Last Chance to Give Youth a Voice in New Tyee Series

Two weeks ago, The Tyee launched our latest foray into crowdfunded journalism, with a project we are calling Voices from the Future. Here's our pitch, in a nutshell: if we can raise $25,000, we'll send education and youth reporter Katie Hyslop all around British Columbia to hear stories from teens and young adults about the challenges they face, and the direction they see B.C. going in.

The response has been fantastic -- almost 350 readers have pitched in over $18,000 to fund this in-depth reporting. After sharing her story on The Tyee, Katie's been inundated with emails and phone calls from people all over the province inviting her to their communities, eager to share stories that are just not getting coverage by other means.

Katie's already been laying some groundwork. Last week, she talked with 19-year-old climate activist Sam Harrison about the frustrations he feels with our government's inaction on climate, and she's already organizing her first stop in the Bulkley Valley at the end of summer.

People are hungry for media that will tell their stories in an in-depth, thoughtful way, and Katie is the reporter to do it. As one of only two dedicated education reporters in B.C., she's spent the past six years detailing the ins and outs of the institutions that serve young people in the province. Now, she wants to hit the road and get past government spokespeople and hear directly from young people themselves.

Let's be clear -- this isn't storytelling for its own sake. Here at The Tyee we believe in the power of serious, in-depth journalism to shift the public conversation and create positive change. And nothing moves people to action like real stories from real people, told in a compelling way.

We've got the reporter, and a province full of people that want to share their stories. But we need your help. Join us before midnight tonight and bring this project to life.