Youth-for-Youth (Y4Y) Innovation Program
About the Program
Are you interested in STEM, problem-solving and collaborative projects? Check out the Ontario Science Centre’s Youth-for-Youth (Y4Y) Summer Innovation Project, running throughout July and August 2024 for youth (entering grade 8 or 9) from the Flemingdon Park and Thorncliffe Park communities.
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the Ontario Science Centre as you learn about the diverse group of professionals who keep the Science Centre running. Meet and engage with scientists, exhibit fabrication staff (including carpenters, machinists and electricians), audio visual technicians, 2D and 3D designers, motion graphics animators, animal care experts, program developers and more.
Throughout the program, you will develop a Community Engineering Design Project as part of a team. You’ll explore the engineering design process from start to finish, from identifying a question to building a solution. With support from mentors, fellow participants and Science Centre staff, your team will develop a variety of STEM-based skills before presenting your solutions at a Community Showcase.
There is no cost for the program.
Three sessions will take place this summer:
- Session 1: Monday, July 8–Friday, July 19, 2024
- Session 2: Monday, July 22–Friday, August 2, 2024
- Session 3: Tuesday, August 6–Friday, August 16, 2024*
*Due to the Civic Holiday on August 6, Session 3 is a 9-day session.
Criteria:
To qualify for the program, applicants must not have previously participated in a Y4Y session. Additionally, all applicants must:
- Live in the Flemingdon Park or Thorncliffe Park neighbourhood (M3C or M4H postal codes)
- Have the permission of their parent/guardian to participate
- Be on track to complete grade 7 or 8 as of June 2024
- Be available to attend an in-person information and registration session in advance of their session (date to be determined)
- Be available to attend the program in person at 770 Don Mills Road from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on all days of their selected session
- Provide responses to the short answer questions included in the application (see below)
- Complete all parts of the application before 11:59 p.m. on June 5, 2024
No exceptions will be made to the above requirements. Once applications close, we will contact selected applicants with details about next steps.
Process:
All applications that meet the criteria above will be placed in a pool for random selection. Once random selection is completed, program staff will contact successful applicants with further information, including details about the mandatory in-person registration session that must be attended by each participant and their parent/guardian.
Short-Answer Questions:
Please be prepared to answer the following short-answer questions as part of your application (word count limit: 200 words).
These questions are intended to help us understand the wants and needs of applicants. Your responses will NOT be evaluated or assessed. As long as you provide responses, your application will be entered into the random selection draw.
- Please share some details about your interest in the sciences and in the Y4Y program.
- Which area(s) of science, engineering, technology or math most interest you?
- If you could gain one skill or experience from participating in this program, what would it be?
Questions about this program?