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ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: April 30, 1996
TO: Vancouver City Council
FROM: Child & Youth Advocate, Social Planning
Manager of Youth Services, Parks & Recreation
SUBJECT: Civic Youth Strategy Progress Report
RECOMMENDATION
THAT Council direct the co-chairs of the Civic Youth Strategy
Core Committee, the Child & Youth Advocate and the Manager of
Youth Services of the Park Board to provide annual progress
reports to Council on the Civic Youth Strategy.
CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The City Manager RECOMMENDS approval of the foregoing.
COUNCIL POLICY
Vancouver Children's Policy
The Vancouver Children's Policy was adopted by Council March 12, 1992.
It is a statement of commitment to the children of Vancouver and
includes: Children's Policy, Statement of Entitlements and Action
Plan.
Vancouver Civic Youth Strategy (CYS) Policy
The Vancouver Civic Youth Strategy was adopted by Council on March 28,
1995. It is a statement of commitment to work in partnership with
youth and the larger community on issues affecting youth. The
implementation of the CYS is an ongoing venture in which policy,
objectives and principles of the CYS are translated into action.
Vancouver Child & Youth Advocate -
Practical Model of Advocacy
This policy was adopted by Council on April 27, 1995 following on
Council's approval of the Social planning report on the position of
the Child and Youth Advocate as contained in Appendix 1.
SUMMARY
This report provides a summary of the accomplishments that have
occurred during the first year of implementing the Civic Youth
Strategy. It reports back on Council's March 1995 directives;
provides highlights from the departmental action plans which include
1995/96 accomplishments and 1996/97 initiatives for implementing the
Civic Youth Strategy; and discusses future directions for sustaining
the Civic Youth Strategy.
In brief, the last year has resulted in many collaborative initiatives
between civic government departments and other government Boards and
non-profit community service organizations with a healthy degree of
youth input into the planning and implementation of these initiatives.
All Council directives and projected Committee goals outlined in the
March 1995 report were met. All civic departments submitted actions
plans with costs to be managed within currently approved operating
budgets for each department. However, Council should recognize that
considerable staff time has been and will continue to be committed to
projects undertaken under the umbrella of the Civic Youth Strategy.
PURPOSE
This is a progress report on the first year of implementing the Civic
Youth Strategy.
BACKGROUND
Just over a year ago, on March 28, 1995, Council approved the Civic
Youth Strategy, a framework for a plan of action to assist civic
government in addressing the issues of preteens and youth. This
approval included:
* adoption of the overall framework by which the City of Vancouver
recognized its responsibility to youth and directed that this
Strategy sets the direction for the planning and delivery of
civic services involving youth;
* adoption of the Youth Policy Statement, Core Objectives, Guiding
Principles, and proposed Structure and Guidelines for
Implementation (Appendix 2: Overview of CYS);
* a recommendation to seek endorsation of, and participation in,
the Civic Youth Strategy from the Vancouver School Board, the
Vancouver Regional Health Board, the Board of Parks and
Recreation, the Vancouver Police Board and the Vancouver Library
Board; and
* direction to report back to Council in one year, this report to
include present and potential actions and to detail any resource
requirements for new initiatives.
DISCUSSION
This section of the report contains information on objectives met
during the first year of implementation and future directions for
sustaining the Civic Youth Strategy.
I. The First Year Of Implementation - Goals and Achievements
The following section lists the goals outlined in the 1995 report
to Council and summarizes the achievements to date for each of
these goals:
1. Endorsation and Commitment to participation in the Civic
Youth Strategy by:
a) the Vancouver School Board
(approved February 12, 1996)
b) the Board of Parks & Recreation
(approved March 21, 1995)
c) the Vancouver Police Board
(approved April 26, 1995)
d) the Vancouver Regional Health Board
(in progress)
2. Formation of a Core Committee to oversee the first year
implementation and future planning of the Civic Youth
Strategy.
A Core working group of 15 members, co-chaired by the Child
and Youth Advocate and the Manager of Youth Services (Board
of Parks and Recreation), has overseen the implementation of
the Civic Youth Strategy over this past year. As proposed in
the 1995 report, the committee was composed of
representatives from City Clerks, Health, Library, Police and
the Vancouver School Board, i.e. those bodies most directly
involved with youth and youth issues. Eight youth members
from organizations such as the United Youth Movement,
Environmental Youth Alliance, the Strathcona Youth Council
and the Vancouver Youth Voices network, made up the balance
of the committee. Initially, the committee was also to
include a representative from the City of Vancouver's
Integrated Services Teams (IST's). However, as this was the
initial year of implementation for the IST's and for the CYS,
the link between the two initiatives consisted of CYS
representatives' involvement in training and consultation
with the IST groups. We are now moving to a model of
local-based collaboration where Park Board youth workers will
serve as contacts to the IST's on youth issues at the local
level.
3. Development of a Structure for Long-term Implementation of
the CYS.
a) In the March 1995 report, a coalition of civic
government, the Vancouver School Board and youth was
proposed as the way to provide long-term leadership to
the Civic Youth Strategy. With the endorsation of the
strategy by the Vancouver School Board, the recommitment
by municipal government with approval of this report by
City Council, and the continued interest by youth, the
original coalition proposal can move forward. The work
of the last year indicates that the coalition needs to be
expanded to include representation from the community of
service providers who deliver city-wide, community-based
services to Vancouver's youth. Work on the inclusion of
the service provider perspective has begun through
support of a proposed network of first-line service
providers (see: item 6 below for details).
b) The above coalition has translated into the current
working structure of Core and Departmental
Representatives Committees which include youth
representation and involvement. As mentioned above, the
Core Committee had the responsibility of overseeing the
Strategy implementation. The Departmental
Representatives Committee, whose membership was one
representative from each of the civic departments, was
responsible for the general promotion of the Civic Youth
Strategy within their departments and for drafting a
departmental action plan with support of the Core
Committee. Youth members of the Core Committee were
available to consult with the departments on request.
While there was discussion amongst current members of
both committees that it was important to draw in "new
blood" to the Strategy, all current members expressed
interest in continuing to serve for 1996/97. There was
agreement to designate an alternate to each member to
ensure an increasingly strong base of support to the
strategy.
In addition to the above responsibilities that
individuals took on as members of Core and Departmental
Committees, most members took on active projects. For
city staff, this meant taking part in projects sponsored
by their departments. The youth members of the Core
Committee took on the following: strong planning and
implementation support to the Library in its Youth Week
project; support to the overall Youth Week steering
committee; development of an information base for further
promotion of the Strategy, i.e., an inventory of
youth-driven resources and a survey of where and how
youth in Vancouver "get information" [the survey part of
this project will continue over the summer].
This committee structure has helped steward the
implementation of the Civic Youth Strategy over the past
year and is recommended as the on-going operating
structure to oversee strategy implementation.
c) Appendix 3 identifies the members of the Core and
Departmental Representatives committees for 1995-1996.
d) Appendix 4 contains details on membership, roles, and
responsibilities for these committees.
4. Development of Communication Initiatives for Connecting
Strategy Partners
An initial step was achieved with the linking of the Park
Board Youth workers using an electronic bulletin board "Park
Board BBS" and the inclusion of a youth pages section on the
Vancouver City Home Page World Wide Web site. The latter has
attracted attention from numerous cities and countries around
the world who also wish to initiate similar programs at their
municipal governments, e.g., Los Angeles, St. Paul
Minneapolis, Ireland, and Australia.
5. Creating a Venue for Ongoing Consultation
with Youth and Government
In the 1995 Council report there was a recommendation for an
annual civic youth consultation day. After further
consideration and noting that a number of youth groups had
plans to hold forums, the CYS Core Committee chose to support
youth-driven, issue-based forums such as the Strathcona Youth
Action Forum, and the youth forum on B.C. Benefits
co-sponsored by Vancouver Youth Voices and the United Youth
Movement. This year also included further discussions with
youth, via Vancouver Youth Voices newsletter and network
meetings, on how youth would like to engage in discussions
with Council about youth issues. They are pursuing other
models of consultation beyond the one-day per year approach.
Appendix 5 is a list and brief description of models of youth
participation in Lower Mainland municipalities belonging to
the Youth and Municipal Advocacy network. Appendix 6 is an
excerpt from Vancouver Youth Voices newsletter containing a
current proposal under discussion for Vancouver.
6. Mapping the Service Support Base for Youth
This goal is based in the fourth objective of the Civic Youth
Strategy, "strengthening the support base for youth". The
purpose of this effort is to better coordinate youth services
in the city. Initial meetings have brought together the
various civic and non-profit "first-line" service providers
to youth and representatives from youth organizations.
"First-line" services are those which are community-based,
open to all youth, non-stigmatizing, and which provide youth
with opportunities to develop their social skills,
independence and confidence, as well as serving a preventive
role for youth at risk in the community. The group is now
working on ways to improve communication and knowledge
between the agencies and map where these first line services
are available in the city. Discussions have occurred on how
these groups can better support youth and each other to avoid
duplication of services, to identify and fill service gaps,
to share service resources, etc. A practical model for a
continuum of service has been developed and group members
have agreed to try this out over the next year. Mapping of
the services has begun.
7. Report Back to Council on Civic Action Plans:
a) Every City department has submitted an action plan for
1995/96 and 1996/97. These action plans reflect varying
levels of involvement with the Civic Youth Strategy as a
result of different departments' mandates. All action
plan activities are related to one or more of the four
objectives of the Civic Youth Strategy. Highlights from
Collaborative Projects & Individual Departmental Action
Plans are provided below in sections c), d) and e).
Appendix 7 is a summary of the action plans from which
these highlights are drawn.
b) Costs to implement the action plans can be managed in the
currently approved operating budgets for each department.
It is important for Council to note, however, that while
no specific additional costs are being requested,
Council's approval of this report recognizes that
consider-able staff time has been and will be expended by
all departments in city government on work of benefit to
the youth of Vancouver.
c) The CYS has led directly to, served as a catalyst for,
and/or provided the impetus for, a number of
collaborative projects involving City departments,
community service organizations, other Boards, other
municipalities and youth.
Collaborative Projects: Highlights
The following is a listing of some of the major collaborative projects initiated during the past year.
All projects are on-going in nature. Each project is
accompanied by the CYS objective it meets: 1 = places for
youth, 2 = youth voice, 3 = youth as resources, 4 =
strong support base for youth. The projects are:
Partners at Work - objectives 3 & 4 (A cooperative
venture between Vancouver municipal government, the
Vancouver School Board and youth to provide work
experience placements for secondary school students.
Last year over 70 students were placed in a wide variety
of civic departments.)
YouthWeek '96 - objective 3 (Vancouver civic government,
other lower mainland municipalities, Vancouver service
providers and business organizations and Vancouver youth
groups joined to develop a schedule of events to
celebrate and promote youth as a resource to the city.
City Clerks, Communications, took the lead in
advertising; Parks and Recreation took the lead in
co-ordinating the project.)
First Line services meetings - objective 4 (The co-chairs
of the CYS are providing an opportunity for service
providers to network.)
Co-ordination and funding stabilization of Park Board
Youth Workers - objective 4 (Park Board and Community
Centre Associations, with support from the Child and
Youth Advocate, have developed a cost-sharing model and
strategic plan re development of Park Board Youth
Services.)
Renfrew/Collingwood Youth Services Proposal - objectives
1, 2 and 4 (Local schools, the community centre and the
neighbourhood house have developed a proposal which
includes strong youth involvement in the planning,
delivery and review of services.)
Issue-based youth forums - objective 2 (Two examples
include: the CYS co-chairs assisting the Strathcona Youth
Action group to acquire funding for their forum and the
subsequent support of Vancouver Youth Voices co-ordinator
in the planning of the forum; the support of the Child
and Youth Advocate to Vancouver Youth Voices and the
United Youth Movement in co-sponsoring a youth forum on
B.C. Benefits.)
Youth Component to the Vancouver Action Plan - objective
2 (Social Planning and the Child and Youth Advocate
provided facilitation of the community process involving
service providers and youth to design the provincially
funded Vancouver Action Plan on sexual exploitation of
children and youth. On-going provincial funding has been
secured for four street-related youth groups: United
Youth Movement - Granville South Area, Youth Action
Coalition - Downtown Eastside area, Aboriginal youth
group, and Mount Pleasant group, which is in process of
development.)
d) In addition to the above cross-departmental initiatives
individual departments forged ahead on many solo
initiatives.
Individual Departmental Initiatives: Highlights
1995/96 Action Plans
Highlights from departmental action plans are as follows:
All Departments - participated in the Partners at Work
project (objective 3).
Several Departments - contributed time to the CYS Core
and Departmental Representatives Committees' activities
(see Appendix 3).
Child & Youth Advocate - through inter-municipal youth
advocacy work has assisted in the development of civic
youth strategies and youth-focused initiatives in other
municipalities such as Richmond, Burnaby, Abbotsford,
District of North Vancouver (objective 3), co-chaired
Civic Youth Strategy.
City Clerk's - inclusion of youth groups in solicitation
for nominations to Council Advisory Committees and Task
Forces (objective 3).
City Clerk's - Communications - designed and mounted the
"Youth Pages" section of the Vancouver City Home page on
the World Wide Web (objective 2).
Civic Theatres - provided mentorship and job experience
placements for youth wanting to pursue careers in the
Arts, conducted theatre tours for 44 youth groups, ages
25 & under (total 1,200 youth).
Engineering Services - "Keeping Vancouver Spectacular",
promoted youth involvement with the adopt a block or
shoreline campaign and youth input is being sought on the
Transportation Plan through a series of workshops
(objectives 3 & 2).
Financial Services - the "Odd Job Bank", an employment
program developed in concert with Granville Street
merchants and street youth (objectives 3 & 4).
Health1 - expanded youth health services to be more
integrated, comprehensive and inclusive, e.g. established
youth advisory Councils; developed in consultation with
youth programs on teen stress, pregnancy prevention, and
eating disorders (objectives 2, 3 & 4).
Housing Centre - developed 25 units of housing
specifically for youth in 2 projects, both on City land
and funded by BCMHC's Homes BC programs.
Planning - Over 1,000 students participated in Youthview
activities at the City Hall Open House organized by
CityPlan in the spring of 1995. Youth were also
consulted in the Oakridge Langara Planning program, most
recently in the Neighbourhood Portraits project, and in
the Greenways program, 11th Avenue project (objectives 2
& 3).
Social Planning - overall departmental support for the
Child & Youth Advocate, housed Vancouver Youth Voices and
supported youth advocacy on the Provincial B.C. Benefits
program (objectives 1-4).
Vancouver Board of Parks & Recreation - along with the
Child & Youth Advocate, coordination and development of a
support base for Park Board and
ethno-specific/multi-cultural Youth Workers,
participation in the first UBCM workshop on youth issues,
and chairing a project team on Youth Week '96, formation
of a committee to address licensed childcare issues
(objectives 3 & 4).
Vancouver Public Library - Friends of the Library -
youth involvement, and hosting of events for Youth Week
(objectives 1, 2 & 3).
e) The 1996/97 action plans include the continuation of
projects begun last year as well as new initiatives. Once
again, the main CYS objective/s related to each project
is/are noted. The following list identifies 1 or 2 key
initiatives in each department and so provides a sense of
the scope of the projects planned for 1996/97.
Individual Departmental Initiatives: Highlights
1996/97 Action Plans
Child & Youth Advocate - will continue to co-chair the
CYS and carry both child and youth issues as the main
agenda for the position (objectives 1-4).
City Clerk's - will work with youth and with the
Vancouver School Board to provide Vancouver secondary
schools with 1996 elections information and modules on
the election process (objectives 2 and 3).
Civic Theatres - is participating in a Vancouver School
Board task force on "Youth in the Arts" called the Career
Preparation Arts Advisory Committee.
Engineering Services - has developed a travelling water
conservation show "The A 2Z of H2O" and a recycling
program called the 3 "Rs" for presentation to elementary
school children (objectives 3 and 4).
Fire & Rescue Services - will work with youth to
establish youth oriented first aid instructor training
(objective 3).
Housing Centre - develop in partnership with youth,
VanCity and Social Planning "VanCity Place", a project
for youth in the Downtown Eastside which will be
available to youth and singles under the age of 45
(objectives 1 - 3).
Human Resource Services and Equal Employment
Opportunities - will carry forward the successful model
of partnership between City of Vancouver and the
Vancouver School Board to provide 50+ work placements for
Grade 11 and Grade 12 students as part of the Career
Preparation and Planning Project(objectives 3 and 4).
Law - will continue its involvement in a variety of
student mentorships such as presentation to Law 11
students from local high schools and the student program
run by the Canadian Bar Association (objective 4).
Permits & Licenses - continue to provide summer
employment opportunities to youth in the data resource
centre (objective 3).
Planning - will continue to involve youth in the CityPlan
Neighbourhood Visions program, Greenways, and other
planning initiatives. CityPlan staff will work with the
School Board and teachers to develop classroom activities
and educational material on urban and neighbourhood
planning (objectives 2, 3 & 4).
Police - will pursue strategies designed to provide
"communication and non-enforcement" police contact with
youth e.g. youth chairs of community advisory council
(objective 2) and an elementary school program called
"Junior Police Challenge" (objectives 1-4).
Social Planning - Community Services will provide staff
support to the CYS Core Committee, will continue to
provide grant funds to support youth worker services, and
develop partnerships with the other organizations and the
business community to mount Youth Week '97 (objectives
1-4).
Social Planning - Office of Cultural Affairs will develop
the program and funding partnerships as a first step to
implementation of the youth-related recommendations of
the Vancouver Arts Initiative - Access to the Arts
(objectives 2, 3 and 4).
Social Planning - the Gathering Place will continue to
provide space and program support to a variety of
youth-driven initiatives such as the Slice magazine, and
the United Youth Movement, and to youth support services
such as the Learning Centre (objectives 1 & 4).
Vancouver Board of Parks & Recreation - will continue to
support and initiate active youth councils in 11
community centres (objective 2), will co-chair Civic
Youth Strategy.
Vancouver Public Library - is planning a training
workshop for librarians on meeting the needs of youth
(objective 4) and will continue to increase direct youth
input into the planning of library services (objective
2).
Vancouver Regional Health Board - As formal endorsation
of the CYS by the Board is in process, the details of the
1996-1997 action are not included in this report.
Vancouver School Board - is planning to work with youth
to hold its own youth forums (objective 2).
8. The Civic Youth Strategy - the broader context
The preceding sections, 1 - 7, address specific goals and
achievements directly influenced by the Civic Youth Strategy.
It is important to recognize that many activities within the
city have occurred that reflect the spirit of this strategy,
that is, that speak to the indirect influence of Council s
commitment to youth. For example:
- Council unanimously supported the permit for the
Aboriginal Safehouse to proceed (objective 1: a place for
youth);
- Vancouver Family Court Youth Justice Committee waived
conference fees for youth, enabling strong youth
participation in the Provincial FCYJ Committees
conference; provincially funded, on-going youth
involvement in the Provincially funded initiatives for
sexually exploited street youth stemming from the
Vancouver Action Plan (objective 2: a voice for youth);
- Notable increase in the number of young people on
community centre boards, youth councils, advisory
committees to senior government and community projects,
e.g., the Environmental Youth Alliance is working with
many community groups and neighbourhood associations on
defining land use strategy in East Vancouver, focusing
specifically on South East False Creek, the Grandview
Cut, and the False Creek Flats; Youth Action Coalition in
the Downtown Eastside has set up a youth resource centre
(objective 3: youth as a resource); and
- Funding stabilization of Park Board/Community Centre
Association youth worker positions (objective 4: a strong
support base for youth).
9. A Report Back to Youth
The key players in the Civic Youth Strategy are the youth of
Vancouver. They are the reason for the existence of the
Strategy and it is to and with them that the strategy needs
ultimately to be responsible. The March 1995 report was
heavily based on feedback from young people including their
input from a consultation day held December 1994. On that
day, just over 100 youth from across the city and from
varying backgrounds raised many issues which had been heard
over the years from other youth and which were subsequently
articulated as the four objectives of the Civic Youth
Strategy: ensure that youth have "a place" in the city;
ensure a strong youth voice in decision-making; promote youth
as a resource to the City; and strengthen the support base
for youth in the city.
On that day, the youth also gave three "loud" messages to
civic government regarding its proposal to develop a civic
youth strategy. Their 3 messages were:
Listening to youth means dealing with education issues. The
school system needs to be a part of the Civic Youth Strategy;
"This better not be another experience of talk and no
action"; and
1 The Vancouver Health Department was transferred to the Vancouver Regional Health Board on January 1,
1996. City departments need to work together.
Last year's accomplishments, as highlighted in items 1 - 8 in the
above sections and as further detailed in the appendices to this
report, stand as a summary of some of this year s response to the
priority objectives and "loud" messages from youth.
Youth Comments Section
A draft of this report was circulated to the youth members of the
Core Committee and this report incorporates their suggestions.
II. Future Directions
In addition to the work in progress and the projects planned by
individual departments, the Child and Youth Advocate and the Park
Board Manager of Youth Services on behalf of the CYS Core
Committee suggest that the following be included in the workplan
of the Civic Youth Strategy over the next twelve month period:
1. Promote the Civic Youth Strategy with youth including
outreach to youth of diverse backgrounds.
2. Promote the Civic Youth Strategy within Vancouver's business
sector.
3. Assist in the implementation of the Vancouver School Board
student forums.
4. Assist in the development of a shared approach within civic
government to involve youth in the City of Vancouver's public
consultation processes such as the upcoming Public Arts
consultation process, Transportation plan and City Plan.
5. Continue to support the development of Vancouver Youth Voices
as a youth-run, City-wide network of youth groups as a way to
ensure direct dialogue between City government, relevant
Boards (e.g., Parks Board, VSB, and the Vancouver Regional
Health Board), and Vancouver youth. Two options which could
be explored are: regular City-wide forums between youth and
civic bodies; regular, dedicated agenda times in Council,
School Board, Park Board, etc. meetings to discuss youth
issues.
6. Pay attention to the committee framework and the maintenance
of links between key partners including youth, various civic
departments, related boards and community service providers.
While project outcomes are the most tangible result of the
strategy, this is a new model of partnership that will
require nurturing as well as review.
7. Support the inter-municipal work of the Child & Youth
Advocate to extend the base of civic government assistance to
youth.
8. Assist youth initiatives addressing youth in the media.
CONCLUSION
This past year has been a year of action for the Civic Youth Strategy.
The work has been shared by many. There is evidence, in the on-going
collaborative projects, in the action plans and in the endorsations
of the Strategy by the key Boards in Vancouver, of strong commitment
for the future. Further the Child & Youth Advocate has observed real
change over the past two years in the extent to which people in
government and in communities have included young people in planning,
consultation, and decision-making, such as: the Vancouver Action Plan,
the proposed VSB youth forums, the increased number of young people
serving on community centre councils and boards. As a litmus test the
Advocate no longer experiences herself as a lone voice saying" "and
what about youth?" By having a civic youth strategy through which
Council has visibly demonstrated their concern for youth civic
government in Vancouver has helped to create an environment in which
more people have been willing to seek and use input from young people.
This is, however, no time to rest as:
* there continues to be highly vocal pockets of anti-youth
sentiment in the larger community;
* poverty continues to drive many children, youth and families in
Vancouver to unsafe and unhealthy living situations;
* youth unemployment, increasingly prohibitive post-secondary
education fees, the gaps in child care and out of school care
programs, and the needs of particular youth populations [e.g.,
housing for street youth and youth in care; pre-employment,
counselling, addictions and other support programs for street
youth] are pressing concerns for Vancouver;
* issues of diversity including alternate lifestyles, cultural and
ethnic issues, socio-economic differences and disability issues,
continue to challenge service providers and remain a reality of
today's youth and our larger community.
* * * * *
APPENDICES
APPENDIX 1 Vancouver Child and & Youth Advocate -
A Practical Model of Advocacy
APPENDIX 2 Overview of the Civic Youth Strategy
APPENDIX 3 Membership of the Civic Youth Strategy Core and
Departmental Representatives Committees for
1995/96
APPENDIX 4 Civic Youth Strategy - Membership, roles, and
responsibilities of Key Committees
APPENDIX 5 Approaches to youth involvement in other Lower
Mainland municipalities
APPENDIX 6 Current youth proposal for ongoing consultation
between youth and civic government
APPENDIX 7 Summary of the Civic Youth Strategy Action Plans
* * * * *
APPENDIX 1
VANCOUVER CHILD AND YOUTH ADVOCATE
A PRACTICAL MODEL OF ADVOCACY
1. Never assume I know what is "in the youth's best interests", what their issue
is.
In practice, this has meant: Be sure to listen first!
2. Assist the young person to understand [that is, get a handle on] whatever the
situation is s/he is in AND don't make the person feel stupid for asking.
Examples I have encountered in my job are: 1) I am a sixteen year old temporary
ward of the court. I am going to get an abortion. Do my natural parents have
to know? 2) How many children in Vancouver live in poverty? 3) What do we
have to do to make sure the piece of land we want for our youth drop in is OK
to use - like are there any city rules about this?
In practice, this has meant: I have had to have a lot of information at my
fingertips OR have known where to get it fast! AND I have to truly believe
that asking is not stupid.
3. Assist the young person to express their viewpoint in their ways not mine.
In practice, this has meant: I might offer practical assistance such as
offering to take notes on the flip chart or driving them to the meeting. I
might offer emotional support such as just being there. I might offer help in
skill development such as suggesting another way of saying something so others
will be more likely to continue to listen to their comments. This last part is
quite tricky as I've had to constantly check that I am not just suggesting
phrasing that "sounds better or has won points" for me versus those situations
where the phrasing chosen by the young person will get doors closed
immediately.
4. Make sure that if the young person has taken the time and trouble to understand
their situation, and the courage to express their view, that they are
expressing it to someone who can do something about it.
In practice, this has meant: Developing contacts I can use to set up real
opportunities for young people to give input AND keeping my own faith that
there are people who will do something as a result of hearing from youth.
5. Encourage a cooperative spirit between our voices.
In practice, this has meant focusing on differences of opinion as a positive
value of diverse perspectives and not falling into a "who's got the right
answer" attitude. It also means modelling respect when conflict arises.
Note: The above model is based on discussion with YOUTH IN CARE members, May 1992.
* * * * *
APPENDIX 2
OVERVIEW OF THE CIVIC YOUTH STRATEGY
CIVIC YOUTH STRATEGY FACT SHEET
1. The Civic Youth Strategy is a municipal government initiative designed and
developed in consultation with youth. On March 28, 1995 the City Council of
Vancouver unanimously approved the CYS.
2. The CYS is civic government s formal statement of commitment to work in
partnership with youth and the larger community on issues affecting youth. The
implementation of the CYS is an on-going venture in which the policy,
objectives and principles of the CYS are translated into action.
3. The Civic Youth Strategy includes:
- A Policy Statement on the City's relationship with and commitment
The City of Vancouver commits to involving youth as active partners:
1. In the development, assessment and delivery of civic services which
have direct impact on youth, and
2. In broad spectrum community consultations and initiatives.
The City of Vancouver promotes and supports youth-driven youth groups as a
key consultation resource to the city to ensure that the voices of youth
are hear.
- Four Core Objectives
#1. Youth have "a place"/belong in the city:
a) services are accessible and user-friendly
b) there are youth-dedicated spaces
#2. Youth have a strong voice in decision-making
#3. Youth are seen as a resource in and to the city
#4. There is a strong support base for youth in the city.
- Three Principles of Action to guide work related to meeting the objectives
. strong youth involvement at the local level
. partnership in planning and implementation
. assistance and support rather than control and management.
- Leadership structures to sustain the Strategy- a coalition of municipal
government, the Vancouver School Board2 and youth; a core working committee
- Current action plans for implementation of policy and objectives
4. The March 1995 report to Council included a recommendation that there be a
progress report to Council in May 1996, and in particular, that this report
address implementation to date and resources required for future implementation
of the Civic Youth Strategy.
5. Contacts:
Child and Youth Advocate, City of Vancouver
Manager, Youth Services, Vancouver Board of Parks & Recreation
Youth Pages on the World Wide Web on Vancouver City Homepage:
http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/
* * * * *
APPENDIX 3
MEMBERSHIP OF THE CIVIC YOUTH STRATEGY CORE AND
DEPARTMENTAL REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEES FOR 1995/96
Civic Youth Strategy Core Committee
Penny Parry, Child & Youth Advocate, co-chair
Greg Eng, Manager of Youth Services, Park Board, co-chair
Davola Girvan, youth member, United Youth Movement
Benito Segura, youth member, Youth Resource Centre
Eng Sengsavang, youth member, Strathcona Community Centre
Mike Teddiman, youth member, Vancouver Youth Voices network
Chasity Kuzmicz, youth member, Aboriginal Safe House
Alison Hayman, youth support
Cheryl Mixon, Youth Support - Family Services
Janice Douglas, Vancouver Public Library
Ken Harvey, Vancouver School Board
Stu Flemming, Vancouver Police Department
Monica Stokl, Vancouver Regional Health Board
Scott Macrae, City Clerk's Office
Coralys Cuthbert, Social Planning Department
Civic Youth Strategy Departmental Representatives Committee3
Greg Eng, Manager of Youth Services, Park Board, co-chair
Penny Parry, Child & Youth Advocate, co-chair
Rae Ackerman, Civic Theatres
Judy Anderson, Vancouver Board of Parks & Recreation
Wendy Appleton, Vancouver Board of Parks & Recreation
Coralys Cuthbert, Social Planning Department
Janice Douglas, Vancouver Public Library
2 To be amended to include Vancouver Regional Board of Health
3 In light of the City government re-engineering process, this Committee will in future be called the "City
Government Representatives Committee". Jim Hall, Engineering Services
Patti Hayes, Permits & Licenses Department
Catherine Kinahan, Law Department
Rajpal Kohli, Equal Employment Opportunities Program
Nancy Largent, City Clerk's Office
Ernie Leffler, Housing Centre
Steve Nordin, Vancouver Fire & Rescue Services
Cynthia Savage, Human Resource Services
Ken Stoke, Corporate Services
Monica Stokl, Vancouver Regional Health Board
Branca Verde, Planning Department
Lorenz von Fersen, Office of Cultural Affairs
* * * * *
APPENDIX 4
CIVIC YOUTH STRATEGY
MEMBERSHIP, ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF KEY COMMITTEES
1a. CORE COMMITTEE - TERMS OF REFERENCE
PURPOSE
In March 1995, Council of Vancouver approved the establishment of the Core
Committee to launch and oversee implementation of the Civic Youth Strategy.
The Strategy's four objectives seek to:
* Ensure that youth have "a place" in the city.
* Ensure a strong youth voice in decision-making.
* Promote youth as a resource to the City.
* Strengthen the support base for youth in the city.
MANDATE OF THE CORE COMMITTEE
* Oversee the overall implementation of the Civic Youth Strategy in
partnership with key players
* Support the development of action plans for each civic department4
* Monitor implementation initiatives of civic government
* Propose a structure for long-term realization of the four Civic Youth
Strategy Objectives
* Communicate the objectives of the CYS within civic government and the
community
MEMBERSHIP
* Co-chairs are Social Planning and Park Board5
* Community members: eight youth; one Vancouver School Board liaison; one
non-profit organization representative6
* Civic Government: one representative from Health, Library, Police,
City Clerk's [Communications]7
TIME LINES
The Core committee is to report back to Council on an annual basis
Approved by CYS Core Committee Nov.8/95
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES
* taking into account the last annual report to Council, develop an annual
action plan to oversee the implementation of the Strategy
* assist key players in civic government and the community to realize their
action plans by:
- being a source of information about the Strategy, action plans etc.
- working directly on some of the action plans [Note: each core member
takes liaison responsibility for particular departments]
* monitor implementation initiatives
* promote the objectives of the CYS within civic government and the community
* help draft the annual report to Council
* find an alternate member to the Committee and ensure that member is current
with the activities of the Committee
* attend regular meetings of the Core Committee
1b. Core Committee - Youth Members
In addition the above responsibilities, youth members are expected to take the
lead in:
* developing a structure for city-wide, ongoing youth input to the Strategy
* promoting the objectives of the CYS amongst the youth community, by direct
work on a project related to this task, such as surveying how and where
youth across the city get information about "what's going on", assisting
with Youth Week, etc.
Youth members may choose to designate one or two of their members to attend
Core meetings.
2. Departmental Representatives Committee -
Membership & Responsibilities
Mandate
* serve as liaison between the Core Committee and the Department
* promote the Civic Youth Strategy within the department
Membership
* one representative from each of the civic departments
Specific Responsibilities
* attend quarterly update meetings with the Core Committee on the Civic Youth
Strategy
* confer with department staff and, on this basis, draft a departmental
action plan [Note: The Core committee serves as support for this activity]
* be available to department colleagues for information on the Civic Youth
Strategy
* find an alternate member to the Committee and ensure that member is current
with the activities of the Committee.
* * * * *
APPENDIX 5
APPROACHES TO YOUTH INVOLVEMENT IN OTHER LOWER MAINLAND MUNICIPALITIES
ABBOTSFORD YOUTH COMMISSION (Cindy Rammage 1-604-854-8785)
Objective:
To identify and promote services and programs for Youth.
Reporting Relationship:
Reports to Council. Guides the work of 2 staff members who have experience in
developing community programs and support services for Youth. The staff
members, in turn, guide and support the Abbotsford Youth Council. The Youth
Council is comprised of teens that meet three times a month to develop positive
leisure opportunities and address social issues and concerns.
Funding Source:
Abbotsford municipality.
Membership:
8 community reps including 6 adults and 2 Youth reps from the Abbotsford Youth
Council.
Activities include:
Linking and advocacy, community development, program development, providing
resources and information sharing for the community. Also puts out a "Teen
Tribute" newsletter.
BURNABY YOUTH COMMITTEES (Gary Manson 433-6032)
Primarily two types: centre and project-specific. Centre-specific youth committees
- there is one of these set-up at each of Burnaby's recreation/youth centres and at
the Burnaby Youth Clinic.
Some Key Objectives:
1. To involve youth directly in decision-making processes related to centre
operations.
2. To develop and improve participant leadership skills.
3. To increase self-esteem.
4. To develop a sense of pride and ownership in participants' programs,
facilities, and community.
5. To learn to work as a team.
6. To provide community program opportunities (e.g. fundraising, community
events and celebrations).
Project-specific youth committees - these are normally reserved for larger
community projects that may be intended for city-wide benefit or perhaps
quadrant-wide benefit. These committees also normally work within a given
timeline (project to be completed with recommendations in six or twelve months
for example) within specific terms of reference.
Reporting Relationship:
The centre-based committees report directly to the staff person at that site
responsible for youth services. Otherwise, the project specific committees are
usually reporting directly to the Coordinator Youth Recreation Services for the
City. Depending on the project, a youth committee may do (and have done) a
presentation directly to the parks and Recreation Commission, the Community
issues and Social Planning Committee or City Council.
Funding Source:
Some funding available through city accounts while other funding comes from
direct fundraising by the committee itself (e.g., car washes) and donations
from community service groups for example.
Membership:
Males and females ages 13-18 usually, however there are a couple of pre-teen
committees for people ages 10-12. There is no cost to join a centre-specific
committee other than having a centre membership which is approximately $4 per
year and no cost for project-specific committees.
Activities include:
Centre-specific: dances, going to conferences and meetings representing their
centre/city, outtrips (e.g., visiting other youth programs elsewhere in the
Lower Mainland), fundraising, etc.
Project-specific: skateboard park development, Youth Week, youth recreation
services committee (where new youth services should next be developed), etc.
RICHMOND YOUTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE (Kari Huhtala 276-4188)
Objective:
Established by the City Council to provide a place and voice for Richmond youth
on committed partnership with the community.
Reporting Relationship:
Advisory committee to Richmond City Council. Has been given resources from the
City to initiate projects. Participates on City Committees. No limitations on
what the Committee can get involved in or on its size.
Funding Source:
The Committee receives an annual operating budget from City's Community
Services Division budget.
Membership:
Open to Richmond youth, between the ages of 12 and 18 years. Membership
expires when the youth turns 19 years of age. The Committee operates between
September to June (school year). It has an appointed Liaison Councillor and a
staff resource person.
Activities (1995/96) include:
* Maintain the Youth Opportunities Fund, which allocates funds for youth
initiated projects during the year (e.g. youth mural painting project, 3 on
3 Basketball Tournament, Real2 Leadership Conference on Traffic Safety
Conference on Traffic Safety, Human Rights Conference).
* Pursuing a strategic and suitable place for a temporary youth centre in the
Richmond City Centre.
* Coordinating 1996 Youth Week activities.
* Participates on various City committees and projects (e.g. Annual City
Design Awards Committee, Advisory Committee on Multi-Cultural Committee,
City Centre Transportation Study).
* Working with the City staff on the implementation of the Richmond's "City
Strategy For Youth Services".
* Investigating the development of Richmond Youth Magazine an Yellow Bike
Program.
* Working interested skateboarders on the creation of a skateboard park.
* Pursuing the strengthening of a city-wide youth network (i.e. schools,
centres, agencies, and youth).
SURREY YOUTH EMPOWERMENT SOCIETY (YES) (Daisy Bogel 541-3240)
Objective:
To strengthen the voice of Youth in Surrey and empower Youth to do things for
themselves.
Reporting Relationship:
Not initiated by the City. Stand alone.
Funding Source:
Got support from outside. South Surrey provides meeting space and staff
support.
Membership:
Comprised of youth.
Activities include:
Not city-wide, only covers South Surrey/White Rock. Involved with weekly TV
shows on Shaw Cable, a Youth newspaper, and an "Adopt a Park" program.
N.B.: The six areas in Surrey have different youth groups working in specific
areas. For example, the South Surrey specific is Great Orange Garage Group
which meets monthly and its members comprised of different youth reps.
VANCOUVER YOUTH VOICES (Joanna Wedge 871-6045)
Objective:
By connecting existing groups with each other, VYV provides information to
groups from Youth that can best reflect the issues at hand; and provides Youth
with an opportunity to be heard.
Reporting Relationship:
Stand Alone.
Funding Source:
Cash funds from various foundations; initial seed money from Vancouver Child &
Youth Committee members; "in kind" funding from City of Vancouver & Ministry of
Social Services.
Membership:
Any youth group in Vancouver. 3 part time staff plus a group of volunteers.
Activities include:
Holds general meetings every three weeks, publishes a newsletter every 2 months,
does weekly bulletin, annual youth fair, exchanges information between groups.
WHITE ROCK YOUTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE (Rita Clarkson 541-2161)
Objective:
To discuss Youth issues and develop programs and events for Youth.
Reporting Relationship:
Advisory committee to Council. Meetings not well attended and Committee has
contributed little to the community in the past 3 years.
Funding Source:
N.A.: an advisory committee to Council.
Membership:
4 To be amended to read and for those developed by the Vancouver School Board and Vancouver Regional Board of
Health upon formal endorsation of the Strategy by the Vancouver Regional Board of Health
5 Updated annually. 1996 - 1997 co-chairs will be the Child and Youth Advocate, Social Planning, and the
Manager of Youth Services, Board of Parks and Recreation
6 To be amended to add member approved by Vancouver Regional Health Board, upon formal endorsation of the
Strategy by the Vancouver Regional Board of Health
7 To be amended to delete Health as a city department, upon formal endorsation of the Strategy by the Vancouver
Regional Board of Health 1 member of Council, 1 staff note taker and approx. 7 Youth.
Status:
In the process of redefining its Terms of Reference.
* * * * *
APPENDIX 6
CURRENT YOUTH PROPOSAL FOR ONGOING
CONSULTATION BETWEEN YOUTH AND CIVIC GOVERNMENT
The following is an excerpt from Vancouver Youth Voices March 1996 newsletter. This
newsletter has a circulation list of 650 including youth groups, government and
community organizations.
Would you like to have a word with the mayor? Vancouver Youth Voices is trying to
set up a way for all youth and youth-driven groups to have regular contact with the
Mayor and Councillors. Check out what we've come up with; we think it is better than
a hand-picked youth advisory committee. Please discuss it with your peers and get
back to us. We hope to go forward with a proposal in early April. Call Joanna at
871-6045 or fax back to 871-6048.
Who would be there? The confirmed presence of 2 councillors (rotating) but with the
invitation to all councillors and any appropriate City Hall staff.
Who sets the agenda? Because politicians don't come to meetings unless they know
what the topic is, the agenda has to be set 2 working days before the meeting.
Anything you want to discuss about Vancouver life can be sent in to VYV who will
send the agenda to City Hall.
But we want answers... We have to realize that not every question has an easy or
quick answer. This regular meeting will be a place and time to both ask questions
and have City Hall's staff listen and learn some of the answers as youth see them.
How would we find out? City Hall would handle general publicity (on the radio & in
newspapers, etc.) and VYV would let people know through its network (by fax &
newsletter).
How often would we meet? 4 times a year or every 3 months: March, June, September
and December; on a weekday evening (not Friday).
Where would we meet? Each meeting would be hosted by a youth-driven organization
and would move around the city.
Who would facilitate? The duties would be shared by an invited facilitator (maybe
the City's advocate, the provincial advocate, etc.) and 1 youth from hosting
organization.
If we can't go...? VYV will take minutes of people's concerns and actions to be
taken; they will be published in VYV's newsletter and you can call in your own copy.
So what do you think?
* * * * *
APPENDIX 7
SUMMARY OF THE CIVIC YOUTH STRATEGY ACTION PLANS
All Departments and Service Groups
- "Partners at Work: Show What You Know", all civic departments, the Park Board,
the Vancouver School Board, and Library Board participated in a job experience
program that involved 70 secondary students at 80 worksites during the November
1995. This project is ongoing, with leadership being assumed by Equal
Opportunity Office and Human Resources.
- Civic Youth Strategy, all civic departments and related boards have participated
in the Strategy by initiating activities directed to youth and/or that are
inclusive of youth. They have all indicated their commitment in 1996/97 to
having representatives on the CYS Core and Departmental Committees and
implementing the activities outlined in their action plans.
City Clerk's
- 1995-97, update notification lists to include youth groups/contacts; accept
youth nominations for Council Advisory Committees; add/update "Youth Pages" on
the City of Vancouver's Internet home page; provide staff support to the Family
Court/Youth Justice Committee; prepare and distribute an elections information
outline for use in the secondary schools, visit secondary schools to present
information on the civic election, and hire youth polling clerks to assist with
the civic election.
Civic Theatres
- 1995-97, participate in "Partners at Work"; assist youth with securing mentoring
positions in the Civic Theatres and/or placements with other art organizations;
respond to youth enquiries about careers in the arts; participate on the VSB
task force "Career Preparation Arts Advisory Committee"; provide performance
facilities to a variety of arts groups who target youth audiences; and offer
discount rental rates to Lower Mainland schools for graduation ceremonies
(currently 24 schools take advantage of this).
Corporate Services
- 1995-96, the Economic Development Office's Business Improvement Program staff
assisted local business and youth with the development of the "Odd Job Bank".
The project was set up to assist street youth from the Downtown South area in
securing short-term employment. A pilot program was tried in December 1995 and
in March 1996 the program went into full time operation. Youth both run and use
the service with funding provided by the Provincial government and the Downtown
Granville Street Business Improvement Association.
- 1995-97, participate in the "Partners at Work" project and assist with
individual job "shadowing" experiences in the Building and Maintenance section,
of Corporate Services.
Engineering Services
- 1995-97, involve youth in the Transportation Plan by holding workshops organized
for their input and attending meetings arranged by youth to discuss
transportation issues; provide opportunities for youth to participate in "Keep
Vancouver Spectacular", a city-wide project hosted by Tourism Vancouver and the
Engineering Department that will involve businesses and communities in the
clean-up of their neighbourhoods; produce and present environmental,education
programs to elementary school children such as the "3Rs" and "The A2Z of H2O";
and participate in "Partners at Work".
Fire
- 1995-97, looking at establishing Community First Aid training oriented to youth
using local firehalls and Fire & Rescue Services' instructors; providing
presentations to youth through their local schools, community associations and
youth clubs on how to prepare for a career in fire-fighting; targeting schools
during career days and developing a plan for career development through
"Learning Through Living" e.g. a 2 week course where a youth would work with one
of the Fire & Rescue Divisions to learn about what is involved in being a
firefighter, and currently offer tours of firehall to youth groups.
Health
- 1995-96, concentrated on ways to involve youth in the design and delivery of
health services so that these services are more integrated, comprehensive and
inclusive. Some projects pursued to meet this objective included: provision of
educational material on the "Morning after Pill" to community physicians to
support them in their provision of this service to youth; production of a
pamphlet on "Teen Stress" for parents of teens; development with adolescent
girls of an eating disorders program that can be used in Vancouver schools and
staff training on eating disorders to support early intervention strategies; and
preparation of a classroom resource on early pregnancy prevention.
- Established Youth Councils to assist with the development of appropriate health
services for youth, e.g. at West Main Health Unit; promoted health education in
the following ways: International Handwashing Week -worked with Windermere
School to install aromatic liquid soaps and lotions in the washrooms, World Aids
Day - worked with Windermere students who did an Aids awareness/fundraiser, e.g.
handed out red ribbons at Harbour Centre and Bentall Centre, and arranged the
annual Condomania campaign to coincide with YouthWeek '96. Other health
promotions were pursued on topics such as substance abuse (tobacco), e.g.
students from Windermere and the school nurse attended a workshop in Richmond,
and alternatives to alcohol - the Windermere Health Club hosted a Mocktails
fundraiser.
- Supported the role of youth peer counsellors as resources in various endeavours.
- 1996-97, an action plan has been prepared but is not included here as the Health
Board is in the process of formally endorsing the CYS.
Housing Centre
- 1995-97, continue to develop affordable housing for low-income families with
children; develop housing specifically for youth on city-owned land through
BCMHC Homes B.C. programs (currently developing 25 units for youth in 2
projects; Housing Centre staff assisted with the organization of high school
involvement in contributing ideas to CityPlan; develop a social housing project
in the Downtown Eastside for singles under the age of 45 years, including youth,
called "VanCity Place"; continue work on housing issues with Inner City Foster
Parent Association.
- The Evelyne Saller Centre will continue to provide direct services to youth such
as: a once a week skating program, outings, and a job search program.
Human Resource Services & Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO)
- 1995-96, "Partners At Work": Human Resources and EEO worked in conjunction with
the Vancouver School Board, Social Planning, City Clerks [Communications] and
Engineering to develop a career experience program for Vancouver secondary
students. All civic departments and related boards hosted 70 students for one
week in eighty different worksites during November 1995. The program's
orientation and closing sessions were designed primarily by youth with support
from city and Vancouver School Board staff.
- 1996-97,will provide leadership to carry forward the successful model of
partnership between the City of Vancouver, the Vancouver School Board and youth
to provide 50+ work placements for Grade 11 and Grade 12 students as part of the
Career Preparation and Planning Project. They will work with other civic
departments, related boards, and Union representatives to develop a project team
to assist with implementation.
Law
- 1995-97, participate in student mentoring and work experience programs such as
Partners At Work, and the Canadian Bar Association mentoring program; continue
to make presentations to Vancouver secondary students taking Law 11 in order to
share career information on being a lawyer in a municipal setting; assist with
an annual mock trial event for articling students who participate in a
professional legal training course offered by the Continuing Legal Education
Society of B.C.
Permits and Licenses
- 1995-97, provide summer employment opportunities to youth in the Data Resource
Centre and participate in Partners At Work.
Planning
- 1995-96,over 1000 students participated in Youthview activities at the City Hall
Open House organized by CityPlan in the spring of 1995; youth were also
consulted in the Oakridge Langara Planning program, Neighbourhood Portraits
project, and in the Greenways program, 11th Avenue project; three Vancouver
secondary schools responded to the Planning Department's invitation to host an
art display at City Hall during YouthWeek '96.
- 1996-97, will focus on new approaches to ensure youth are involved in the
CityPlan Neighbourhood Visions program, Greenways and other planning
initiatives; will continue to address youth needs by developing policies that
will create housing and public amenities such as park space, schools, child
care, recreational facilities and landscape; support and participate in the CYS
and other civic initiatives related to youth e.g. YouthWeek and Partners at
Work; CityPlan staff will work with the School Board and teachers to develop
classroom activities and educational material on urban and neighbourhood
planning; and share information with Vancouver Youth Voices Network.
Police
- 1995-97, each patrol district is implementing strategies designed to provide
"communication and non-enforcement" police contact with youth.
District One - has included a youth chair in each of their community advisory
councils and expanded their interaction with youth service providers;
District Two - will continue to develop and run the Police Soccer School during
July, a no cost program for youth including transportation by volunteer police
drivers;
District Three - has run and will continue to run if funding available a martial
art program for inner city youth using volunteer police instructors, continue
informal visitation programs in place at Renfrew and Sunset Community Centres,
attending functions in informal settings as arranged through the Kidsafe Project
Society and Mt. Pleasant Crime Prevention Office, supporting area Crime
Prevention Offices in a Youth Services grant, e.g. $150,000 has been awarded to
provide opportunities for youth to be involved in safety initiatives and
mentorship programs; and;
District 4 - patrol members are visit elementary schools in Kitsilano and Pt.
Grey, members also visit community centres and present information to various
youth groups on drug awareness, bicycle safety, traffic safety, and dealing with
strangers.
- 1995-97, the Recruiting Section will ensure that Policing as a Career
information is available to high school age youth;
The Vancouver Police Youth program, Junior Police Challenge has pilot projects
being developed in three elementary schools. The school administrators are
active partners in these programs. Much work has to be done in the coming year
to work out the growing pains of these programs and extend the program to other
schools;
The Youth Services Unit and the School Liaison Unit will continue to participate
in youth oriented endeavours undertaken by various agencies throughout the city.
Social Planning
- 1995-96, the Child and Youth Advocate, and the Child Care Co-ordinator for the
City are in Community Services Division of Social Planning (these positions are
dedicated to child and youth issues in the city. The Child and Youth Advocate
also co-chairs the Civic Youth Strategy.). The Community Services Division also
provided support to the Child & Youth Advocate, participated in the CYS by
providing assistance to the Core and Departmental Representatives Committees;
developed a partnership with other civic bodies and non-profit organizations to
mount Vancouver's first YouthWeek '96 (a national celebration for youth held
annually during the first week of May); recommended a number of grants to assist
non-profit groups with the delivery of services to youth, e.g. multi-cultural
youth workers and programs at neighbourhood houses and the Boys & Girls Club;
chaired and facilitated the Vancouver Action Plan for Sexually Exploited
Children and Youth, as well as forums and network meetings on youth and child
issues; facilitated strategies on juvenile prostitution both on service
development and legal enforcement issues; provided space and support to
Vancouver Youth Voices network as well as staff support to other youth groups
including the United Youth Movement, Strathcona Youth Action Forum and the Youth
in Care Network; chaired the Interministerial Street Children's Committee;
participated in Vancouver Child and Youth Committee.
- 1996-97, the items above are ongoing for Community Services.
- 1995-97, the Office of Cultural Affairs, working with the Vancouver School Board
to fulfill Vancouver Arts Initiatives concerning access to the arts for
children; seeking patronage to sponsor ticket and transportation costs so that
youth can attend arts events; continuing to nurture and support youth-serving
arts groups including the Children's festival, theatre troupes like Vancouver
Youth Theatre and arts groups whose core audience is children or who have an
important youth component to their audience, e.g. Vancouver Opera and Vancouver
Symphony; will continue to assist Council with the disbursement of arts grants
of which a portion will be directed to youth-serving, non-profit agencies; will
continue to involve youth in Community Arts project (8 1996 projects include
youth); will provide some festival advice to help guide organization and
promotion of YouthWeek '97 and will meet with youth to discuss how they would
like to be involved in public art decision-making. - 1995-97, Carnegie Centre does not tailor programs exclusively for youth focusing
instead on multi-generational activities, so youth are included in programs
offering recreation and arts activities and are welcomed to family nights and
weekly POW WOWs; in collaboration with the Vancouver School Board they operate a
literacy program that is well used by youth. Carnegie has strong links to
Raycam and DEYAS and they use the expertise of these groups to stay in touch
with the programming needs for youth.
- 1995-97, Gathering Place, will continue to develop and strengthen programs for
youth: currently offering programs including art & crafts, photography,
recreation, field trips and an educational upgrading through a Learning Centre;
provide space for programs run by Family Services of Greater Vancouver such as
"Youth Option" (pre & post-detox program), a parenting program and the "Art
Cart" (Granville Street merchants purchased a vending license for street youth);
provide facilities for youth comfort including storage lockers, laundry, shower
facilities, and cheap food; support the SLICE magazine; assist youth groups such
as the United Youth Movement and Vancouver Youth Voices by providing space for
youth events such as the B.C. Benefits forum; and sponsor inter-generational
activities to bring seniors and youth together.
Vancouver Board of Parks & Recreation
- 1995-97, Partnerships: develop collaborative, cooperative and expanded
partnerships between the Vancouver Park Board and other youth serving agencies,
e.g., continue to work with the Vancouver School Board on the delivery of
"Partners at Work: Show What You Know" field work placements, continue to have
Park Board/School Board collaborative workshops, work with Social planning to
support ethno-specific youth workers, participate in information
sharing/networking sessions with the Ministry of Social Services, continue to
play a role in the delivery of YouthWeek (did provide a coordinating role for
YouthWeek '96 along with Social Planning), hold joint meetings with health staff
(resulted in the inclusion of youth workers at mental health team meetings), and
in collaboration with other departments and agencies mounting a non-object
artwork "Turning Point" that involves 500 young women (pre-teens) in leadership
training and performance to communicate about social issues.
- Youth Workers: have secured funding for core Park Board Youth Workers program
and in cooperation with the Community Centre Associations have developed a model
of cost-sharing and a strategic plan for future development of the Youth
Services program.
- Youth Voice in Decision-Making: ensure youth have a voice in decision-making in
Park Board programs, services, facility developments and land use changes by
having an active Youth Council operating in 5 original sites and 6 pilot project
sites, and having youth representation on community association committees
and/or boards.
- Staff Training: encourage youth to identify community centres as their place by
providing training for all coordinators and programmers in the role of Youth
Workers in the community, and provide training for all command centre staff
members to ensure a welcoming environment is developed and is maintained.
- Child Care Services Initiative: Build ties in the community association network
of licensed child care programs - foster an enhanced awareness of the trends,
issues and policies affecting the broader child care services, focus also on
non-licensed child care to identify the needs and issues involving non-licensed
programs for children from infancy to twelve years old (recognizing an overlap
with ten to twelve year olds with the Youth Services Committee).
Vancouver Library Board
- 1995-96, develop a separate youth component to the Friends of the Vancouver
Public Library (completed); identify 5 vehicles of public relations that can be
used to reach youth, and begin using these channels, e.g. begin regular
submissions to the Vancouver Youth Voices, brainstorm with the "Youth Friends";
use a BCIT survey to help identify youth preferred media, submit articles to
media and newsletters that youth use; with assistance for "Youth Friends"
participate in hosting YouthWeek '96 events at the Central Library; seek youth
input into Library planning for 1996 programs and services by enlisting the help
of "Youth Friends" and other youth; prepare a report on youth suggestions and
implementation; share report findings with administration and librarians; and
hold a training workshop for librarians on meeting the needs of youth.
Vancouver School Board
- 1995-97, on an annual basis develop and implement with civic government the
Partners at Work project (a career planning experience involving 50+ job
placements for one week at various civic government worksites); work with youth
to sponsor forums for youth to talk about education; and participate in
YouthWeek by being part of the planning committee, disseminating information to
secondary school students, etc.