The 12th Annual City Mosaic Immigrant and Canadian Youth Discover Toronto’s Local Culture and History Through Game
第 12 屆城市拼圖冒險比賽 (City Mosaic) 讓土生及移民青年人探索多倫多文化與歷史
Opening Ceremony at City Mosaic 2015 with our special guests (L to R): Jay Feng from University of Toronto Chinese Volunteer Association, Miss Tina Hang from VWAT Family Services, Mr. Terence Chan, Across Uhub Board of Directors, Mr. Eric Li from Vision Youth, Fundraising Committee Member Ms. Eliza Fok, Councillor Chin Lee, Mr. Christpher Usih from the Toronto District School Board, Mayor Frank Scarpitti, Mr.Michael Chan MPP, Ms. Nicole Wong, Executive Director Across Uhub, Councillor Alan Ho, York Region District School Board Trustee Mr. Billy Pang, Mr. Stanley So, Vice Chair of Across Uhub Board of Directors, and Mr. Eric Chau of Across Uhub’s Board of Directors.
City Mosaic, an annual citywideurban adventure race, celebrates Toronto’s local culture and history through game. Learning through game allows participants to be more open to new ideas and engaged in cultural experiences while having fun. City Mosaic is also played in teams of four, with activities emphasizing communication, teamwork, and active learning as participants step out of their comfort zones and try new things together. These game design elements are especially important for immigrant youth or youth from immigrant families, who may have limited appreciation of the multicultural diversity of Toronto or may feel uncomfortable traveling in the city. For some, it may be their first time taking the TTC to engage withToronto’s local cultures and people.
Across U-hub, the event organizer, also organizes an afterschool program, SHARP Program, for East Asian students for two high schools in the Toronto District School Board. A Grade 10 SHARP student participant, Miss Kami Wang, describes her experience playing City Mosaic as an event that “taught me how to use subway and bus correctly. I even didn’t know there is a Little India before City Mosaic. I understand why Canada is a cultural country after City Mosaic.” City Mosaic broadened her cultural appreciation and gave her the confidence to explore new places of Toronto. Wang arrived Canada in 2012 and joined the SHARP program in the 2014-2015 school year. Before the race, she was nervous about not knowing how to use a map to go to the correct checkpoints and not understanding the challenge questions. Through the collective effort of her team, clear division of roles, and her proactive attitude, she and her team were able to achieve third place in the Explorer Division of the race last year.
Through City Mosaic, Across U-hub, also partners with youth and cultural organizations. Ms. Tina Hang, Program Coordinator at VWAT Family Services and Community Partner for over five years says, “…we saw the value of introducing City Mosaic to our youth, especially our newcomer youth who have just come to the city. Even Canadianborn youth have all learned something new from participating. Seeing tired from all the running, but happy from all the laughing, youth makes it all worth it”. Mr. Eric Li, Chair of Vision Youth also articulates, “Across U-hub has been a longtime partner of Vision Youth, since Vision Youth started in 2001. The City Mosaic partnership benefits the youth in both organizations in term of sharing expertise, interests and friendship. The game raises awareness of the coexistence of different cultures in Toronto…There are a lot of beautiful structures in the city that we missed. Overall, this is one of the events in the city that I strongly recommend everyone to join in and have fun”.
City Mosaic began in 2005 and is organized by Across U-hub. Every year, the program team refreshes the game by incorporating new elements in the game design. This year’s game will draw participants into a story involving time travel, agents, and missions, while learning about the transformation of Toronto over time. Race day looks a little like this: Teams of four begin the game at Mel Lastman Square, exploring the City of Toronto on foot or by public transit. Each team will be given a guide of carefully researched questions and activities to various locations in the city. They are challenged to work together and gather answers, complete
team challenges all the while exploring and learning about the unique characteristics of each checkpoint location. Participants then make their way to the finishing line where awards will be give to the top teams.
Teams may register for one of two divisions: Adventurer or Explorer. The Adventurer Division is a full day race targeted at participants who are familiar with Toronto, or are looking for a challenge. Participants must all be 16 or above. The Explorer Division caters to the casual participants who simply want to spend more time exploring and experiencing Toronto’s unique cultural diversity.
Participants must be 12 or above, but participants age 12-16 must be accompanied by two adults (age 21 or above).
City Mosaic will take place on Saturday, May 28 th 2016 at Mel Lastman Square North York Centre. The registration deadline is May 9th , and early bird deadline is April 25th. Registration fees per team are $80 before the early bird deadline and $120 until May 9th. For more information or to register your team of four, visit www.acrossuhub.com/events/citymosaic2016 or call (905) 9441944.
Across U-hub Overview
Together we help nurture our youth:
• to become a bridge across cultures by taking roots in Canada while developing a global perspective
• to become servant leaders for communities by helping them grow holistically
Work: We adopt creative, interactive and multidisciplinary approaches:
• to nurture our youths’ holistic growth
• to cultivate their servant leadership skills
• to promote peer support and mentorship
• to foster their sense of community and to encourage active participation in cultural and civic activities
燃動青年舉辦一年一度的<城市拼圖>遊歷比賽，目的是鼓勵年輕人以開放的態度接觸新事物及欣賞多倫多的文化和歷史。參賽者享受遊戲樂趣之餘，還可以體驗多元文化的精彩。每支參賽隊伍由四人組成，活動強調溝通，團隊合作及主動學習，參賽者藉此走出自己的安舒區(Comfort Zone)嘗試新事物。
<城市拼圖>特別適合移民家庭背景的年輕人參加。有不少年輕人對多倫多的多元文化理解有限，平時很少逛逛城市中心，有參賽者表示，雖然居住在多倫多但從未試過乘TTC，更遑論主動與陌生人接觸，對多倫多的文化生活認識及參與極之少 。
除了<城市拼圖>之外，燃動青年亦為多倫多教育局兩所高中舉辦課後課程 (S.H.A.R.P. 計劃)。S.H.A.R.P.課程的學生Kami去年參加<城市拼圖>後說： 「透過 這個活動我學識了何正確使用地鐵和公共汽車。未參加<城市拼圖>前，我不知道有小印度 (Little India)的存在，現在我明白了為什麼加拿大是一個多元文化的國家了。」 參加<城市拼圖>開闊了她的文化鑑賞視野，加強她探索多倫多新事物的信心。Kami在2012年到加拿大升學，於2015年學年參加了S.H.A.R.P.計劃及參加<城市拼圖>比賽。比賽之前，她曾擔心自己不懂得使用地圖和在預定時間完成各活動點(Check point)的活動，她還擔心自己的語言能力，不能理解遊戲的問題，幸好Kami主動積極的態度，加上團隊的集體努力作出有效的部署，她的團隊最終成為比賽的季軍。
歡迎社區及文化機構夥伴合作是每年<城市拼圖>特色之一，Vietnamese Women’s Association of Toronto (VWAT) 是多年的合作夥伴機構，機構代表M s. Tina Hang 說:「 我們目睹參加<城市拼圖>的年輕人如何從中得益，尤其是初來到這個城市的年輕人，更是獲益良多。就算土生青年，也在<城市拼圖>中學到新事物。比賽確實令他們感到疲累，但從他們的笑聲中我們知道一切都是值得的。 」
展望青年(Vision Youth)主席李樹德先生說: 「 自從展望青年於2001年成立便與燃動青年成為長期合作夥伴。<城市拼圖>有助彼此的年輕人分享他們的專長，興趣和友誼。這項比賽提高參賽者了解在多倫多各種共存的文化意識…讓我們重新發現這個漂亮城市被人錯過的美麗一面。我大力推薦所有人都參加，享受<城市拼圖>為你帶來的樂趣。 」
燃動青年於2005年首辦＜城市拼圖＞活動，每年活動籌備小組都會更新及加入新的遊戲元素。今年，比賽將會帶領各參賽者進入故事旅程，成為 「 超時特工 」 執行特殊任務並追溯多倫多隨著年日靜靜發起的變化。比賽當天各參賽隊伍會由Mel Lastman Square出發以步行或公共交通遊歷多倫多市。每組將派發一本由大會精心籌備的活動手冊，各組需按照手冊的指引，施展渾身解數於市中心各處的指定活動地點(Checkpoint location)完成任務，偵破各項具挑戰性的問題，最快完成的隊伍將會勝出比賽。
比賽設有冒險家(Adventurer)及探險家(Explorer)兩大組別。冒險家(Adventurer)是全日賽事，為16歲以上對多倫多已有認識，並尋找挑戰的青年人而設。探險家(Explorer)則適合一些想藉此活動了解多倫多文化的年輕人，參加者須12歲或以上，12-16歲的參賽者須由兩位21歲以上的成人陪同參加。
<城市拼圖>將於2016年5月28日(六)於北約中心的Mel Lastman Square廣場舉行。截止報名日期為5月9日，每隊(四人)參賽費為$120。晨鳥優惠每隊參賽費為$80，必需在4月25日前報名。如欲報名及了解更多詳情，請瀏覽網站: www.acrossuhub.com/events/citymosaic2016 或致電(905) 9441944與燃動青年聯絡。
Across U-hub
「燃動青年」機構簡介
致力建立青年，並肩同行成長
﹣ 幫助青少年扎根加國，胸懷普世，成為跨越文化的橋樑
﹣ 培育青少年全人成長，實踐僕人領袖精神，建設社群
我們以創意互動多元模式：
– 栽培青少年身、心、靈的全人發展
– 發掘青少年人領袖的潛能
– 推行良師導向及朋輩扶持的群體模式
– 提倡社群意識、推動積極參與文化及公民活動
