| Organization's name: | Art Of Our Community Foundation |
| Organization's acronym: | AOOC |
| Headquarters address | |
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| Address: |
8888 University Dr W, Burnaby, BC Vancouver Canada |
| Fax: | V5A 1S6 |
| Email: | admin@artourcommunity.org |
| Organization type: | Non-governmental organization |
| Languages: |
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| Areas of expertise & Fields of activity: |
Economic and Social:
Financing for Development:
Gender Issues and Advancement of Women:
Social Development:
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| Geographic scope: |
International
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| Country of activity: |
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| Millennium Development Goals: |
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| Mission statement: | |
| Year established (YYYY): | 2020 |
| Year of registration (YYYY): | 2022 |
| Organizational structure: | HQ Governance & Committees (1) Structure and Overview (a) Art Of Our Community Foundation will be separated into three main sectors: the Board, Operational Committees (Departments), and the Representative Committee (Committee). (i) Board: The Board is responsible for overseeing the selection process of the Vice President (VP) and President who will lead the executive team, ensuring alignment with the organization’s goals and policies. (ii) Executive Team: The executive team, led by the President and VP, will include the Executive Directors: responsible for overseeing and implementing the work of the following four main operational committees: (iii) The President and VP is elected by a vote of simple majority by all registered members annually on March 16th or the Annual General Meeting, whichever is sooner and will assume all roles and responsibilities. (2) Forming 4 Operational Committees (a) Marketing Committee (i) Responsible for creating, posting, and managing content across AOOC platforms. (ii) Engages with clubs to promote their events, updates, and initiatives. (iii) Ensures consistent and effective communication of AOOC’s goals and activities to the wider community. Minimum 1 posting per week to ensure communications. (b) Fundraising & Finance Committee (i) Handles all aspects of accounting, including tracking financial transactions and managing AOOC funds. (ii) Coordinates larger fundraising efforts, including grant writing and organizing major campaigns to support AOOC’s operations. (iii) Ensuring that the organization is to remain above $2000 in liquidity as well as fundraising towards the $5000 end of summer (September 10th, 2025) goal. (c) Projects & Events Committee (i) Responsible for running and coordinating AOOC events, including community outreach, panel discussions, and creative events. (ii) Works with clubs to ensure successful execution of both large-scale and local events. (iii) Ensuring that the organization has a minimum 1 project per month to be featured by marketing. (d) HR/Club Operations Committee (i) Manages volunteer hours and ensures the proper management of club members. (ii) Oversees the coordination of AOOC school clubs, including recruitment and operations. (iii) Ensures all clubs comply with AOOC policies and regulations. All clubs to be featured at least once per month with AOOC HQ marketing. (iv) Developing a Volunteer opportunities Programme where public students under 19 years old and secondary school student, to sign up and to be able to have priorty access to volunteering opportunities at AOOC HQ. (3) Formation of the Art Of Our Community Representative Committee (Committee) (a) The Representative Committee consists of delegates from AOOC clubs and various sectors of the organization and chapters across nations, regions, and cities. (i) The committee provides feedback and insights to help guide decision-making at the operational level. (ii) The Committee serves as a legislative body of the organization debating policy, work, and projects to be implemented to convene every month to review the executive committee and department within Art Of Our Community’s governance for our mission. |
| Number and type of members: | 850 Members. There are ~500 members within North America There are ~200 members within Asia There are approximately 50 members spread out across Africa, Europe, and South America. Most members are between 16-30, young professionals with a focus on diplomacy, culture, and art. Members are part of both chapters in advocacy as well as participants in legislation of the organization. |
| Affiliation with NGO networks: | Major group of children and youth. |
| Funding structure: |
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| Major group affiliation: |
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| Involvement in UN Partnerships: | Yes |
| If yes, explain in detail: | We are involved in the ECOSOC Youth Forum 2025 as an official partner, delivering an event focused on pressing youth issues aligned with our core social impact mission. Our work centers around youth empowerment, equitable education, and inclusive socioeconomic development. At the Forum, we are convening a session in collaboration with global NGOs and grassroots youth networks to explore challenges facing young people—particularly around access to education, gender equity, and the social determinants of well-being. Through this partnership, we aim to amplify youth voices, foster intergenerational dialogue, and create pathways for systemic change led by young leaders. |
| Affiliation with other organizations: | Children and Youth International British Columbia Youth Council Horizon Youth Advisory Delegation University of British Columbia |
| Publications: | "The Future is Local: Community-Based Learning Through Youth Action" (2023) "Youth Voices in Indigenous Education Today" (2023) "Creative Classrooms: How Young Leaders Are Changing How We Learn" (2024) "Tech and Teaching: Youth Bridging the Digital Education Gap" (2025) "From Tradition to Tomorrow: Revitalizing Cultural Knowledge Through Youth" (2025) |
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Statements or documents submitted Commission on Sustainable Development: |
N/A |
| Affiliation with other organizations: | Major group of children and youth. |
| Publications: | N/A |
| Purpose of the organization: | The Art Of Our Community Foundation exists to empower youth and marginalized communities through arts, culture, and civic engagement. We promote social equity by addressing systemic issues such as poverty, climate change, decolonization, and the underrepresentation of Indigenous peoples and women in decision-making spaces. Through advocacy, education, policy advice, and international collaboration, we mobilize youth-led solutions to global challenges while preserving cultural identity and fostering inclusive governance. |
| Confirmation of the activities of the organization at the regional, national or international level: | Registration with the Canadian Government in the provincial level (Headquarters). |
| A list of members of the governing body of the organization, and their countries of nationality: | Li Yu Chen - Canada/Hong Kong (China) Special Administrative Region Jiang Yifan - China/ Canada Coco Ji - China/Canada Isaiah Sidi - United States of America Laura Zou - China/Canada |
| Major group affiliation: | Children and Youth |
| Involvement in Public Administration: | Involved with the Canadian Government for parliamentarian briefings. |
| UN-NGO-IRENE Newsletter: | Yes |