Youth Engagement
Youth engagement: creating opportunities for growth and development.
Youth engagement means actively involving young people in decision-making and providing opportunities for them to participate and make a positive impact in their communities. It includes various activities that help youth develop skills, advocate for their needs, and bring about positive changes.
Youth engagement can take different forms, such as youth-led initiatives, partnerships between youth and adults, and involving youth in decision-making processes. Our Kids Network believes that young people have valuable perspectives and ideas that can contribute to building better communities.
Using the Developmental Relationships Framework, our organization builds better relationships with youth to empower them to play an active role in shaping their communities. For instance, young people participate in our Community Planning Table or help us in the Halton Youth Impact Survey to share their knowledge and insights.
Halton Youth Initiative
The Halton Youth Initiative aimed to give young volunteers aged 12-17 a voice and empower them to make a positive impact in North Oakville, Acton, Aldershot, and Milton communities. The project was led by youth who identified local issues and worked on solutions. The initiative used an evidence-based approach with a focus on building relationships in all interactions and activities.
Building Better Relationships
We believe that strong relationships are at the core of our success. Whether we’re working with children, families, communities, or our colleagues, we recognize that building, nurturing, and sustaining these relationships requires specific knowledge and skills. Through research, we aim to identify and develop these skills to ensure that we can continue to foster powerful relationships.
