Vital Conversations
What are some issues and challenges the youth in this community are facing? That is one of the questions asked at a Vital Conversation event on February 27, 2020 at Dose Coffee. Two local youth facilitators and several local youth aged 19-29 discussed many topics with several themes emerging, such as Opportunity, Housing, Connection and Community.
This event grew out of a collaboration with the Royal Bank of Canada and Community Foundations across Canada. The RBC Future Launch Challenge is an initiative to help young people gain access and opportunity to the skills, job experience and career networks needed for the future world of work.
In the Spring of 2019, in partnership with Royal Bank, we announced this unique opportunity for our community. Applications were accepted from youth between the ages of 15-29 with bold ideas for how to help their community. In December, we announced the award of $15,000 for one youth-led project that met an urgent need in Revelstoke.
The award was accepted by resident Adrian Giacca who passionately presented a unique and attainable homeownership vision. It’s widely understood that Revelstoke has been experiencing challenges due to a rising cost of living and housing. Since 2017, property values in Revelstoke have risen 53%. Adrian Giacca, has been studying Revelstoke’s unique changes along with a professional background in landscape and permaculture design and an interest in co-living developments.
In 2017, Adrian established the MicroHome Initiative, to develop a pilot project of MicroHomes in a pocket neighbourhood, creating perpetually affordable homeownership, sustainable lifestyle practices and a renewed connection to people and place. The purpose of the RBC Future Launch Initiative Grant has been to enable Adrian with the time to build relationships with politicians, builders, and agencies supporting affordable housing. During this time, Adrian proudly announced the partnership with the Revelstoke Community Housing Society who has adopted the MicroHome Initiative and supported him with a professional team to guide the process. This project is vital to ensuring homeownership opportunities are available for residents who want to contribute to the community.
