth.
“It gives me chills. Before the speech that day, I didn’t think that anybody would want to hear me. I can’t believe how much I have grown as a person,” she said.
“This job is the best thing I could have asked for.”
Nida Ansari
Nida Ansari
Nida Ansari is working on her undergraduate degree in psychology at the University of Guelph and did two co-op placements at The Grove.
In her first job placement she developed a peer-to-peer training program for youth ambassadors to help build healthy relationships and make The Grove a place where youth will want to come and engage.
In her second placement she trained the second cohort of youth ambassadors and because of the pandemic, created an online training program.
Ansari said the experience was empowering and eye-opening.
“It was amazing,” she said. “The program was led by youth – it’s part of their values to empower youth – and it was really nice to be part of that.”
And now, to be held up as a role model for youth?
“It’s intimidating and also humbling,” she said, adding her mother was a great role model who taught her the importance of education and of being kind to others.
“But Cyndy (Moffat Forsyth) has been a great role model too,” she added.
“She helped me to feel autonomous and gave me agency to say what I wanted to say and that was so vital to my confidence.
“It’s the way she leads. Cyndy wants to hear from youth. It’s not just a saying around here.”
Yumna Farooq
Yumna Farooq, who didn’t want her photo included, graduated from the University of Guelph and Humber College and connected with The Grove through two co-op placements.
She was hired as the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Indigenous coordinator and wrote an Equity, Diversity Inclusions and Indigenous Reconciliation framework, which forms the backbone of The Grove’s approach to all the people that enter its door.
For her second placement, Farooq was the volunteer coordinator and helped develop a program for adult volunteers.
Now she is the wellness coordinator at The Grove site that opened last month at the University of Guelph. The site is open to university students and youth who live in the area and it works on the same values and framework as the Fergus site.
“It’s very humbling, the thought of being a role model,” she said.
“Personally, I didn’t have anyone who looks like me recognized for their efforts. So to be that for others means a lot. Diversity is important.
“But The Grove is also committed to giving youth a voice. It’s not just a saying. They hold themselves to that promise.”
