If you are between the ages of 16 and 29, and want to be included in our Day of Big Change round-up, then send your idea (using format above as a guide) to jenmcneely@shedoesthecity.comby Feb 23rd. We also encourage you to upload your Day of Big Change action plan on the Think Big/Start Small website. By uploading your inspiring action on the site, you and your planning group have the chance to win prizes.

What is this day all about? “It’s a day about young women who are demonstrating their interest and passion with issues in their own community and wanting to do something about it,” says YWCA CEO, Paulette Senior. What issue in your community do you care about? Choose a cause close to your heart and make an action plan for March 1st! (We’ve received some interesting ideas thus far that include everything from hosting a documentary film night to a body painting workshop on confidence and sexuality!) We can’t wait to showcase the diversity of causes that are important to you and the neat ways you are helping out your community.

Find a cause that you are passionate about and figure out a creative and meaningful way to get involved. And remember, this doesn’t need to be a daunting task! Think big and start small!

Shedoesthecity writers share their plan for March 1st

Name: Lisa Amerongen
Age: 26
Hometown: Fort McMurray, Alberta (I’ve moved on. To Toronto)
Cause close to her heart: Educating & Motivating Youth

Why she wants to help this cause: I believe that youth (boys and girls alike) should be involved in the discourse around women’s rights from an early age. Ideas and attitudes that propagate gender injustice are formed and reified early in life…the more we can help youth identify and challenge such attitudes, the better. 

Action plan for March 1st: Every Friday afternoon I volunteer with the St. Christopher’s House Parkdale Newcomer Youth Program. We have a screen printing group (Leadership Design Program) that creates custom Tshirt designs. I am going to speak with the youth there about creating designs and shirts for this cause and selling them at their school, with the profits going to a related charity of their choice.

Name: Haley Cullingham
Age: 26
Hometown: Toronto, now living in Montreal
Cause close to her heart: Women at risk 

Why she wants to help this cause: We still live in a world where woman are marginalized, often treated as objects or second class citizens. 

Action plan for March 1st: Secrets from Your Sister, my favourite lingerie store, collects gently used bras and donates them to Sistering, a women’s shelter. On March 1st, I’m going to donate some bras to help women who are bravely fighting for a better life. 

Name: Sara Harowitz
Age: 22
Hometown: Vancouver, but I currently live in Toronto
Cause close to her heart: Simply put: those who are less fortunate than me.

Why she wants to help this cause: I often find myself holding on to items of clothing that I only wear a few times a year, when I should really just give them away so that people who don’t have the luxury of buying things new can get use out of them.

Action plan for March 1st: I’m going to go through my closet and get rid of all the clothing I have but don’t need or wear anymore. Then I’m going to donate all of it to my local Goodwill. I’ve already got two girlfriends who are going to do the same thing and join me!

Name: Caitlyn Holroyd
Age: 25
Hometown: Bowmanville, now living in Toronto
Cause close to her heart: SickKids Foundation

Why she wants to help this cause: I was born with a cleft palate and have experienced the miracles The Hospital for Sick Children brings to children and their families firsthand.

Action plan for March 1st: I’m going to be donating what I can to the SickKids Foundation as well as encouraging my friends and followers on Twitter and Facebook to do the same.

Send your Day of Big Change idea (using format above as a guide) to jenmcneely@shedoesthecity.com by Feb 23rd. We also encourage you to upload your Day of Big Change action plan on the Think Big/Start Small website.  By uploading your inspiring action on the site, you and your planning group have the chance to win prizes.

From Nanaimo to St. John’s, let’s rally together and make this day a HUGE SUCCESS!

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