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Two members of Alexandra Park Community Centre/Atkinson Co-op, were honoured with a YMCA Peace Medallion
Twenty years ago, the Peace Medallion was introduced as part of the YMCA World peace week to recognize the contributions of individuals and groups to peace in their communities and around the world.
Olu Quamina and Walied Eldardiry
Walied Eldardiry and Olu Quamina have been involved in volunteering and working in a community know as Atkinson Co-op/Alexander Park. It is located near Bathurst and Spadina in downtown Toronto. Walied, 23, has lived in the community all his life. Olu, 27, is a community worker at the Alexander Park community centre who has volunteered countless hours
 These two young men have dedicated the past 5 years to showing the many children and youth in their community a different “path”. This is a path which encourages responsibility, hard work and community pride. They have done this by engaging young people in a basketball program/homework club and dinner/movie nights.
The basketball program/homework club has been operating for two years. It begins after the December holiday break with indoor house league games. The children are expected to bring their homework at 4:00 p.m. to the community centre where their coach sits down with them while they do it. The coach is there to offer help if it’s needed. At 6:00 p.m. the games begin and run until 9:00 p.m. Both Olu after his day job and Walied after he finishes classes at Ryerson, coach teams. The community centre does not have a gym or program money. They decided to enter their community centre in a city wide league to compete against larger centres. They had to fundraiser $1,500 for the entry fees.
Jerseys were needed and there was no money to buy them. Walied, Olu and other members of the community centre staff went down to the fabric stores along Queen Street West and asked for donated material which they received. There is a sewing program for older women that meets in the evening at the community centre. Walied and Olu approached the group about sewing the jerseys. The sewing group agreed. This is an example of how Olu and Walied work to cross boundaries of age and culture in their community work.
Once the weather improves in April the basketball program moves outside and runs all summer. This year one hundred kids played for free. This year they expanded the program to include a girls division. They had 27 girls sign up to play. This was a huge step forward in this community.
On the May long weekend a 19 year old was shot not far from their neighbourhood. This young man was well liked and respected in the community. The basketball program dedicated the summer league to his memory. The loss of this young touched many community members. This has resulted in a number of young men returning to school and choosing another “path.”
 Olu says they try to “challenge the young people at Atkinson by having high expectations of their behaviour. The young people we work with are treated with respect and we expect the same in the community centre and outside among their family and friends. We try to help them develop the tools they need to work within their school to succeed to the best of their ability. We believe in mentoring.”
Mentoring also plays a big role in the dinner and movie programs usually held on Friday nights. Walied says they can have from between 25 and 45 young people participate. The group is split in three. One group will shop in Kensington market for food, one group will cook and the third group will set up and clean up. After dinner everyone settles down for movie with a message says Walied. The movies are chosen with themes in mind. Movies that deal with meaningful issues such as youth alienation or redemption by hard work or love are chosen because discussing the movie is also part of the evening.
Other programs Olu and Walied have worked on include a youth mentorship program, Men with Honour, an upcoming Youth Awards Night and supporting the annual seniors’ holiday dinner by providing volunteer servers.
Olu and Walied see their work as part of a 10 year plan to help provide another path for the children and youth of the Atkinson community. This path encourages community involvement and responsibility, mutual respect and a commitment to common goals whether they be a basketball game well played or a dinner well made.
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