Youth Nation Alliance

YNA was established to tackle the growing concern of engagement in the community. Believing that students should be involved not just in their schools’ clubs or teams, we sought to create an easier way to discover volunteering and leadership initiatives, and connect with others. So we created an organization based on youth-to-youth collaboration and support - our Alliance. What is now the fastest-growing youth volunteer organization in York Region was started with a passion - a love for giving back to our community. Hayden Cheung, our founder, a Grade 12 student at St. Theresa of Lisieux CHS, was driven by his passion for getting involved in his local community. Hayden and a few friends volunteered with organizations across York Region on weekends and after school on weekdays. The experience of connecting with friends and meeting new people was what made volunteering special, in addition to helping those in need. It became our mission to build a community of volunteers who shared our vision for a more caring and inclusive community.