Responding to the Needs of Youth United Way of Leeds and Grenville Judi Baril, Executive Director, Hannah Gzik Campaign Staff

What does United Way do? Our primary job is to fundraise for our member agencies Our primary job is to fundraise for our member agencies This year we will fund 27 member agencies from all across Leeds & Grenville This year we will fund 27 member agencies from all across Leeds & Grenville Our agencies helped 33,000 people last year through our funding – that’s 1 in every 3 people Our agencies helped 33,000 people last year through our funding – that’s 1 in every 3 people Our other job is to help make this community strong Our other job is to help make this community strong

United Way’s Youth Journey UW has been having conversations with youth for the past six years UW has been having conversations with youth for the past six years Youth Town Halls conducted in 2004, 2006, 2009 Youth Town Halls conducted in 2004, 2006, 2009 Youth Summits held every year since 2004 Youth Summits held every year since 2004 Motivational speakers at all High Schools annually Motivational speakers at all High Schools annually

Youth Journey con’t Leadership training all high schools annually Leadership training all high schools annually Youth 2 Youth Board since 2007 – two reps all high schools Youth 2 Youth Board since 2007 – two reps all high schools – junior board of directors – junior board of directors Junior Trustee at Board level Junior Trustee at Board level Caring For Others – grade 4 level since 2002 Caring For Others – grade 4 level since 2002 Publication Little Black Book 2009 Publication Little Black Book 2009

What have we learned from youth over the years? Children as young as 12 shared concerns about drugs and alcohol use and abuse Children as young as 12 shared concerns about drugs and alcohol use and abuse Youth were consumed by poverty issues Youth were consumed by poverty issues Quest for jobs in children as young as 12 Quest for jobs in children as young as 12 No affordable nutritious food choices at school No affordable nutritious food choices at school Rural youth expressed feelings of hopelessness, loneliness & isolation – rural experiences more suicides per capita Rural youth expressed feelings of hopelessness, loneliness & isolation – rural experiences more suicides per capita Youth want to drive earlier, get jobs earlier and they want to leave their community after school Youth want to drive earlier, get jobs earlier and they want to leave their community after school We observed that rural communities suffer from a “brain drain” unlike their urban neighbours We observed that rural communities suffer from a “brain drain” unlike their urban neighbours

What else do we know about our youth? Youth living in rural communities live in deeper poverty than their urban neighbours Youth living in rural communities live in deeper poverty than their urban neighbours Cost of competitive housing traps rural dwellers in poverty and keeps them there Cost of competitive housing traps rural dwellers in poverty and keeps them there Some youth live in homes with no running water Some youth live in homes with no running water Lack of accessible transportation contributes to high level of poverty Lack of accessible transportation contributes to high level of poverty Communities where rural poor live have no jobs and no available day care Communities where rural poor live have no jobs and no available day care Homelessness amongst youth is escalating Homelessness amongst youth is escalating

2006 Survey Results Priorities & Issues - Top seven 2006 Survey Results Priorities & Issues - Top seven 1. No affordable youth activities or entertainment 2. Drug and alcohol abuse 3. Peer pressure 4. Youth don’t feel safe 5. Youth don’t feel they have a voice 6. Youth employment opportunities – lack of jobs 7. Transportation

Have Things Changed ? United Way wanted to know if anything had changed in 4 years United Way wanted to know if anything had changed in 4 years Engaged in a new phase of community consultations Engaged in a new phase of community consultations Online survey attracted 370 responses Online survey attracted 370 responses In school turbo survey pooled over 1300 responses In school turbo survey pooled over 1300 responses

# 1 Issue in 2006 No affordable youth activities or entertainment 2009 results indicated that 28.35% of youth surveyed can 28.35% of youth surveyed can find affordable activities find affordable activities 39.81% struggle with finding 39.81% struggle with finding activities activities 31.84% cannot find affordable 31.84% cannot find affordable activities activities

# 2 Issue in 2006 Drug and alcohol abuse Question: Are drugs easy to get? No : 15.68% No : 15.68% Maybe : 18.15% Maybe : 18.15% Yes: 66.17% Yes: 66.17% Question: Do you feel pressure to do drugs or alcohol? do drugs or alcohol? No : 65.42% No : 65.42% Maybe : 26.12% Maybe : 26.12% Yes: 8.46% Yes: 8.46%

# 3 Issue 2006 Peer pressure Question: Do you find it difficult dealing with pressure from friends? No: 42.63% No: 42.63% Maybe: 34.48% Maybe: 34.48% Yes: 22.89% Yes: 22.89%

# 4 Issue 2006 Youth don’t feel safe Question: Do you feel safe at school? school? No: 10.54% No: 10.54% Maybe: 14.93% Maybe: 14.93% Yes: 74.53% Yes: 74.53% Question: Do you feel safe in your Question: Do you feel safe in your community? community? No: 11.44% No: 11.44% Maybe: 29.10% Maybe: 29.10% Yes: 59.46% Yes: 59.46%

# Issue Youth don’t feel they have a voice Question: Do you feel adults (parents) listen to you? (parents) listen to you? No: 21.35% No: 21.35% Maybe: 33.31% Maybe: 33.31% Yes: 45.34% Yes: 45.34%

# 6 Issue 2006 : Youth employment opportunities – lack of jobs Question: Are you finding it difficult to find a job? difficult to find a job? No: 22.88% No: 22.88% Maybe : 34.82% Maybe : 34.82% Yes: 42.30% Yes: 42.30%

# 7 Issues 2006: Transportation Question: Do you have a problem with transportation with transportation getting to work, school, getting to work, school, sports etc.? sports etc.? No: 65.92% No: 65.92% Maybe: 21.89% Maybe: 21.89% Yes: 11.94% Yes: 11.94%

What about youth and mental health What we know: It is estimated that 10-20% of Canadian youth are affected by a mental illness or disorder - the single most disabling group of disorders worldwide. Today, approximately 5% of male youth and 12% of female youth, age 12 to 19, have experienced a major depressive episode. The total number of year olds in Canada at risk for developing depression is a staggering 3.2 million.

How are our youth coping? Q. Are curriculum expectations in high school too high? N: 33.98% M % Y % Q. Do you struggle with homework? N % M % Y % Q. Is bullying a problem for you? N % M % Y %

How are they coping con’t… Q Are you worried about yourself or someone close to you? N.35.32% M % Y % Q. Do you sometimes feel sad or depressed? N % M % Y %

How are they coping con’t… Q. Do you feel stress or pressure at school? at school? N % M.31.10% Y % Q. Are you worried about having a place to stay? N % M % Y. 7.71%

United Way’s Role Our role has been defined as a convenor, facilitator and planner Our role has been defined as a convenor, facilitator and planner We are a funder & a fundraiser We are a funder & a fundraiser We will work with organizations to help launch a program but will not launch it ourselves We will work with organizations to help launch a program but will not launch it ourselves We are interested in funding programs that get at root causes We are interested in funding programs that get at root causes We are interested in outcome measurement We are interested in outcome measurement

United Way’s role con’t At National level we are delivering branded programs to the community At National level we are delivering branded programs to the community At Provincial level we are working on two provincially driven initiatives Ontario Youth Matters which is managed by a collaborative of YMCA, Boys & Girls Clubs and United Way At Provincial level we are working on two provincially driven initiatives Ontario Youth Matters which is managed by a collaborative of YMCA, Boys & Girls Clubs and United Way

Our Role Continued We are also working on a poverty initiative that is in its beginning stages across the province We are also working on a poverty initiative that is in its beginning stages across the province We will continue to provide youth programming aimed at our issues and our strategic plan including Y2Y Board, Youth Summit, Leadership Development Services, Caring For Others We will continue to provide youth programming aimed at our issues and our strategic plan including Y2Y Board, Youth Summit, Leadership Development Services, Caring For Others

Youth Survey Conclusions We found that some issues have improved – levels of bullying seems to have declined but emotional bullying is up We found that some issues have improved – levels of bullying seems to have declined but emotional bullying is up Youth are feeling more safe at school and in their community Youth are feeling more safe at school and in their community Stress level, has gone up Stress level, has gone up Youth are still consumed by issues that affect them and their peers Youth are still consumed by issues that affect them and their peers There seemed to be a shift in the needs around youth polled regarding the needs of transportation There seemed to be a shift in the needs around youth polled regarding the needs of transportation

Conclusions Drug and alcohol abuse and Drug and alcohol abuse and behaviours have remained the same behaviours have remained the same Youth identified more support and assistance for career counselling and course related assistance than they did in 2006 Youth identified more support and assistance for career counselling and course related assistance than they did in 2006 Youth did not express as much dissatisfaction about having their voice heard as in 2006 Youth did not express as much dissatisfaction about having their voice heard as in 2006 Many young people that we spoke to remained hopeful for their future, spoke highly of the adults and peers in their lives Many young people that we spoke to remained hopeful for their future, spoke highly of the adults and peers in their lives

Our Community & Successes Programs to help youth deal with in school issues have developed Programs to help youth deal with in school issues have developed Wait times for youth receiving counselling have lessened Wait times for youth receiving counselling have lessened Lots of after school and mentoring programs continue Lots of after school and mentoring programs continue United Way will continue to invest heavily in priority issues United Way will continue to invest heavily in priority issues

“ Young people need models, not critics” not critics” John Wooden John Wooden