MANDATE
Arts for Children and Youth's mandate is to engage young people living in priority neighbourhoods in high quality and accessible arts educational programming that is meaningful, relevant and collaboratively developed with community and education partners. AFCY positions arts programs in schools and neighbourhood venues as a means to build community, and empower marginalized children and youth to reach their full potential through the arts and social contributions.

MISSION
Our mission is to ally with high priority communities and empower marginalized children and youth by engaging them in hands-on, community and school based arts education programs that respect and act on existing cultural and community activity, resulting in participatory action and social awareness.

HISTORY
Established in 1995, AFCY, known at that time as Arts for Children of Toronto (AFC), functioned as an arts scholarship provider with a mandate to ensure that any child, regardless of means could attend music, visual arts or dance programs and benefit from arts experiences. More than 850 children received arts scholarships through AFC. In 2002, our strategic shift away from awarding scholarships and toward outreach programming stemmed from our belief that we would reach more children and provide more accessible program opportunities to those in the most need by bringing programs into priority communities.

PROGRAMS
AFCY has, to date, provided over 40,000 children and youth from low-income areas in Toronto with high-quality, innovative arts experiences in visual arts, dance, drama, music, dub poetry, filmmaking and photography. AFCY brings programs into the communities, rather than having the participants travel downtown to our offices. Today, AFCY reaches approximately 8,000 children and youth per year through inner-city schools, community centres, shelters, churches, libraries, hospitals and Toronto Community Housing buildings.

The long–term goal is to work deeply with each community that AFCY serves. Over time, programs will become entrenched throughout a community and be seen as an essential part of the lives of all the children and youth.

AFCY'S programs fall into two categories:
* Outreach Programs in Schools and Community-based Settings
* Professional Development Programs

Currently, AFCY's programs are delivered to more than 90 diverse venues in inner-city community hubs, specifically Weston-Mount Dennis, Jane-Finch, Jamestown, Lawrence Heights, Toronto Central, Regent Park, Warden Woods-Victoria Village, Malvern and Steeles/L'Amoreaux.

Many of AFCY's programs fall under our largest program stream: Community Sharing. AFCY's Community Sharing Projects (CSP) directly increase community capacity building. Young people create works of art that are donated to a social service within their area, including neighbouring schools, seniors' homes, public libraries, daycares, and Children's Aid centres. Performances and exhibitions also take place in local, non-traditional venues (e.g. a shopping mall) in order to reach and engage the widest demographic within their neighbourhood. Each of AFCY's programs are designed to help the participants reflect their cultural heritage, bringing to light the interconnectedness of diversity within their school and neighbourhood. The Community Sharing Program is also tailored to the needs of children and youth with special needs.

GOALS
Our goals are focused on:
* Engaging marginalized youth in unique arts programs that develop both artistic and personal skills;
* Providing meaningful mentorship opportunities that could lead youth to finding gainful employment; and,
* Providing children and youth with a venue to develop a stake in their own community.

The results of AFCY's work can be seen in many places throughout Toronto: outdoor spaces, hallways, hospitals, and entrances of schools and community centres display the art of children and youth who have worked with AFCY artists and youth arts assistants. Community and media interest in many of AFCY's special projects has been extensive and enthusiastic.

AWARDS
* In 2009 Founder and past Executive Director, Lola Rasminsky, received the Local Hero Award from the Canadian Urban Institute.
* In 2008 Artistic Director, Julie Frost, was presented a scholarship for a leadership training program at the Richard Ivey School of Business in anticipation of her transitioning to Executive Director.
* In 2008 Artistic Director, Julie Frost, was presented with the Vital People Award by the Toronto Community Foundation
* In 2007 Founder and past Executive Director, Lola Rasminsky received the Order of Canada for her work in bringing the arts to at risk youth.
* In 2007 AFCY won the highly competitive Toronto Mayor's Arts for Youth Award.

AFCY believes that art is a vehicle for social change. Our collaborative approach involves partnerships between community organizations, families, youth, and the neighbourhood at large. Our programming relies on outreach and networking within the educational system, social services, and cultural industries. Over the past several years, AFCY has been able to create opportunities for children to share their work with other organizations, and experience the benefits of arts engagement not only in schools and after-school settings (such as TCH Community Housing recreation rooms, shelters, churches, libraries), but also in other community agencies chosen by participants. This double exposure encourages young people to become more aware of the resources available to them in their community and beyond, and also provides them with opportunities to enjoy many of the benefits and life skills that come with creative participation in these contexts.