Are you familiar with "youth" (both the person and the concept)? Are you, or were you ever, young? Have you ever started a sentence with "Kids these days..."? To at least one of these questions, yes, of course. But are you aware of Head & Hands/À Deux Mains, basically the raddest community organization geared towards promoting the physical and mental well being of Montreal's youth? Now you can say yes to this question, too!

Located on Sherbrooke Street in NDG, Head & Hands has been a mainstay of the Montreal non-profit organization scene since its inception in 1970. And forty years is nothing to scoff at: their staff and volunteers have provided important health, social, and legal services to several generations of Montreal's youth. This weekend (tomorrow!) they're celebrating their 40th anniversary, and they want you to come, too. Featuring Socalled, the Matthew Daher Trio, and Midnight Poutine faves Lake of Stew, along with some silent auction and cash bar/light refreshment action, this gala is surely going to be event of the season. Not to mention you'll be supporting the organization that deserves a huge round of applause.

Round of applause? Total understatement. Head & Hands provides a plethora of services that youth might not be able to get elsewhere - or might not feel comfortable accessing elsewhere. An after-school drop-in centre where kids' creativity is encouraged (if only I was still young enough to go...); the Young Parents Program, where young parents can meet others in a friendly and welcoming environment; a medical clinic staffed by doctors, nurses, and educators, including health and social services for trans-identified patients who might not feel as welcome elsewhere; streetwork in the community; a food pantry; legal services; the list goes on.

Another example: Did you know that the Quebec government stopped sex ed in schools five years ago? Anyone who grew up getting those "Changes" pamphlets (thanks, Mlle. Barrett!) will be equally outraged. Head & Hands' response has been to develop the Sense Project, a peer-based sex education program so that our province's kids don't grow up not knowing about contraception basics, or that you can't get AIDS from kissing.

These people know how to have fun: at Ça marche in September

On paper (or blog post?), it's a great organization, but it's even better in person. At 5833 Sherbrooke West you'll find yourself in a warm place where the staff and volunteers are cool, friendly, and welcoming people; stop by, and you'll get a smile and a "Hi!" Moreover, tell kids you know about it, because it's a place that every young person in Montreal should know about.

Join Head & Hands and the community in celebrating 40 years of awesomeness!

Head & Hands/À Deux Mains 40th Anniversary Gala
Rialto Theatre
5723 ave. du Parc
Nov. 20, 2010
19h30

Get tickets online by clicking here

Photo of Jeunesse 2000 participant, Syantha Whyte, while performing a spoken word piece during an interview with the CBC. Photo credits: Leah Dolgoy