yoothspohk Mentorship Program

yoothspohk is a youth spoken word mentorship program which launched during the COVID-19 pandemic. This program began as a way to connect Kelowna youth during a disconnected time, and aims to do so through the arts by fostering skills and knowledge in contemporary performance poetry.

yoothspohk was created in response to a community evinced need: more spoken word training for youth. The program is a collaboration between Inspired Word Café and Simon Fraser University PhD Candidate Cole Mash as part of his research into form, aesthetics, and pedagogy of Spoken Word.

Each year, local poets, performers, writers, and Syilx storytellers deliver workshops to students, youth, and community members across the Okanagan; this program culminates in the “yoothspohk Youth Showcase,” a final event which gives participants the opportunity to read their work to an audience of friends, family, and peers.

Since 2021, the program has engaged over 400 students, teachers, and local artists, and continues to grow each year. This program is sponsored generously by Valley First, a Division of First West Credit Union and funded through the Art Starts program.