Building Indigenous Youth Leadership

For more than two decades, we’ve been honoured to walk alongside the Urban Native Youth Association, supporting their work to empower Indigenous youth and create brighter futures grounded in culture, connection and community leadership. This year, we have expanded our relationship with UNYA through a new three-year grant that will fund a Community Impact and Engagement Fellow position. This role will help build capacity at UNYA and positively impact the lives of the many Indigenous youth in their programs.

UNYA’s leadership team envisioned this fellowship as a bridge between day-to-day frontline work and long-term organizational growth. With so many youth accessing their wraparound supports, from health and wellness programs to education and housing, the organization recognized the need to strengthen its internal infrastructure, especially in the areas of fund development, evaluation, and community engagement.  Who better to help UNYA realize that vision than a trusted ally and long-time partner like Central City Foundation? With support from Central City Foundation, UNYA has just completed their hiring process and offered the role to a young Indigenous professional.

Over the next few years, UNYA is planning a bold and exciting next chapter, the development of a purpose-built Indigenous youth centre on the site of their current facility in East Vancouver. This new building will serve as a culturally safe, youth-driven space where Indigenous young people can access programs, mentorship and connection in one central hub. This vision has the potential to transform how urban Indigenous youth are supported in our city, and we’re thrilled to be part of helping lay the groundwork.

The Community Impact and Engagement Fellow will contribute directly to this vision by strengthening the UNYA’s capacity in strategic communications, impact measurement, and fund development. The Fellow will rotate through all four of UNYA’s departments – housing & transition, health & wellness, community connection, and education & skill training – gaining valuable mentorship and professional development grounded in UNYA’s philosophy of care, including Two-Eyed Seeing and person-centered practice.

The Fellow will also receive training through The New School of Fundraising, an Indigenous -owned and led fundraising school and another one of Central City Foundation’s partners. These experiences will not only strengthen UNYA’s internal systems but also nurture the next generation of Indigenous fundraisers and leaders in the non-profit sector.

This partnership demonstrates what it means for Central City Foundation to invest in community-led change. Rather than prescribing solutions, we listen to what our partners need to thrive – and because of generous donors, we’re able to respond with flexible, muti-year funding that supports not just organizations, but the people at the heart of them. 

This kind of long-term relationship building is at the heart of Central City Foundation’s approach. We are deeply grateful to our donor community for making this investment possible. Your support allows us to respond to emerging needs, foster innovation and walk alongside organizations like UNYA as they grow and deepen their impact. Together, we’re helping to create a future where Indigenous youth are not just supported, they are leading the way. 

To learn more about UNYA and the incredible work they do, visit unya.bc.ca