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TORONTO - Justin Lam entered the work force after graduating from graphic communications management at Toronto������Ƶapp Ryerson University a couple of years ago.

But despite his current job as a customer label estimator, Lam finds something is missing in his life.

“There������Ƶapp this feeling of emptiness from time to time where you go to work, get off work, go home, take a shower, go to bed and do it all again the next day,” said Lam, a member of Chinese Martyrs parish in Markham, Ont.

TORONTO - This fall, charities in Toronto have a message for Catholic youth: volunteer, your community needs you.

But youth also need their community. And whether they’re in high school fulfilling their required 40 hours of community service, in college or university looking for co-op placements or just looking to volunteer in their community, there are plenty of interesting organizations to choose from.

One such organization is the .

TORONTO - Robert Mezzavilla carries around a Bible with him wherever he goes — and it doesn’t weigh an ounce.

That������Ƶapp because Mezzavilla, a third-year environmental studies student at Toronto������Ƶapp York University, has a Catholic Bible application (or app) on his iPhone.

While he bought the app because it������Ƶapp a huge space saver, he said it helps connect him to his faith.

TORONTO - With just under a year to go until , parish youth groups are working hard to raise the funds needed to get to Madrid.

At St. Justin Martyr Church in Unionville, Ont., fundraising has come in the form of spaghetti, karaoke and rubber ducks.

Their first fundraiser for World Youth Day — a spaghetti and karaoke night — was held last February, said youth minister Andrew Santos. The event raised about $2,850 in profit, he said, which will go towards the 16 youth from his parish going to Madrid.

TORONTO - For a group of high school students in summer school this year, it������Ƶapp not just about the credit.

The Leadership and Peer Support summer course, run out of Bishop Marrocco/Thomas Merton Secondary School since 2004, may seem like an unorthodox form of education.

But for these volunteers, it������Ƶapp more about getting involved than getting ahead.

Five young Canadians had 250,000 reasons to cycle across Eastern Canada this August; one for every child soldier in the world.

was a month-long, 1,800-km trek from Ottawa to St. John������Ƶapp, Nfld., and a call to raise awareness about the reality of child soldiers worldwide. The tour began Aug. 1 and ran through Aug. 29.

“The goal of the ride was to increase the demand for the media to report more on conflicts that involve children,” said Philip Schleihauf, 19, who rode the entire trip on a unicycle.

TORONTO - Nature is God������Ƶapp greatest cathedral for those attending this year������Ƶapp Hike & Prayer.

Run by Faith Connections, the young adult ministry of the Sisters of St. Joseph, the annual Hike & Prayer event allows young people an opportunity to engage their faith while being active. The hike, themed “Celebrating Summer,” takes place Aug. 22 at Edwards Gardens in Toronto, and is open to young adults, ages 18-39.

STONY POINT, N.Y. - Together with three other young Canadians, I travelled to Stony Point, N.Y., in late July to walk alongside fellow youth on the .

Salesian Gospel Roads (GR), a week-long service retreat program, has been running throughout the United States for more than a decade. With 50 other youth from four different states and three other Canadians, Judy Sebastian, Andre Violante and John Rugosi, I participated in one of nine GR programs this summer, marking Gospel Roads’ first Canadian participation.

“My hope is that participants, beyond experiencing a beautiful week of serving with other youth and personal reflection, get a better understanding of their call to service,” said Victoria Velasco, director of the Stony Point Gospel Roads, which ran from July 25-31.

MIDLAND, Ont. - This year������Ƶapp Office of Catholic Youth Rally introduced a variety of new features, but it retained enough of its old flavour to make the experience what it������Ƶapp always been for revellers.

John Dawson, program co-ordinator and music director for the July 23-25 rally, has been involved with the Office of Catholic Youth (OCY) for more than a decade. He said the youthful spirit is alive and well.

“The rally is really about celebrating the faith, connecting with other youth and commissioning them in the Lord,” said Dawson.

TORONTO - The spirit of Don Bosco is alive at the Catholic day camp SummerDaze, where, through song and games, kids find just the right combination of faith and fun.

SummerDaze, which runs out of St. Benedict������Ƶapp parish in northwest Toronto, was founded in 1989 by Salesian Brother Bernie Dube to serve youth in the summer. In its first year, it had fewer than 25 campers and five staff. It now hosts around 200 campers weekly with a staff of more than 50, most of them volunteers. It ran through the four weeks of July and was open to children aged seven-14.

“There������Ƶapp always a spiritual lesson to be learned within the fun,” said Foster Kwon, camp director.