Street Culture Project celebrates 25 years of service to youth

The Street Culture Project held their first ever round dance at the mâmawêyatitân centre on Friday. (Mick Favel / CTV News)

The Street Culture Project has now been meeting the unmet needs of youth in the community for a quarter of a century.

On Friday, to celebrate the monumental milestone, the organization held their first ever round dance in North Central Regina.

The event, which was centered on the past and present youth of the program, brought out hundreds of people and filled the mâmawêyatitân centre to capacity.

“It’s great that a lot of the youth from the programs are here. A lot of them have said they have never been to a round dance, and this is their first time and they want to go to more,” Kaylita Favel, a program director at Street Culture Project, said.

The first 25 years of the organization were a focus, and so was its next 25 years of work. Having their first round dance ever coincides with their efforts of working towards truth and reconciliation.

“We’re trying to reconnect our youth to their culture. That way the youth has that sense of identity and pride in their culture, and trying to eliminate the high risk behaviour that our youth have by reintegrating their culture back into them,” Annie Ewenin, the truth and reconciliation director at Street Culture Project, said.

Street culture came from humble beginnings.

The first decade of the program revolved around community outreach and development. It was a place which provided mentorship and an outlet for youth to become active in the community.

Face painting was an income generator which then became one of their early trademarks.

The organization also had various social enterprises, such as the cafeteria in the now closed downtown YMCA location.

Street Culture Project then evolved, opening space for youth dealing with homelessness, as well as addressing the real issues youth of the time faced.

Over the years, it’s estimated the Street Culture Project has supplied services to over 3,000 youth.

“The roots of the organization, it’s really ground in an entrepreneurial spirit and finding ways to meet the unmet needs of youth in the community. That foundation has maintained itself over time,” Jeff Dudar, the CEO of Street Culture Project, said.

Currently, the organization is in a transitional phase. Their home location is currently under renovations.

Going forward, the organization plans to continue addressing the issue of youth and homelessness, as well as working towards prevention in the fields of mental health, addictions and recreational opportunities.

“Street Culture has been here for 25 years. We’re going to be here for another 25,” Dudar said.