Building One Village a youth at a time

By: Tamara Shephard, Etobicoke Guardian

TAMARA SHEPHARD

Justin Di Ciano can hear Marshall McLuhan's "global village" ringing in his ears.

McLuhan's inspiration compelled Di Ciano to conceive One Village Care Initiative to connect south Etobicoke communities, and later others, to the PACT Urban Peace Program.

The charity - which stands for Participation, Acknowledgement, Commitment and Transformation - offers life-skills programs for youth at-risk, youth in conflict with the law and neighbourhood youth to "ignite a passion" that could lead to higher education and employment opportunities.

One Village's website, onevillagecare.com, offers youth inspiring news articles on people overcoming adversity to achieve success, complete with YouTube videos and a kind-o-meter to share kind experiences and measure community spirit.

"It's a think tank opportunity," Di Ciano said of the website. "We're trying to build a movement of social change, engage youth and change attitudes. We want people to become 'villagers' to explore and discuss what are the issues and what are the solutions?"

At-risk youth, poverty and environmental sustainability are among the issues in south Etobicoke to be explored.

Through One Village, Di Ciano plans to galvanize the local social, political and business communities to volunteer with, and fundraise for, PACT programs and issues facing at-risk youth.

A south Etobicoke resident, and owner and operator of GTA-based businesses in the automotive, medical and real estate sectors, Di Ciano kick-started One Village with the launch of PACTBuild woodworking and construction program.

Every Saturday, 10 young men descend on a 2,000-sq.ft. shop space in a Portland Street industrial building in Mimico. There, as music plays and pizza arrives for lunch, youth gain woodworking instruction.

Local business leaders donated the shop space and woodworking tools.

"It's fantastic," said mentor Don Brillinger, a retired auto mechanic whose father taught him carpentry as a boy. "Many of the boys say, 'I don't know a thing.' You hand him a tool and he's at it."

Over six weeks, youth build a custom eight-by-eight shed, storage for PACT's urban gardens at numerous Toronto schools.

Birdhouses and bird feeders also get built, to help replace the bird habitat in Colonel Samuel Smith Park destroyed by vandals.

"It's a blank slate thing. Many of them have never held a hammer before," said Rich Siebert, PACTBuild's program coordinator and instructor. "Justin's enthusiasm helps the kids get into it. Some are really disappointed to see it end."

This month, some PACTBuild youth return to mentor other youth.

'Farm in the Village,' PACT's newest agricultural program, will plow and plant a 20,000-sq.ft. community garden at Dundas Street West and Acorn Avenue near Six Points.

With the help of six schools, the garden is expected to produce as much as 10,000 pounds of fresh produce for local families.

Another garden is planned for Lakeshore Collegiate, Di Ciano said.

"Etobicoke is a wonderful, wonderful place," he said. "When I look at Lakeshore, it's not going to take much, in my belief, to make people come together and build positive change."

Social entrepreneurship is the future of PACT's program delivery, said its volunteer president.

"As a charity, PACT thrives on engaging social entrepreneurs such as Justin," David Lockett said in a statement. "Society cannot rely on government alone. It must encourage business leaders to help strengthen the social infrastructure by engaging their passion, dedication, expertise and business networks."

PACT offers life skills and community service programs in woodworking, urban agriculture, reforestation, cooking, film, music, fashion and magic.

February 17, 2010