MISSION

Youth Fusion is a non-profit, bipartisan organization that establishes partnerships between high schools and universities, in an effort to counter high school dropout rates, by creating and implementing projects that motivate youth and keep them interested in school.

OJECTIVES

Establish and implement projects that motivate high school students and strengthen their school spirit and sense of belonging Develop and implement concrete projects that address the needs of high school students Facilitate the creation of concrete projects that enable high school students to spend their time in creative and productive settings Increase high school retention rates among youth by improving student life Promote intergenerational exchanges and transfers of expertise by creating effective partnerships between universities and high schools

HISTORY

The idea behind Youth Fusion was conceived in February 2007 during a conference entitled “Youth Fusion: Creative Youth Empowerment” organised at Concordia University, in Montreal, in collaboration with Big Brother and Sisters of Greater Montreal, LOVE (Leave Out Violence) and Concordia’s Garnet Key society. The objectives of this event were to allow teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17 to discover 13 youth-led organizations, to encourage youth to get involved in their communities, and to bring university and high school students together. In 2008, Gabriel Bran Lopez, who was President of the Garnet Key Society at the time of the conference, founded and developed Youth Fusion as a non-profit organisation. The idea behind Youth Fusion was then proposed in May 2008 by Evelyne Abitbol, the former Director of Government Relations and Public Affairs at Concordia University, at the Social and Economic Forum of downtown Montreal, an event co-presided by Ms. Phyllis Lambert and Mr. Serge Lareault, and initiated by Mr. Benoit Labonté, Mayor of the Ville-Marie borough.