Beyond the Neighbourhood: GGYC Leaders Explore the Labs at York University
January 21, 2026
In a special collaboration with Connected Minds, youth from our Leaders-in-Training program visited York University to see what research looks like in practice, who it involves, and how it connects to real lives and real communities.
Detailed York U Connected Minds News Story: Opening the Lab Doors: Why Community Belongs in Research
The day started at 9:00 am when the school bus arrived at Valley Park Middle School.
Andrew Castillo, EDI and Community Outreach Specialist at Connected Minds, guided us to the welcome room.
The event began with students receiving custom name tags and stickers, followed by a light morning snack.
Throughout the day, students heard directly from five faculty members and a support team of PhD candidates and research assistants.
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Detailed York U Connected Minds News Story: Opening the Lab Doors: Why Community Belongs in Research
The day concluded at 4 pm, followed by a school bus ride back to Valley Park Middle School.
I was born and raised in Toronto and have spent my whole life in Flemingdon Park, and my family is Chinese-Vietnamese. My dad immigrated to Canada in the late 70s and was considered one of the boat people who fled the Vietnam War, and my mom migrated in the early 90s.
Through this collaboration, we were able to successfully distribute free YNAB licenses and financial literacy resources to the youth we work with, empowering them with a powerful tool for financial planning. We extend our sincere gratitude to YNAB for giving back to our community!
Go Green Youth Centre is pleased to announce the appointment of Abeir Liton as its Director, Philanthropy & Impact, effective immediately. Abeir’s background spans strategic planning, communications, organizational development, and technology. His journey started with GGYC when he was a student at Valley Park MS.
Go Green Youth Centre’s ‘Details of a Dandelion’ wins Overall Emerald Award, with ‘Huddled in a Flower’ also a 2025 Bondar Challenge winner. We would like to thank Sophia, Michelle, and Sumaya for leading the Bondar Challenge during our 2025 Summer Sports and Education Camp.
We are proud to share that Go Green Youth Centre has been selected as one of 51 charities and nonprofits across Canada to join the very first cohort of the Canada Life Capacity Building Program. This transformative capacity building initiative is designed to help elevate organizational excellence in five key areas.
We are proud to announce that GGYC has been selected as one of the 25 recipients of the 2025 Toronto Community Champion Awards, chosen from over 250 submissions. Congratulations to all the recipients and nominated organizations! Together, we are building a healthier, more inclusive city for everyone who calls Toronto home.
We are thrilled to announce that Go For It Youth Organization has received a Community Board Grant from TELUS Friendly Future Foundation for $20,000 to support a free, youth-led computer coding program for youth in Flemingdon Park, Thorncliffe Park, and surrounding communities.
"As a proud former student of Valley Park Middle School, I’m honoured and humbled to now be in a position to give back to the community that helped shape me. I understand the challenges many our youth face, and I’m committed to continuing the work and making a positive difference." – Michael Ma
My family immigrated to Canada from South Asia when I was 8 years old for a better life. Try to imagine a first generation child trying to fit into a new and unfamiliar reality as his parents go through the same experience. It’s really hard when you’re in a different country.
More than 125 youth from Flemingdon Park and Thorncliffe Park participated in this special day.
