The Kamloops Ambassador Society’s mission is to empower future leaders in our community through our mandate of encouraging volunteerism and service. The Ambassador Program comes from a tradition that is more than 80 years old. Our program is a modern, self-development focused initiative for all youth which provides them with important life skills, the opportunity to serve within their community and to create a positive network of peers and mentors.
Our program aims to develop young adults in Kamloops who have a strong sense of civic responsibility, a commitment to their communities, an awareness of current issues and a strong desire to develop interpersonal skills. We promote mutual understanding, respect and collaboration. Participating in our program has no obstacles, be it financial or otherwise. Youth are exposed to leadership skills, networking opportunities, professional development, practical skills training and community service.
The inclusion of all youth was a bold step in our development and forced us to look at the logistics and delivery of our programming. Several changes have been made to include sensitivity to gender identification, culture, community identification and ability. We feel that we have broadened our reach and re-established what our mandate as community ambassadors means.
A candidate’s year begins in January and ends in early July. Over the 6 months, candidates meet 1-2 times per week and take part in a variety of classes and community activities. During their time as candidates, participants compete in different events including a prepared speech, interviews, knowledge of Kamloops, participation, sponsor presentations and impromptu speech. Participants complete their candidacy and are more confident, knowledgeable about their City and have gained new, valuable connections and friends.
The program culminates in the final part of the competition that is open to the public and held in July. Three youth are selected as Ambassadors to represent the City of Kamloops for one year. During this year, the Ambassadors attend community events, volunteer with local organizations and travel the province promoting Kamloops. At the end of their year as Ambassadors, they are recognized with a bursary to support their selected education path.
Throughout our program history, we have mentored over 800 candidates and 190 Ambassadors.
