Community Voices & Impact
What our partners and network members say about working with OKN
Testimonials
OKN data helps demonstrate the need for a variety of programs, including targeted initiatives that address service gaps for young children and their families in my library community and across the town.
Community Partner | 2026 Knowledge Utilization Survey
I use OKN data to advocate for services for children and youth at Halton Healthcare and the Connected Care Halton OHT.
Community Partner | 2026 Knowledge Utilization Survey
OKN data helps us plan preschool programs by prioritizing vulnerable communities and focusing on areas of concern identified through early development indicators.
Community Partner | 2026 Knowledge Utilization Survey
When OKN data highlighted concerns around youth anxiety and sense of belonging, I incorporated these insights into workshops for parents and service providers to raise awareness and promote early support strategies.
Community Partner | 2026 Knowledge Utilization Survey
From the Mental Health Knowledge Exchange to Neighbourhood Cohesion and the 2023 EDI Scores, OKN's learning opportunities have helped me better understand the population my organization serves. They have strengthened our program planning, partnerships, and staff training.
Community Partner | 2026 Knowledge Utilization Survey
The Advanced Belonging Through Community Dialogue training provided valuable insights into population trends and practical ways to better support efforts to reduce youth loneliness and improve mental health.
Community Partner | 2026 Knowledge Utilization Survey
We have used learning opportunities offered by Our Kids Network to strengthen our programming for newcomer families and youth. We have applied this learning by adapting our parent workshops to include information on school readiness, developmental milestones, and mental health awareness based on current community data.
Community Partner | 2026 Knowledge Utilization Survey
The OKN website provides valuable research, statistics, and background information that support grant applications, strengthen program proposals, and connect families with helpful resources.
Community Partner | 2026 Knowledge Utilization Survey
The OKN website, particularly the Resource Hub, contains a wealth of information about children and youth in Halton. I regularly use it to access the Data Portal and refer to OKN's foundational frameworks, including the Halton 7, Results-Based Accountability, collective impact, and neighbourhood profiles.
Community Partner | 2026 Knowledge Utilization Survey
I mainly use the Data Portal for planning groups, along with reports and resources available on the website. I have also shared these with community partners to strengthen collaboration and relationship building.
Community Partner | 2026 Knowledge Utilization Survey
I am still exploring the OKN website, but I can already see how valuable it will be in my work. It is helping me be more intentional in advocating for children and families in my library community while raising awareness of the many partner organizations and services available to support them.
Community Partner | 2026 Knowledge Utilization Survey
In terms of youth expression, only 50% felt confident to think or express their ideas and opinions every day or almost every day… leaving half unvoiced… As a teenager, I hope to see more authentic youth engagement, stronger networks of positive relationships, and everyone of all backgrounds and abilities having access to support resources and activities.
Lacey Swamy, Youth Leader.
The neighborhood cohesion work and data from Our Kids Network provide invaluable insights into the connections, trust, and support systems within our communities. By understanding these dynamics, we can take meaningful action to strengthen relationships, foster inclusivity, and enhance well-being for children and families. This research is a good tool in guiding collaborative efforts that build stronger, more connected neighborhoods where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
Jennifer Spence, Community Development Manager, Recreation, Community and Culture, City of Burlington.
Explore the brief.
Working collaboratively with Our Kids Network has allowed us to explore community data to better understand population characteristics and underserved groups in early years programs in Halton, gaining insights into strengths and opportunities to address barriers to participating in EarlyON Child and Family Centre programs. By using data and engagement to inform service delivery, we can continue to build a responsive, inclusive, and accessible early years and child care system for all families in our community.
Melissa Nauta, Project Manager, Early Years and Child Care, Children's Services, Halton Region.
OKN’s 2023 Youth Mental Health Survey has provided an invaluable source of data for monitoring mental health and well-being among Halton youth, and for directing the programs and services that public health delivers. For example, the survey findings reaffirmed the School Years Program focus on mental health and substance misuse as priority health topics in collaboration with school board partners. Additionally, to address these findings, public health engaged students through youth engagement initiatives, using the data to promote action planning and drive meaningful change within their school communities.
Angela DeMaria, Manager School Years, Halton Region
Explore the survey results.
Our Kids Network research is a catalyst for positive change, showcasing how collaborative efforts and centering youth voices can create transformative opportunities within our community. By providing a vital benchmark, OKN empowers us to build programs and allocate resources that genuinely resonate with young people, fostering a brighter future for all.
Kelly McKay, Recreation Coordinator, Town of Milton.
Our Kids Network (OKN) has been instrumental in supporting Halton CAS by expertly running and analyzing the 'Resource and Kinship Providers Satisfaction Survey.' Their outstanding expertise has provided us with invaluable insights, enabling us to enhance our services and better meet the needs of our community. Our partnership has been essential and will remain critical in the future as we strive to continually improve and expand our support for children and families.
Ayman Kandil, Quality Improvement Analyst, Halton Children's Aid Society.
I had the privilege of participating in the recording of the HYIS Youth video with Our Kids Network and it was an incredible experience to see how the power of collaboration and working with others assists in shaping our work with young people. It was inspiring to tell our story and to hear how connecting youth with nature and recreation fosters creativity, growth, resilience, relationships, and confidence that are for their mental, physical, and emotional well-being
Jennifer Ancona, Recreation Supervisor, Community Programs, Town of Halton Hills.
Youth Access to Recreation video.
As a representative of youth in Oakville, I find the ability to engage in civic activities, the environment, and volunteerism extremely important, as it has the ability to improve youth well-being and mental health. The main issue is that there is not nearly enough research into how accessible it is for youth and the effect it has on youth well-being. I was approached by OKN to give this much-needed feedback and felt empowered that my experiences will be used for future positive reform. Having access to said data is really important to me and will provide great value to the public, as it allows us to understand the state of our future leaders. I have personally found the results of this study intriguing and am confident that it will be a catalyst for change
Misimi Sanni, Student at Princeton University, Former Chair of the Oakville Youth Action Committee.
Youth Engagement video.
HEDR was proud to partner with Our Kids Network on our UnityFest Community Event that celebrated art, community and belonging. OKN was instrumental in creating an impactful event by bringing together community volunteers, creating opportunities for creative expression and curating inspiring discussions on belonging. Collaborating with OKN has allowed HEDR to build a stronger community through inclusive and thoughtful programming in the Halton Region.
Daven Seebarram, Manager, Halton Equity Diversity Roundtable (HEDR).
Our Kids Network continues to set the standard for excellence in research, knowledge mobilization, and capacity building within Halton. The organization provides invaluable resources for professionals through their workshops, research briefs, and innovative data-sharing tools. Our community greatly benefits from their contributions to information-sharing, strong partnerships, and dedication to helping Halton children and youth thrive.
Juan Medina, MPH, Decision Support Analyst, Social & Community Services, Halton Region.
As Early Years professionals within Halton Region Public Health, we strongly value our relationship with Our Kids Network and appreciate the resources and knowledge-sharing that foster cross-sector collaborations, empowers professionals and builds community capacity for improving the well-being of children and youth in Halton. We regularly utilize the local data and resources developed by Our Kids Network to help guide our public health practice.
Halton Region Public Health, Early Years Program. Explore the KPS survey findings.
Having data from OKN’s Halton Youth Impact Survey is a powerful advocacy tool to show the value and need for increasing low barrier programs and initiatives. By working collaboratively to build awareness of existing services and creating new programs to engage equity-deserving groups, we can cultivate a healthy, interconnected community that supports recreation for all.
Heather Granger, Recreation Coordinator, Town of Milton.
Food for Life used the OKN Data Portal to map survey responses from program participants based on the locations of the programs they attended. We visualized the average food insecurity scores and average pounds of food distributed at each site, helping us identify areas across Halton communities with higher concentrations of households facing moderate and severe food insecurity. Through this tool, we assessed whether the available programs in these areas met the food security needs of that community and where to focus efforts to improve the overall experience of food insecurity
Dianna Williams, Manager of Research, Food for Life. Visit the OKN Data Portal.
I always appreciate the opportunity to learn from other researchers who are doing exciting work in the field of child development, psychology, and mental health and wellbeing. The OKN Knowledge Translation & Exchange Conference held virtually this past November was an amazing way to hear about recent work being done in the field. By participating in the event, I am able to reflect on the findings and find links to the work that I do to support educational research at Halton Catholic District School Board. Looking forward to attending the next one!
Lisa Collimore, Chief Officer of Research and Development Services, Halton Catholic District School Board, Co-Chair OKN Knowledge Translation and Research Committee.
Child and youth mental health is known to be a critical issue affecting individuals, families, and communities. Our Kids Network does a great job of bringing together different voices, and continually creating opportunities for partners to network with each other. The exchange of information and ideas enhances everyone’s ability to respond to child and youth mental health needs.
Melissa Lowe & Sabrina Perri, ROCK’s Clinical Leads & Therapists.
Taking this [4 seasons of Reconciliation] course reinforced to me that child welfare needs to be dismantled and re-designed in order to redress the intergenerational trauma many Indigenous people realize as a result of Canada’s genocidal policies. I will go back and review some modules to make sure I am deeply connecting and understanding the material.
Donna Miles, BSW, MSW, Manager of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Halton Children's Aid Society.
Halton Early Years Mental Health Committee, Review the Early Years Mental Health (EYMH) Toolkit.
OKN member
