Youth Initiatives

What are the U-ROC Youth Awards

During BC Youth Week (May 1-7), the City of Richmond hosts the U-ROC (Richmond Outstanding Community) Awards to celebrate the achievements and dedication of youth and supportive adults within the Richmond community. Community members can nominate youth and adults for two categories: Outstanding Youth and Adult Asset Champions.

Utilizing the 40 Developmental Assets framework for working with youth, the U-ROC Awards celebrate the skills, values and competencies that youth demonstrate and the adults who contribute to the positive development of youth.

Outstanding Youth

Youth, ages 13-24, in this category are nominated for displaying exceptional leadership qualities, overcoming barriers towards their personal success and demonstrating a commitment towards making a difference in their community.

The Outstanding Youth category has three sub-categories:

• Leadership - Outstanding Youth in the Leadership category demonstrate strong leadership qualities by inspiring and motivating others towards a shared goal. Whether it’s at school, in their teams or in the community, these youth consistently show initiative, provide support to their peers and are a positive influence on those around them.
• Resilience - Outstanding Youth in the Resilience category demonstrate courage, determination and perseverance while facing adversity. These youth show a commitment to overcoming challenging circumstances, continue to strive for personal growth and development amidst difficult times, and inspire others around them while doing so!
• Community - Outstanding Youth in the Community category demonstrate a commitment towards addressing issues and causes affecting the community (e.g. social justice causes and sustainability). These youth are passionate about making a difference, make an impact through their actions and are committed to giving back to their community through volunteerism.

Asset Champions

Adults in this category show dedication to supporting youth as they build Developmental Assets. Asset Champions ensure that youth are engaged in the community by creating safe and inclusive environments where youth can be themselves and thrive. These adults go out of their way to inspire, mentor and make a positive difference in the lives of youth.  

U-ROC Scholarship

The U-ROC Scholarship, in the amount of $1000, is awarded annually to one youth age 13 – 24 years who is planning to attend a post-secondary institution in the upcoming Fall semester. The scholarship recipient is a youth that demonstrates exceptional leadership qualities, personal growth by overcoming challenging circumstances and/or a passion towards making a difference in the community. The scholarship funds can be used towards the youth’s post-secondary tuition and/or textbook fees. 

Youth Week is an annual celebration held on the first week of May, which aims to highlight the strong connections between youth and their communities. Youth Week events celebrate the tremendous energy and valuable contributions of youth to the well-being and development of the community while encouraging a greater understanding and acceptance of youth.

For more information on Youth Week events, visit richmond.ca/YouthWeek.

The Youth Civic Engagement Program is a free eight-week education-to-action program that provides youth (15–20 years) with the opportunity to learn about and discover the inner workings of the City and the decision-making processes that shape our community. As part of the program, youth have an opportunity to work together on a project that sparks their interests and present their ideas at a mock City Council meeting.

The Positive Ticket Program originated in Richmond in 2001 and was adopted widely across the police system in North America. The program provides Richmond RCMP officers and other community service providers with positive "tickets" that are issued to young people up to 18 years old. The tickets are given out to recognize good behaviour, reward good deeds or simply to connect and build relationships. Each ticket can be redeemed for one free drop-in session at a participating community centre and facility of the recipient’s choice.

Positive Tickets can be redeemed at the following locations:

• Cambie Community Centre
• City Centre Community Centre
• Hamilton Community Centre
• South Arm Community Centre
• Steveston Community Centre
• West Richmond Community Centre
• Arena Services
• Aquatics
• Pitch and Putt Golf
  

*Fitness Centre orientations are mandatory for youth aged 13 to 15 years. Youth 13 to 17 years must demonstrate appropriate maturity level and must submit completed Parental Consent Form and PAR-Q Form prior to fitness centre access.
Informed Consent and Permission Form Youth
PAR-Q+ Fillable Form 2024

Pink Shirt Day is a day dedicated to spreading kindness, supporting each other, and creating a safe, welcoming community for everyone. The City, Richmond School District, Richmond Fire-Rescue, Richmond RCMP, Richmond Public Library and community partners work together to celebrate this important day each year on the last Wednesday of February.

Pink Shirt Day began in 2007 when two courageous secondary students from Nova Scotia took a stand against bullying. After seeing a classmate being bullied for wearing a pink shirt, they rallied their peers to wear pink in solidarity. What started as a simple act of support has grown into a global movement, uniting millions in the fight against bullying. 

Check back here for information on Pink Shirt Day events in February 2026.

The Richmond Youth Media Program (RYMP) is a free program for youth (13–24 years). Participants learn media literacy skills that are relevant to their interest and will be placed in a supportive environment where they can engage with positive role models. Programming includes drop-in sessions (during which supervised youth can work independently) and a variety of structured sessions.

Visit Media Lab for more information.

Foundry Richmond aims to provide a welcoming, inclusive and accessible space for young people (12-24 years) and their families to find support for their wellness needs. Foundry centres provide a one-stop shop for young people to access mental health care, substance use services, primary care, social services and youth and family peer supports. The Foundry makes it easy for young people to find youth-friendly, welcoming and appropriate services – by simply walking into their local Foundry centre, accessing Foundry’s virtual services or by exploring the tools and resources online. The City of Richmond continues to support the Richmond Foundry Project as a stakeholder and partner. Visit Foundry BC for more information.

On January 29, 2024, City Council approved the new Richmond Youth Advisory Committee (YAC). The YAC acts as a resource and provides advice to City Council regarding planning, development and implementation of policies, programs and services that directly impact youth and young adults in Richmond.

There are nine citizen appointees between the ages of 13 and 24 to represent youth perspectives and one citizen appointee, 25 years or older, who plays a significant role in a youth’s life. The citizen appointees each serve a one year term. There are also four appointees from youth-serving organizations. The City will provide a Council Liaison, a staff liaison, a representative from the City’s Community Services division and a recording secretary.

For more information, visit richmond.ca/advisory.