The Pittsburgh Foundation’s Second Voices of Youth
Encourages Youth to Make Change

PITTSBURGH, January 13, 2010 – The Pittsburgh Foundation has launched the second in its series of public on-line grants competitions, Voices of Youth, giving youth an opportunity to have their voices heard about issues in their community.

The latest initiative in a three-part series developed jointly with The Grable Foundation asks children and youth to take action on the issues that affect their lives. 

“Young people have first-hand knowledge of the conditions that impact their daily lives, yet in most contexts they are not given the opportunity to speak out or take action that leads to meaningful change,” said Jeanne Pearlman, Senior Vice President, Programs at The Pittsburgh Foundation.

Participating children and youth are asked to work with adult mentors to design a project that increases awareness regarding a local, regional, or national issue, engages youth in philanthropic activities that connect them with the causes they support or expands opportunities for young people to learn about movements for change and put those lessons into an action plan for change. 

The closing date for entries is February 10, 2010. Detailed information about the competition is available at a special on-line site developed to support the initiative at http://www.pghvoicesofyouth.com. Entries should be submitted at the site.

The public is encouraged to participate by adding their comments that may help improve entries.  A local committee, including members of The Grable Foundation’s Community Cabinet, will select five to seven finalists. Public voting will then determine three winning entries that will each receive up to $15,000 in grant funding to turn their ideas into action.

“This initiative is designed to engage youth in our community on issues that are meaningful and significant for them,” said Grant Oliphant, The Pittsburgh Foundation’s President and CEO. “It provides a forum for youngsters to express ideas and opinions which we hope will inspire change that will benefit our community as a whole.”

The first Voices of Youth competition, Art in Public, was held in 2009.  Public voting selected two winners to create a public art project in Pittsburgh.  The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh and UNICEF will collaborate on the creation of a youth video project.  The North Side Collaborative’s will create maps as a tool for youth to initiate conversations about their community and lives.

Regular updates will be posted on the Voices of Youth website detailing progress on these two projects.  A third Voices of Competition will be held in the spring of 2010 as well.

The Pittsburgh Foundation is the 14th largest of more than 750 community foundations in the United States with approximately 1,200 individual endowment funds.

For further information, contact:
John Ellis
Vice President for Communications
412-394-2647 
Ellisj@pghfdn.org