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C/O 1 Concorde Gate

suite 302 City of Oshawa 1

M3C 3N6

Tel: 41 6-426-7142

Fax: 416-426-7371

pwp@~ulavworksnartne~shi~.ca

www.~layorks~artnershiu.ca

Representatives 4-H Ontario

Arts Network for Children and Youth Boys and Girls Clubs of Ontario

Educational Research Laidlaw Foundation

Ontario Physical and Health Education Association

Sport Alliance of Ontario Parks and Recreation Ontario

YMCA Ontario

Oshawa, ON L1 J 5Y 1

Dear Mayor Gray:

It is with pleasure that I am forwarding you copies of materials which Play Works has recently created in its efforts to advance support for youth play in Ontario. In light of the recent Roots of Youth Violence report, Play Works is re-affirmed in its commitment to advocate for more adolescent youth have opportunities to participate in recreation, sport, arts, drama, leadership development, volunteerism, advocacy and civic engagement within their local community.

Communities that support this approach are youth friendly and I am pleased to provide you with information and resources to help your community become and remain youth friendly.

Youth Friendly Community Recognition Program Attached is the Recipient Brochure which shows the five (5) Ontario communities which were recognised as youth friendly in 2007 as the Queen's Park Ceremony in June 2008. Minister of Health Promotion, Margarett Best, hosted the event.

Youth Friendly Communities: Good Practices 2008 From the applications received in 2006 for the Youth Friendly Community Recognition Program, a series of good practice examples for the 16 Youth Friendly criteria were extracted. This document is a compendium of these good practices.

Be Recognized as a Youth Friendly Community: Small and Rural Communities: Lessons from the Field Small and rural communities that have been recognized as Youth Friendly share examples of how they are youth friendly and how they approached the process to become recognized. These six communities are pleased to act as contact resources to other communities which may be interested in applying for recognition (contact particulars located on Play Works website).

I hope you find this information of use as you strengthen your commitment to serving Ontario's adolescent population!

Regards,

Jennifer Cowie Bonne Chair, Play Works

For more information on the Youth Friendly Community Recognition Program or on Play Works, please go to www.~lavworksqartnershi~.ca

Youth Friendly

Communities

Good Practices

2008

BestPRACcover 9/30/08 8:29 AM Page 2

Play Works

Play Works is a group of organizations concerned about thefuture of youth in Ontario. It includes youth voices from the areas of sport, physical activity, civic engagement, arts and culture, and rural recreation. Play Works has beencreated to bring back the power of play to Ontario youth.It is dedicated to advancing youth play on local and provincial public and political agendas. Those groupsand individuals involved with Play Works include:

4-H Ontario

Arts Network for Children and Youth

Boys and Girls Clubs of Ontario

Educational Research

Laidlaw Foundation

Ontario Physical and Health Education Association

Parks and Recreation Ontario

Sport Alliance of Ontario

YMCA Ontario

Play Works1185 Eglinton Avenue EastSuite 406, Toronto, ON M3C 3C6Tel: 416-426-7142Fax: 416-426-7371

[email protected]

www.playworkspartnership.ca

Play Works is grateful to The Ontario Trillium Foundation, the

Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion and the Laidlaw Foundation

for their support of youth play in Ontario.


Youth Friendly

Communities

Good Practices

2008

BestPracREPORT2008 9/30/08 8:25 AM Page 1

4 Youth Friendly Communities – Good Practices at Play 2008

This document was prepared by:

Research and writing: Yvette MunroDesign and layout: Kathy Hunt Communications

In collaboration with and for:

Play Worksc/o 1185 Eglinton Avenue EastSuite 406, Toronto, ON M3C 3C6Tel: 416-426-7142 / Fax: 416-426-7371pwp@playworkspartnership.cawww.playworkspartnership.ca

Lead Research Participants

• Jessica Wolfe and Monica Kovacs, City of Barrie• Tammy Reynolds and members of the Clean City Youth Ambassadors,

City of Brampton• Eric Bryan, City of Cambridge• Jason Smith and community partners, Town of Ingersoll• Helen Kennedy, Lawrence Heights Community (Toronto)• Karen Oldham and Laurie Quinlan, City of London• Janet Davidson, Town of Milton• Pat McIntosh, Town of Newmarket• Ellen Stewart, City of Peterborough• Don Crowder, Town of Richmond Hill• Marlene Gorman, Sudbury Action Centre of Youth • Myles Cizmar and Sheila Hansen, City of Thunder Bay• Monika Piil-Smith and Mirella Tersigni, City of Vaughan• Mary Jo Wabano and Rose Shawanda, Wikwemikong Unceded

First Nation• John Watkins, Town of Whitby

General consultation and document review

• Pam Blanchfield, Boys and Girls Clubs of Ontario• Mary Gallop, City of Peterborough• Heather Pilling, City of Burlington• Mark Kiteley, Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion• Marion Price, Parks and Recreation Ontario• Brenda Whitehead, Municipality of Port Hope• Jo-Anne Fields, Town of South Huron• Marianne Staempfli, University of Waterloo

© Play Works 2008 Copyright of Good Practices

of Youth Friendly

Communities is waived

for nonprofit and voluntary

organizations for

non-commercial use.

For all other uses, please

contact Play Works.


1. Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

2. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9• About Play Works and the focus on youth play• Youth Friendly Community Recognition Program –

overview of the last two years• Why a guide of good practices?

3. What is working? – sharing youth friendly practices . . . . .14 • Youth have options for play• Youth are formally connected to the community• Facilities are dedicated to youth play• It is easy for youth to find out information about play

activities in the community• The community supports public youth events• The community celebrates and recognizes youth• The community commits funding for youth play• The community supports positive youth development• The community supports youth volunteerism and

leadership development• The community has models of effective community

partnerships• Youth activism and advocacy for play is nurtured • Youth feel comfortable in their own community• Youth can get to the play programs that are offered• Schools support the youth friendly approach• Adults champion the cause for youth play• Play is accessible to youth with disabilities

4. A Final Note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

5. Addendum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35• 2006 Criteria: Youth Friendly Community

Recognition Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35• 2006 Youth Friendly Community Applicants . . . . . . . . .37

6. Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

Table of Contents

Good Practices of Youth Friendly Communities 5



Executive Summary

he next time you are out and about in your community, take agood look around. Do you see youth around? What are theydoing? Do you get a sense that this is an environment that

welcomes and values the ideas and input of youth?

In too many communities across Ontario, young people have fewplaces to gather and few opportunities to access, participate in, and leadactivities that foster their development or engage them as valuable citizens. Often, we only hear negative stories about youth – crime,unemployment, substance abuse, vandalism, poor academic perform-ance, etc. While communities may be undergoing planning processesand investing significant resources in their efforts to build a prosperousfuture – youth are frequently left out of the picture. And yet, in manyways, young people are the very key to a community’s future success.

Every community depends upon and benefits from engaged citizens,dedicated workers, tireless volunteers and passionate communityleaders. The question is – why are we not making the connectionbetween today’s youth and those very citizens, workers, volunteers andcommunity leaders we need for tomorrow?

Since 2003, Play Works has been concerned about the future ofOntario’s youth (ages 13 to 18 years). Making the critical connectionbetween the opportunities that communities provide today’s youth andour collective future, Play Works is a group of not-for-profit organizations.These organizations – representing the areas of sport, physical activity,civic engagement, arts and culture, rural youth and recreation – havejoined forces to contribute and to advance local and provincial agendasthat support Ontario’s young people. Play Works recognizes the importance and potential of play in the lives of youth and aims to support communities to create environments that support youth growthand development through play.

In addition to school and family, play is an important part of a youngperson’s life. Although often viewed as “childish” or not having anyproductive purpose, play provides young people with unique opportuni-ties to develop their identities, make friends, explore interests, take onleadership roles and strengthen their connection with community. Forexample, for youth who face challenges in academic environments,

T

What do we meanby PLAY?

Play is any non-schoolactivity that has

elements of choice,leads to satisfaction,

and encouragesprogressive learning

and enjoyment.Activities can include,but are not limited to,

recreation, sport,leisure, arts, drama,dance, civic engage-

ment, youth activism,volunteerism, social

clubs and youth leadership.


Youth Friendly Communities – Good Practices at Play 2008 7

having another social setting or outlet where they can learn importantlife skills and experience success helps them build resiliency and positive self-esteem. Through play, young people are allowed to maketheir own choices, test their skill, try something new and develop astronger sense of self.

Play activities for young people look and take on many forms such aswriting and performing a play, organizing a three-on-three basketballtournament, going on an overnight canoe trip or joining a youth council.How play activities are offered can range from youth-led or youth-drivenactivities to activities offered through youth-serving organizations orgroups.

Since 2005, Play Works has invited communities (e.g. municipalities,neighbourhoods, First Nations communities) to take part in the YouthFriendly Community Recognition Program. The program recognizescommunities across Ontario that create and foster youth friendlyenvironments as demonstrated by their activities, investments, policies

Criteria for Youth Friendly Community Recognition Program

1) Youth have options for play.

2) Youth are formally connected to the community.

3) Facilities are dedicated to youth play.

4) It is easy for youth to find out information about play activitiesin the community.

5) The community supports public youth events.

6) The community celebrates and recognizes youth.

7) The community commits funding for youth play.

8) The community supports positive youth development.

9) The community supports youth volunteerism and leadership development.

10) The community has models of effective community partnerships.

11) Youth activism and advocacy for play is nurtured.

12) Youth feel comfortable in their own community.13) Youth can get to the play programs that are offered.14) Schools support the youth friendly approach.15) Adults champion the cause for youth play.16) Play is accessible to youth with disabilities.



and practices around youth play. In 2006 (the second year of the program), community applicants were required to meet a minimum often criteria out of a total of sixteen criteria.

In 2006, fourteen communities received recognition as youth friendly communities. Their successes, along with thesuccesses of other applicants, are highlighted in thisreport: Youth Friendly Communities – Good Practices atPlay August 2008. It is important to note that allapplicant communities, regardless of geographic size,municipal budgets, population size, etc., demonstrateda desire to do more for young people in their communi-ties and to foster a better understanding of the valuablecontributions that young people make in their commu-nities and to diversify approaches in working andengaging with youth.

The Youth Friendly Communities – Good Practices atPlay August 2008, provides detailed examples anddescriptions of how communities across Ontario workto foster youth friendly communities. Some of theexamples described in this report are fairly convention-

al while other approaches are very creative and innovative and we hopethis will motivate future applicants and participants to support the YFCinitiative. Ultimately, all of the examples and stories provided belowillustrate what can be achieved when communities and their leaders,organizations and citizens join forces and make a commitment in working towards a youth friendly community.



Introduction

About Play Works and the focus on youth “play”ormed in 2003, Play Works is a group of not-for-profit organizationsconcerned about the future of Ontario’s youth (adolescents aged 13to 18 years). These organizations – representing the areas of sport,

physical activity, civic engagement, arts and culture, rural youth andrecreation – have joined forces to contribute to and advance local andprovincial agendas that support Ontario’s young people. Play Worksrecognizes the importance and potential of play in the lives of youth andaims to support communities to create environments that support youthgrowth and development through play.

All too often what we read and hear about Ontario’s youth bears a negative tone and is focused on problems. There is great emphasis onyouth unemployment, school drop-out, poor physical health, politicalapathy and anti-social behaviors. Why then is Play Works focused onplay? After all, are there not other more pressing needs and issues facingadolescents?

We often assume that play is merely about “fun and games” and weassociate play with children’s activities. However, the reality is that“play” remains essential throughout the adolescent years. As in child-hood, play continues to teach valuable lessons about getting along withothers, taking risks, setting personal goals and trying out new roles whichare all valuable and important skills needed in later life.

Adolescent play takes on many different forms whether they are youth-led, unstructured play activities (e.g. getting friends together to try out ahome-made skate-board ramp made from scrap wood, forming a cookingclub etc.) or more organized, structured play activities (e.g. joining a YouthAdvisory Council or being part of a high school musical production).Unfortunately, most forms of adolescent play are on the decline. Youthtoday spend more time doing homework and engaging in solitary screen-time activities (“screen-time” includes watching television, playingvideo/computer games and using the internet). In addition, increasedparental concerns about personal and community safety, shrinking program budgets for recreation programs and a heightened sense ofliability concerns by municipalities and youth-serving agencies/groupsmeans that youth have little time or opportunity to engage in play.

F

What do we meanby PLAY? Play is any non-schoolactivity that haselements of choice,leads to satisfaction,and encouragesprogressive learningand enjoyment.Activities can include,but are not limited to,recreation, sport,leisure, arts, drama,dance, civic engage-ment, youth activism,volunteerism, socialclubs and youth leadership.



Nonetheless, current research continues to substantiate the impor-tance of the pre-adolescent and adolescent years as critical periods ofphysical, social, emotional, moral and cognitive development. Secondonly to the early childhood years (birth to age six) adolescence is a timeof significant brain development during the human lifespan. If given theright type of stimulation and positive experiences, remarkable changestake place within the physical structure of the human brain during theadolescent period – changes that allow us to develop and fine-tune skillssuch as planning and organizing, assessing and managing risks, interact-ing in social situations and regulating emotions. All of these skills are anintegral part of future success in an adult world.

Despite the scientific evidence, service providers at the community-level or at various levels of government (local/regional, provincial andfederal) too often remain ignorant of the importance of the adolescentplay and healthy development. In communities across Ontario, there areincidences where basketball nets are removed from school playgroundsto deter youth from playing on evenings and weekends, where ‘no loiter-ing’ by-laws are aimed at youth, where by-laws against street hockey arepassed, and where a reduction of service hours in local libraries or recreation centers are implemented as cost-saving measures.

Program – overview of the last two yearsThe Youth Friendly Community Recognition Program was launched in2005 as one of the key initiatives of Play Works to search for and recognize Ontario communities that are youth friendly. In its first year,nineteen communities from across Ontario submitted applications tothis landmark recognition program – each of them submitting support-ing documentation to make the case for why they should be recognizedas being youth-friendly. In 2005, nine communities received fullrecognition by meeting a minimum of nine out of fifteen criteria.

In 2006, the Youth Friendly Community Recognition Program waslaunched for its second year. The program goals remained the same asfor the previous year - which were to identify and recognize youth-friendly communities and encourage more communities across theprovince to become more youth friendly. However, for the second yearof the program the application and evaluation process was altered

“Not only areCanadian youth not

being given opportunities to

participate in fun,challenging anddevelopmentally

appropriate programs, they are

missing criticalopportunities to learn

the skills required tobecome productive

and community-oriented democraticcitizens. This is not

only detrimental to anindividual’s develop-ment, but for society

as a whole.”

— Sarah Mayes &Nicole Smith,

Recreation andCitizenship: A Review ofResearch Trends, Gaps

and Future Directions –A Discussion Paper

prepared for theLaidlaw Foundation.

Canadian Institute ofChild Health, 2002



“Adolescents are themost under-funded,under-serviced sectorof the population.”

— Karen Minden, New Science, NewStrategies: HelpingCanadian TeensAdulthood, 2004.

slightly dividing the application process into two stages. Interestedcommunities submitted a brief application/letter of intent and after aninitial review by Play Works most communities were invited to submit afull application for review. Of the twenty-two communities that submit-ted applications, fourteen communities received recognition as youthfriendly communities. For the 2006 recognition program an additionalcriterion was added to the original fifteen, which addressed factors ofaccessibility for youth with disabilities. All communities were requiredto meet a minimum of ten out of the sixteen criteria in order to receiverecognition.

Criteria for Youth Friendly Community Recognition Program

1) Youth have options for play.

2) Youth are formally connected to the community.

3) Facilities are dedicated to youth play.

4) It is easy for youth to find out information about play activitiesin the community.

5) The community supports public youth events.

6) The community celebrates and recognizes youth.

7) The community commits funding for youth play.

8) The community supports positive youth development.

9) The community supports youth volunteerism and leadership development.

10) The community has models of effective community partnerships.

11) Youth activism and advocacy for play is nurtured.

12) Youth feel comfortable in their own community.13) Youth can get to the play programs that are offered.14) Schools support the youth friendly approach.15) Adults champion the cause for youth play.16) Play is accessible to youth with disabilities.

“Changing the waywe think aboutdesign and deliveryof programs can go along way to achieving[youth] developmentbeyond problem prevention…and[youth development]can be achieved inevery park and recre-ation departmentacross NorthAmerica.”

— Peter Witt, What isthis Thing Called YouthDevelopment, 2001



Why a guide of good practices?As a follow-up to the release of Good Practices of Youth FriendlyCommunities 2005, this resource serves as a practical tool for commu-nities, local governments, youth-serving agencies, community groupsand youth-advocacy organizations to develop their own youth friendlypractices. Included in this resource are stories and examples from manyof the communities that were involved in the second year of Play Work’sYouth Friendly Communities Recognition Program. Although many ofthe examples come from communities that received Youth Friendlyrecognition, there are also success stories and examples from otherapplicant communities as they also demonstrated good practices.

Similar to 2005, successful and innovative practices were found in many communities regardless ofgeographical size, population, etc. Smaller communities and northern communitiesdemonstrated stellar examples of adultschampioning the importance of youth playand creative solutions to transportationchallenges. Urban communities had excellent examples of responding to theneeds of diverse youth and fostering youthadvocacy.

The research methodology used in thepreparation of this resource includedreview of application materials/evaluationnotes, telephone interviews, on-site meet-ings/ interviews and site visits with approx-imately twenty communities involved in the

recognition program. In many cases, community partners and localyouth participated in the interviews and site visits and were able toshare their own perspectives on their community’s successes. Most ofthe interviews focused on the community’s unique journey to becomingyouth-friendly, the factors related to the “hows” and “whys” behindtheir successes, challenges faced, and future efforts aimed at makingtheir community even more youth friendly.



The overall intention of this report is to encourage all communities(regardless of demographics, budget or geography) to consider whathas been accomplished by other communities and reflect on their owncommunity, their assets and knowledge base and take action to becom-ing a more youth friendly community themselves. Many communitiesmay find that they are almost at that stage and, perhaps by connectingwith and learning from another community, they will reach that goalfaster. For other communities, it may require a more significant shift, bysetting priorities, connecting with youth, bringing people together andspending more time planning for specific outcomes.

The fact is that we all have much to gain from making our communi-ties youth friendly and creating environments that support youth development through play. Clearly, youth benefit from increased oppor-tunities for physical activity, social interaction, skill and leadershipdevelopment, community belonging and civic engagement. Similarly,the entire community has much to gain in the form of enthusiasticvolunteers, excellent role-models, politically informed citizens andcommunity stewards. Without a doubt, many of the communitieshighlighted in this report are making a difference in the lives of youngpeople and in turn, their own communities too.

Although much can be learned from the experiences of communitiesreferences in this report, all communities have the ability to achieve thisworthwhile goal.

Has yours joined the youth friendly community movement? If not,read on for some good practices on how to start the journey.

“Neglecting to plan,is planning fordisaster.”

— E.R. Alexander,Approaches toPlanning,1986).

“Research indicatesthat when communities andlocal governmentssupport the full andactive participation of young people intheir development,the benefits have a ripple effect, improving societyas a whole.”

— Vancouver WorkingDiscussion Paper, TheYouth Friendly City,2006



What is Working? – Sharing Youth Friendly Practices

or many communities wanting to become more youth friendly,learning starts by visiting and talking with neighbouring commu-nities. Youth friendly practices exist throughout the province and,

in many cases, connecting with successful communities starts bysending an email or making a phone call. Many of the communities thatparticipated in the 2006 Youth Friendly Community RecognitionProgram have lessons that we can all learn from and are eager to sharethem with others. (Contacts are listed on the Play Works website.)

Descriptions of good practices have been compiled within each ofthe sixteen youth friendly criteria.

Criteria 1 — Youth have options for play

F

The community offers a consistent and varied mix of play opportuni-ties for youth, ages 13 to 19. Play includes recreation, sport, arts,drama, dance, civic engagement, youth activism, volunteerism,social clubs and youth leadership. It is structured and unstructured,facility and non-facility based, competitive and recreational, activeand passive and it is adult-led and peer-led. It is offered by publicservice, not-for-profit agencies, private enterprise or through informal groups.

A common misconception is that smaller or rural communities arenot nearly as able to offer a wide range of opportunities and activitiesas large urban communities. However, nothing can be farther from thetruth. Ingersoll, a town of approximately 12,000 residents in south-western Ontario, offers an impressive array of youth play opportunitiesincluding skateboarding, free day camps, drop-in programs, intergener-ational programs, youth advisory committees, sports, leadership development, arts activities, specialized theme-based camps, peermentoring, etc. Even as a smaller community, Ingersoll boasts two well-resourced youth centres and most local youth live within walking



distance or a short commute to at least one of the centres. Instead ofcompeting for youth participants, both centres (Fusion Youth Centre, amunicipally operated facility, and Upper Deck, a facility operated by alocal faith group) work together and with other community partnerssuch as the police, employment centres, local politicians and publichealth, to maximize opportunities and choice for youth. The good newsis that Ingersoll, even after being recognized as a youth friendlycommunity, continues to be forward thinking and plans to expand itsrepertoire of play opportunities.

Even smaller in population is the community of Wikwemikong,

located on the eastern portion of Manitoulin Island. With approximate-ly 7,000 residents, Wikwemikong (or “Wiky” as it is fondly called) isproud of its unique heritage as Canada’s only unceded First Nationsreserve and the first aboriginal community to be recognized as a YouthFriendly Community. With a child and youth population that is notablyhigher than the provincial average, the community has responded byproviding a wide range of play opportunities tomeet the diverse interests of local youth.Programs are offered year-round and in manycases up to six days a week. They include compet-itive sport leagues, leadership and volunteeropportunities, weight room, open gym, day-trips and movie nights to Sudbury, jointsocials with other aboriginal communities on theisland, girls’ only activities, monthly birthdaycelebrations, cooking clubs, educational work-shops, drop-ins. In addition, Wikwemikongensures that local youth have just as many oppor-tunities to participate in traditional cultural activi-ties that foster a strengthened sense of and pridein their aboriginal heritage. As such, youth learntraditional dance, fish, make their own jingle dresses, participate inpow-wows, go on overnight canoe trips, etc.



Criteria 2 — Youth are formally connected tothe community

In Sudbury, the United Way/Centre-aide of Sudbury has been lead-ing a local initiative, Youth Leaders on Board, to involve youth on theBoards of Directors of local United Way agencies. Although youth areoften the recipients of the services of such agencies (e.g. social/recreational programming, employment training or counseling), untilrecently youth had little or no input into the governance, planning andstaffing decisions of such agencies. This innovative and successfulprogram recruits diverse youth and then trains them on non-profitgovernance, matches them with agencies and provides ongoing mentoring support throughout their volunteer experience.

The City of Vaughan has become a municipal leader in creating formal opportunities for local youth to have a voice and be representedat the municipal level. Created in 2005, the City of Vaughan’s Youth City Councilor position is held by a local secondary schoolstudent for up to one year. Interested youth in their senior years ofsecondary school apply and one applicant is selected by a committee.Upon successful completion of his/her “term of office”, one secondaryschool co-operative education credit is granted. As a Youth CityCouncilor, s/he is a strong and effective advocate for youth at CityCouncil meetings speaking on a variety of issues of interest or potentialimpact on youth such as transit, recreation programming, budget, etc.In addition, the Youth City Councillor plays a key role consulting withlocal youth, educating local youth about the municipal political systemand liaising with the Youth Cabinet.

The community has ways in which youth can have their voices heard.

These can be neighbourhood or municipal-wide, such as youth

advisory committees or councils. Formal opportunities for youth

involvement could include having designated seats for youth repre-

sentatives at decision-making tables such as Business Improvement

Associations, Recreation Committees, Staff Hiring Committees

and/or Selection Committees for Recognition Awards.



Criteria 3 – Facilities are dedicated to youthplay

In Newmarket, efforts to secure dedicated space for youth led to thecreation of the 23,000 square foot Newmarket Youth and RecreationCentre located in the city’s downtown core. The history of the youthcentre is an interesting lesson for all community members and youthchampions, which began almost 15 years ago. Two concerned and committed community members (and then mothers of teenaged children) attended community planning sessions in 1993 that shonelight on the lack of opportunities available to local youth. Over a five-year period, what started initially as the efforts of two caring mothersgrew to a committee of dedicated citizens and youth with the goal tosecure a location, funds and public support for a dedicated youth centre. Mobilizing grassroots support, the committee used a creativeand political tactic (“youth centre without walls”) to increase publicawareness and political pressure. Even without a facility, the commit-tee held regular recreational and fundraising events that showcased thetalents of local youth and strengthened grassroots support for a perma-nent youth centre. In 1997, the Town purchased an old abandonedmovie theatre on Main Street. Local youth and community partnersrenovated the space and opened the doors to the community’s firstyouth centre. In 2004, the Town – along with additional funding sup-port from other groups such as the Kinsmen Club – engaged youth inputonce again and opened the doors to its current facility which includes

The community has dedicated public space for youth play programsand/or events. Youth feel a sense of ownership and belonging forthese facilities. Dedicated space is not limited to one location, butcan be parks, meeting rooms, sports and arts facilities. Places whereyouth can meet socially are important to the community and may beprovided by municipalities, not-for-profit groups, schools, churches,private businesses or service clubs. Space is made available at thetimes and locations suitable to youth participation and accessincreases as does the youth population.



a youth-designed skateboard/in-line skate park, fitness centre,social/recreational programs, volunteer opportunities and employmentsupports.

Proving that communities do learn from and are inspired by oneanother, Barrie looked to the experiences of other communities (includ-ing Newmarket) in developing the City of Barrie Young People’s Centre(which includes Maple Avenue Youth Centre and Holly Youth Centre).The need for dedicated youth space was first identified by a network offront-line youth-service providers (e.g. Canadian Mental HealthAssociation, Children’s Aid Society, United Way, Catholic Family LifeCentre). In 1998, the network secured initial funding from the provincialgovernment and the local United Way for a Youth Coordinator position,a skateboard park and to support advocacy/lobbying for a dedicatedspace. At present, the two youth centres offer local youth an averageof 100 hours of programming per week. Youth play includes gamesrooms, youth lounges, computer labs, band nights, special events andvolunteer opportunities.

Criteria 4 — It is easy for youth to find outinformation about play activities in the community

It has long been recognized that the traditional outreach and market-ing strategies do not work as effectively to reach and attract youth.Recreation program guides, delivered to residents or available for pick-up at community centres, may be an effective tool reaching otherage groups, but often not so for youth. Communities that are best ableto reach and inform youth create and use youth-friendly strategies such

“The Youth Centre’scool, I get to playpool… the volunteerscare, that’s why theyare there, whetherthey’re young orthey’re old, we allbuilt this place withsmiles on our face…”

– Holly Scott, GillyGothard and AliGothard (Newmarketyouth), excerpts from APoem about The YouthCentre, 1998

The community has a variety of youth friendly information vehicles,such as websites, newsletters, bulletins, brochures, newspaperadvertisements and articles, and community bulletin boards.Municipal services, community agencies, clubs, private businesses,schools and other service providers cooperate to provide easy waysfor diverse groups of youth to access this information.



as word of mouth, internet social networking tools, email or youth-designed/youth-friendly publications or posters.

Now in its eight year, Cambridge’s premiere youth event, Rock theMill, brings together approximately 10,000 local youth and 35 youthbands/performers to a free outdoor summer concert and arts festival.Promotion of the event involves design, printing and posting of youth-oriented promotional posters. It also includes internet “myspace” and“facebook” profiles which allow for free exposure to a wide youth audience. To reduce the costs for promotion and advertising, the City ofCambridge and Z beside the Y (YMCA of Cambridge Youth Centre) pooltheir financial and staffing resources to enable them to advertise inlocal papers.

Similarly, the City of Brampton recognized that local youth typicallydid not turn to the city’s website or recreation brochures/guides insearch of youth programs. As a more direct communication tool, theCity created a direct email address ([email protected])where local youth can email questions and/or concerns directly to theCity’s recreation department for a quick and direct response.



Criteria 5 — The community supports publicyouth events

Following a community needs assessment that noted the decliningrates of participation in community activities (e.g. sport) amongThunder Bay’s girls and young women, the Thunder Bay CommunityYouth Coalition launched its first Girl Power! Conference. This initiativeinvolved several local partners such as the City of Thunder Bay’sRecreation and Parks Department, Thunder Bay Library, the Boys andGirls Club of Thunder Bay and Volunteer Thunder Bay. The first confer-ence, geared towards girls from Grades 7 to 10, attracted 70 youngwomen and continues to grow. Now entering its fifth year, the GirlPower! Conference targets even younger girls (Grade 6) and expects toattract close to 150 participants. At the conference, young women iden-tify interests and have the opportunity to connect with service-providers.

Quick to respond to trends and youth interests, Whitby continues toorganize and host special events for local youth including an annual“Whitby Idol” competition and bi-weekly Optimist Teen Dances.“Whitby Idol”, modeled after the popular television show “CanadianIdol”, is a city-wide initiative that invites local youth to compete for thecoveted title of “Whitby Idol”. While the singing competition is a youth-oriented event that happens only once a year, the community offersyear-round youth events through its Optimist Teen Dances (sponsoredby the local Optimist service club). The dances provide local youth withthe opportunity to gather, enjoy music and socialize with friends in asafe and youth-welcoming environment.

Youth themselves, or with other groups and adults, organize eventsin public spaces and places where local citizens can see and betterappreciate youth play. These large scale community events caninclude art shows, skate board exhibitions, tournaments, battle ofthe bands, community carnivals, dances, etc. Agencies and groups,such as heath, police, local government, recreation, culture, serviceclubs and accessibility groups, may work to support these events.Through outreach and networking, isolated and disenfranchisedyouth are engaged in the process and/or event.



Criteria 6 – The community celebrates andrecognizes youth

Recognized in both 2005 and 2006 as a Youth Friendly Community,Peterborough continues to hand out plenty of awards to local youth.Local secondary schools offer a variety of awards to youth in academic,sport and student leadership categories. The City of Peterborough also recognizes the contributions of youth through its Mayor’s Youth Awardand Volunteer of the Year Award. Finally, local non-profit groups celebratethe achievements of youth through awards and scholarships in categoriesincluding drama, academic achievement and community service.

In a different turn of events, the youth friendly community ofLawrence Heights (a neighbourhood in mid-Toronto) was able to turnwhat initially was a tragic event into a unique opportunity to celebrateand recognize the achievements of local youth. The PaulWatson/Michael Lewis Leadership Awards are annual awards given toone female and one male community youth based on their demonstrat-ed community service and leaderships skills. Named after two well-known community leaders killed in 2001, these annual awards are coveted among local youth. And, unlike other youth awards, this awardis not granted only to top academic and school leadership achievers.Rather, it aims to recognize and celebrate local youth who demonstratepotential and community leadership that may be overlooked by otheraward programs.

The community celebrates and recognizes youth. The communityoffers youth awards and/or scholarship programs to recognize youthparticipation and contributions. This recognition may be given bylocal government, service clubs, schools, community agencies, etc.Formal announcements on these opportunities, and on the results ofthe recognition, are publicized and promoted throughout the commu-nity such as in the newspaper, on the radio, on the municipal website,on agency websites, in program brochures and/or newsletters.



Criteria 7 - The community commits fundingfor youth play

Recognizing financial circumstance as one of the greatest barriers toparticipation in community play activities, Thunder Bay developed theinnovative PRO Kids program. Started in 1998 as a pilot project, thegoal of PRO Kids is to secure programming spaces and raise funds tosupport participation of low-income children and youth in sport, arts,cultural and recreation activities. Working with many local partnersincluding diverse program providers (e.g. private, non-profit), communi-ty service clubs (e.g. Rotary), businesses and social service agencies,PRO Kids matches youth with specific program interests (e.g. hockey,martial arts, dance) with local program providers and subsidizes thecosts of participation (e.g. uniform, tournament fees). The program isadvertised throughout the community and efforts are made to reachlow-income youth through a variety of channels (e.g. referral agencies).Finally, to ensure a simple and accessible application process, familiesare not required to submit extensive documentation and only need tosubmit a letter of referral from a community member verifying theirfinancial need.

In Cambridge, the Frank Foreman Youth Memorial Arts Fund wascreated in memory of a local secondary school student Frank Foreman.In 2005, Frank, an avid musician, was killed in a tragic car accident by a

The community has established a fund that is accessible to organiza-tions and/or directly to youth to help offset the cost of youth involve-ment in local activities. This funding opportunity is well known togroups who work with youth in the community and it is promotedthrough these groups and through the school system. Systems are inplace to help youth to also regularly access these funds. Some youthplay programs are free or have minimal costs. The communitycommits funding for current and long-term capital for diverse facilitydevelopment and improvement, such as indoor/outdoor parks, skateparks, creative arts spaces, dance studios and/or drop in centres.

“The choice is ours.If we care for our

future, we mustinvest our time, effort

and money in ouryouth, now.”

— Amrita Gill, YouthRecreation Facilities:Summary Report on

Data Availability andAccessibility, Laidlaw

Foundation, 2004



speeding driver. By holding an annual community music event(Frankie’s Song) that attracts local youth and youth bands, funds areraised to support participation of low-income youth in art programs andcommemorate Frank’s love of the arts. In some cases monies are setaside from the general fund, not just to subsidize existing youth programs, but to plan for future youth play activities.

Interested in dedicated space youth public space in its downtowncore, the City of Peterborough set aside $5000 to conduct a feasibilitystudy. Working in collaboration with the local community college, SirSandford Fleming College of Applied Arts and Technology, city staff andten youth surveyed over 250 downtown youth, met with the DowntownBusiness Improvement Association/local businesses and held focusgroups with key stakeholders. Spending the time, monies and effortsupfront helped to build a strong case to City Council of the need for andplausibility of a dedicated downtown youth space and strengthenedstakeholder support for the project. The good news coming from all thehard work is that a dedicated youth space is now on the horizon andanticipated to be launched within this current City Council’s term ofoffice.

Just as important as making existing youth activities financiallyaccessible to youth, youth friendly communities also know the benefitof setting aside funds for youth to create and implement their ownyouth-led activities. London’s Creative Cities Initiative offers grants toyouth groups. Youth groups who meet basic eligibility criteria can applyfor up to $500 to support creative arts-based activities for local youth.



Criteria 8 — The community supports positiveyouth development

The London Youth Services Providers is a great example of staff fromyouth-serving agencies (from across many sectors housing, recreation,justice, social services, employment) coming together to network, shareinformation and learn about positive youth development. Primarilyfocused on recreation, they later discovered that there were commonneeds among area youth service providers related to training, planningand networking. Since 2006, the membership and mandate of theLondon Youth Service Providers continues to grow. They continue toparticipate in joint training activities and have plans to work collabora-tively on National Youth Week.

The City of Vaughan goes above and beyond in training recreationstaff about positive youth development. In addition to providing full-time youth program staff with training, the City’s Youth OutreachWorkers (who have specialized expertise and experience working withand programming for diverse youth) also play an active role in providingtraining sessions to other youth recreation staff (including part-timestaff). The Youth Outreach Workers act as department resource-personson issues/questions pertaining to youth.

Positive youth development is a formal process through which a youthmakes the transition from childhood to adulthood. During this time,youth are exposed to and learn the following five competencies: social,emotional, ethical, cognition and physical. They also participate in programs and services which meets their seven developmental needs,which are: meaningful participation, mastery and achievement, positive interaction with adults and peers, physical capacity, creativeexpression, self-definition, and structure and clear limits. The commu-nity supports programs that help develop youth competence andrespond to their developmental needs. Staff and volunteers of youthservice providers are offered opportunities, and are actively encour-aged to participate, in orientation and training sessions on positiveyouth development. A diverse variety of positive youth developmentopportunities are available in which youth can choose to participate.

“Our network hasharnessed every-

one’s energy in thesame direction to

really create a climate of change –

an excitementabout doing more,

improving the qualityof youth opportuni-

ties and bringing onnew community

partners.”

— Karen OldhamManager,

CommunityDevelopment, City of London



Criteria 9 – The community supports youthvolunteerism and leadership development

What began initially as a small group of secondary school studentsinterested in cleaning up their local park has now grown to 20+ youthfrom seven schools. Brampton’s Clean City Youth Ambassadors areinvolved in keeping the City of Brampton clean and green. Once or twicea month, this dedicated group of youth volunteers participates in parkclean-ups throughout the city. They also attend community eventsthroughout the year sharing their message about being environmental-ly friendly and educating other youth/citizens not to litter. While mostyouth may have initially joined the group to fulfill their educationalrequirements for 40 hours of volunteer service, many continue beyondthe 40 required hours and contribute, on average, between 100 to 200volunteer hours each towards the program.

Giving real opportunities for leadership and youth decision-makingis what the Youth Action Alliance of Manitoulin (also known as “YAA-MAN”) is all about. Based out of the Waasa Naabin Community YouthServices Centre on Wikwemikong Unceded First Nation (ManitoulinIsland), eight local youth (ages 14 to 18) were recruited, hired andtrained as Peer Leaders to plan and lead activities aimed at reducingtobacco use among area youth. Supported by an adult Youth Advisorworking at the youth centre, the Peer Leaders created their own posterscampaign educating First Nations youth. Their educational campaigndiffered from the usual “just say no to drugs” message and, instead,offered a message that resonated with First Nations youth. Peer Leaders

The community recognizes the connection between youth volunteerism and leadership development. Older children are soughtout to fill junior leadership roles in sports clubs, youth groups, daycamps and/or faith groups. There are systems to help youth getconnected to volunteer opportunities, and youth are familiar withthese systems and can access them. Appropriate training aboutvolunteerism and leadership is provided for youth. The communityhas programs to recognize the efforts of youth leaders and volunteers.



highlighted the dangers associated with the commercial/recreationalmisuse of tobacco (e.g. cigarette smoking, tobacco chewing) andencouraged a return to the traditional use of tobacco as somethingsacred, medicinal and ceremonial. In addition to the poster campaign,Peer Leaders embarked on a youth-only five-day canoe excursionthrough the North Channel and paddled their way to four First Nationcommunities – Mchigeeng, Aundek Omni Kaning and Sheguiandah FirstNations and the Wikwemikong Unceded First Nation. At each stop, elders and community members welcomed the young Peer Leaders andgave them an opportunity to make presentations.

Criteria 10 – The community has models ofeffective community partnerships

Bringing three city departments (library, public health and culture),community arts groups and housing together, led to the creation of aseries of murals by local youth in Lawrence Heights. The murals, nowon permanent exhibition, were designed and painted by local youth anddepict the many positive aspects of community life in Lawrence Heightsas well as the aspirations of local youth.

In 2004, London’s Community Plan on Vulnerable Youth identifiedshelter, recreation, employment and housing as key priorities.Recognizing that no one sector or government department couldaddress all of these issues, local government and community partnersfrom across many sectors including housing, employment, policing, libraries, recreation and social services came together to workcollaboratively.

Local government departments work cooperatively with each otherand with community groups to provide the best menu of opportuni-ties for youth play. Specific attention is given to the needs of hard-to-reach, isolated, vulnerable and disenfranchised youth. Communitypartners include not-for-profit agencies, cultural groups, housingcooperatives, youth associations, sports clubs, arts groups, justice,social services, the faith community, private business, health, andeducation.



Criteria 11 – Youth activism and advocacy forplay is nurtured

Tired of unwanted negative attention from local police, racializedyouth in Lawrence Heights first took their concerns about racialprofiling to recreation staff and youth-serving agencies in their commu-nity. Adult staff, instead of ignoring their complaints or taking charge ofthe issue themselves, helped youth create their own forum for theissue. By giving young people the space and mentoring support theyneeded, youth were able to share and document incidents of concern.As a result of their collective strength in numbers, youth presented theirconcerns/issues to key decision-makers. Through that specific experi-ence, youth were able to learn advocacy, community mobilization andpolitical organizing.

More recently, unhappy with the City’s cost-cutting plan to closecommunity recreation centres on Mondays (jeopardizing after-school/evening youth programs and cutting employment hours foryouth staff), youth from the Lawrence Heights community bandedtogether with youth and adult supporters from across the city and lobbied against the proposed closures. Using social networking toolspopular with youth, a Facebook “Say No to Monday Closures atCommunity Centres” was created and populated. A few months later,the City announced that it would keep community centres open andseek alternate cost-containment strategies.

In Richmond Hill, youth activism and advocacy starts young – at anage that youth are most likely to drop out of activities. The Youth Action

Youth activism and advocacy for play are nurtured. The voice of youthis a critical component of community life. The community ensuresthat youth actively participate in planning, promotion, implementa-tion and evaluation of programs and services that affect them. Youthactively speak out about their needs and, where this is not in evidence, youth are encouraged to do so by local champions. Thecommunity, including local decision-makers and the media, respondto the voice of youth in a positive and proactive way and changes areevident as a result of the youth voice being heard.

“Unless youth recognize what powerthey do and canhave, they won’tknow how the worldworks.”

— Helen Kennedy,Community RecreationCoordinator, Parks,Recreation andForestry, Community ofLawrence Heights(Toronto)



Committee is a group of local youth (ages 12 to 18) who provide adviceand input to the Town’s recreation department on issues concerningyouth. Making deputations to Town Council or sharing ideas on newrecreation programs, these youth are committed to making their town ayouth-friendly community. Younger youth become involved asAmbassador members and build their skills/expertise by assisting withspecial events (e.g. Youth Dances, Youth Week, annual CommitteeRetreat). More experienced youth (typically youth in secondary school)serve as Core members and take on leadership roles on the committee(e.g. chairing meetings, planning and implementing activities).

Criteria 12 – Youth feel comfortable in theirown community

Youth living in Toronto’s Lawrence Heights are proud of their youthfriendly community. While the community continues to struggle withpoverty, the arrival of new immigrant populations and major socialhousing revitalization plans, there remain key adult and youth leaderswithin the community who build bridges and foster harmony betweenand amongst community members. The local community recreationcentre is a physical and social hub of the community through its recre-ation programming, special events and especially the communitygarden where local youth and adult residents interact on a regularbasis. Since 2003, the Alumnae Club, a special initiative that reachesout to former Lawrence Heights residents (age 30 years and over) worksto re-engage with the community as mentors to resident youth, sport oractivity volunteers.

The community encourages businesses, recreation centres, malls,theatres and other locations to understand the needs of youth andworks to recognize and engage youth as contributing citizens withinthe community. Spaces are promoted as ‘youth friendly,’ and youthare provided opportunities to interact with others in a positive andmutually respectful way. Staff who work in facilities where youth playreceive an orientation about the needs and interests of youth, andhow to build positive adult/youth partnerships.



With a greater awareness of youth needs and youth interests,Newmarket has started to consider and involve youth in their recreationplanning processes. Traditionally, facilities were planned primarily withadult or child users in mind, rarely thinking specifically about the needsof youth. However, since youth played and integral role in the planningand design of the Newmarket Youth Centre and skateboard park, therehas been a significant shift in planning processes. At this point, theTown is looking at revitalizing and/or expanding its green-spaces andtrails. This time, there is a real emphasis on making certain that ‘youth’recreational use is included in the plan. For example, the creation orrevitalization of trails is expected to meet the recreational needs of bothwalkers and joggers but also youth interested in skateboarding andBMX cycling. The town is also looking at how permanent structures likebenches and seating can have dual purpose use acting for BMX cyclistsand skateboarders. The outcome here is that youth know and feel thatthey have a place in their community.

Criteria 13 – Youth can get to the playprograms that are offered

For youth living in Wikwemikong, life on the north-eastern end of theworld’s largest inland island is both rewarding and – at times – isolating. Catching the latest Hollywood release or keeping up withfashion trends often means leaving the island and heading to a largerurban centre such as Sudbury (almost two hours away by car). Whilethe local community offers plenty of local activities, sometimes a

The community has explored innovative ways to physically connectyouth with play opportunities. Examples include: responsive transitsystems with routes to dedicated youth play spaces, and thatoperate on days and times to maximize participation by youth; lighted bike paths and/or bike lanes on major roads; and mobile outreach into isolated areas. Activities have been specifically locatedor relocated to be closer to youth and to increase access for youth.



change of scenery and the occasional outing is what local youth seek.To respond to that specific need, Waasa Naabin Community YouthServices Centre purchased a van which takes groups of local youth onmovie nights, shopping trips, fishing trips, tournaments, etc. outside oftheir community. The van is also used on a regular basis to provide freepick-up and drop-off to local youth participating in centre programs liv-ing further away and with few transportation options.

Similarly, fare-free public transit was offered in Milton to encourageall residents (including community youth) to rely less on automobileuse. This program, sponsored throughout the summer months, allowedyouth and residents of all ages to get to recreational activities, summerjobs, volunteer opportunities, etc. without having to pay a fare.

Criteria 14 – Schools support the youth friendly approach

While in some Ontario communities, community groups and recreation providers continue to report challenges working collabora-tively with local schools or school boards to support youth play,Brampton’s experience has been quite the opposite. With a history ofpartnership spanning over 12 years, the City of Brampton and PeelDistrict School Board have found a way to build their youth friendlycommunity. In several schools, the City’s Parks, Culture andRecreation’s Youth Division started first with visits to schools andschool/parent council meetings to promote upcoming recreation eventsor programs. Then, when the City and local schools experienced a population boom that led to the implementation of rotational lunch

The community works with schools to recognize and capitalize on theimportant role of schools in getting information from the communityto youth. Schools work with local service providers to help create anetwork between the school, the community and opportunities foryouth play. School boards have a signed funding agreement with theMinistry of Health Promotion regarding the community use ofschools.



hours (with half of the student population taking an early lunch hourbreak and the remaining half of the student population taking a laterlunch hour break), the Youth Division was called upon to assist. Byproviding high quality lunch-hour activities such as sports, arts andbabysitting classes, school administrators quickly recognized the valueof working collaboratively with the local recreation department. In manycases, schools provide free space through a joint-use agreement orkeep permit fees nominal. School administrators, who have experienced the benefits of working together with local serviceproviders continue to carry on the legacy of community partnershipwhen they transfer into new schools.

As one of several communities throughout the province participatingin the Living School program (an initiative of the Ontario Physical andHealth Education Association), Thunder Bay’s Bishop Gallagher SeniorElementary School brings together the school community (students,parents, teachers, administrators, board personnel) and partners fromthe broader community. Working towards a mutual goal of supportingand enhancing active, healthy living for children and youth, the school– along with local business, municipal government, public health andother Thunder Bay agencies – ensure that pre-teen youth have ampleopportunities for physical activity, play and recreation. In fact, a recentstudy indicated that 83% of the student population had increased theirparticipation in physical activity since attending the school (quiteremarkable since pre-adolescence is a period where participation oftendeclines)!



Criteria 15 – Adults champion the cause foryouth play

Having community leaders who understand the benefits of youthplay and positive youth development certainly helps. In Ingersoll, itseems that adults truly champion the cause for youth play and do soboth formally and informally. The Town’s Deputy Mayor, Fred Freeman,made certain that when the community underwent a CommunityStrategic Planning Process in 2004, youth issues and needs wereincluded. As a smaller community, Ingersoll was also able to pass anominal property tax increase to support two dedicated paid positions– Community Service Officer and Youth Resource Officer (working out ofthe local Ontario Provincial Police unit). These two constables areactive within local schools and participate on community networksworking to increase opportunities for local youth.

Sudbury’s Youth Services Coalition is a committee of staff represen-tatives from social services, employment, youth centres, youth shelters,police, municipal government, and health. The aim of the coalition is tocoordinate and plan local youth services, advocate on behalf of youth,improve public perception of youth and plan activities as part ofNational Youth Week. The Sudbury Action Centre for Youth acts as thelead organization for the coalition, which identifies and works on a fewmanageable projects per year that respond to current youth needs.Since its formation, the Youth Services Coalition has been a drivingforce behind increasing the number of opportunities for youth (espe-cially in the City’s outlying areas), has supported information sharingamong youth serving agencies, broadened the diversity of youth perspectives and has been able to engage youth on different issues.

The community has adult leaders who recognize the need for positiveyouth play. They publicly support youth by ensuring elected officials,police, local celebrities and media are involved in local youth events.For their part, youth regularly share their experiences of positive playwith adults and at adult-led events, such as service club meetings,school board sessions, annual general meetings and professionalassociation meetings.

“Adults are mosteffective who work in

partnership withyoung people, whosee themselves assupportive friends

and advocates in contrast to adults

motivated to save,reform, or rescue

young people fromtheir circumstances.”

— Joyce Walker &Lonnie White. Caring

adults support thehealthy development of

youth, 1998

“We pride ourselvesas being a friendlycommunity. If so, it

makes sense that webe a youth-friendly

community as well.”

— Deputy Mayor Fred Freeman,

Town of Ingersoll



Criteria 16 – Play is accessible to youth withdisabilities

Building on their successful “Leisure Buddy” program that providesintegration support to children with special needs in recreation programs, Vaughan continues to extend integration support to youthwith special needs. In 2006, youth with special needs were integratedinto a popular youth performance event (Act Out!) which invited localyouth to write, produce and perform their own original pieces on issuesof importance to youth. Working with the local Community Living office,youth with special needs were able to participate, showcase their talents and increase public/youth awareness of challenges and issuesfacing youth with disabilities.

Similarly, one of Barrie’s Youth Centres has been successful in integrating local youth with physical and intellectual disabilities into itsevening social/recreational drop-in program. “Wednesday EveningBash” (W.E.B.) runs the last Wednesday of each month and offers theopportunity for able-bodied and special needs youth to come togetherin a drop-in recreation setting. The program is also enhanced througha partnership with Simcoe Community Services as they provide additional staff support. The integrated drop-in provides a uniqueopportunity for youth with disabilities to interact and socialize with theirpeers. At the same time, able-bodied youth develop empathy and learnco-operation.

Every youth in the community should has the opportunity to partici-pate in programs, if they want to. Programs are set up to specificallyinclude youth with both physical and mental disabilities. Activitiesare adapted, facilities are accessible, additional assistance is onsite,and the participation of youth with disabilities is a seamless part ofthe program. Youth with disabilities are part of program planning and evaluation phases.



ecoming a youth friendly community is a goal that all communi-ties can and should strive towards. Over the past two years,Play Works’ Youth Friendly Community Recognition Program has

highlighted the many good practices and success stories of diversecommunities throughout Ontario. From communities with a few thousand residents to larger urban centers, every community has thepotential to create environments that support positive youth develop-ment and youth play.

We need to move beyond the notion of play as childish “fun andgames” and understand the value of play in the lives of young and old.Taking to the stage on band night, completing a leadership course,helping to design a skateboard park or learning to cook offers fun, challenge and teaches valuable lessons.

For most communities, becoming youth friendly will not happenovernight but will be a journey. It may start with giving youth moreopportunities to lead their own initiatives or a seat at the decision-making table. In other communities, it may require community leadersto re-think their priorities, re-allocate resources or review existing practices. The point is that, without the first step being taken, ten yearsdown the road a community will be no more youth friendly than it istoday.

The list of youth friendly communities in Ontario is a growing one –a testament to the commitment that some communities are making invaluing, respecting, and nurturing adolescent play. A goal that all canstrive for, and that is not that far off, is that of a Youth Friendly Ontario!Play Works is seeing that goal met, one community at a time…

A Final Note

B



Addendum

Criteria: Youth Friendly Community Recognition Program 1) Youth have options for play. The community offers a consistent and varied mix of playopportunities for youth, ages 13 to 19. Play includes recreation, sport, arts, drama, dance, civicengagement, youth activism, volunteerism, social clubs and youth leadership. It is structured andunstructured, facility and non-facility based, competitive and recreational, active and passive andit is adult-led and peer-led. It is offered by public service, not-for-profit agencies, private enterpriseor through informal groups.

2) Youth are formally connected to the community. The community has ways in which youth canhave their voices heard. These can be neighbourhood or municipal-wide, such as youth advisorycommittees or councils. Formal opportunities for youth involvement could include having designated seats for youth representatives at decision-making tables such as BusinessImprovement Associations, Recreation Committees, Staff Hiring Committees and/or SelectionCommittees for Recognition Awards.

3) Facilities are dedicated to youth play. The community has dedicated public space for youth playprograms and/or events. Youth feel a sense of ownership and belonging for these facilities.Dedicated space is not limited to one location, but can be parks, meeting rooms, sports and artsfacilities. Places where youth can meet socially are important to the community and may be provided by municipalities, not-for-profit groups, schools, churches, private businesses or serviceclubs. Space is made available at the times and locations suitable to youth participation andaccess increases as does the youth population.

4) It is easy for youth to find information about play activities in the community. The communityhas a variety of youth friendly information vehicles, such as websites, newsletters, bulletins,brochures, newspaper advertisements and articles, and community bulletin boards. Municipalservices, community agencies, clubs, private businesses, schools and other service providerscooperate to provide easy ways for diverse groups of youth to access this information.

5) The community supports public youth events. Youth themselves, or with other groups andadults, organize events in public spaces and places where local citizens can see and better appreciate youth play. These large scale community events can include art shows, skate boardexhibitions, tournaments, battle of the bands, community carnivals, dances, etc. Agencies andgroups, such as heath, police, local government, recreation, culture, service clubs and accessibil-ity groups, may work to support these events. Through outreach and networking, isolated and disenfranchised youth are engaged in the process and/or event.

6) The community celebrates and recognizes youth. The community celebrates and recognizesyouth. The community offers youth awards and/or scholarship programs to recognize youth partic-ipation and contributions. This recognition may be given by local government, service clubs,schools, community agencies, etc. Formal announcements on these opportunities, and on theresults of the recognition, are publicized and promoted throughout the community such as in thenewspaper, on the radio, on the municipal website, on agency websites, in program brochuresand/or newsletters.

7) The community commits funding for youth play. The community has established a fund that isaccessible to organizations and/or directly to youth to help offset the cost of youth involvement inlocal activities. This funding opportunity is well known to groups who work with youth in the community and it is promoted through these groups and through the school system. Systems arein place to help youth to also regularly access these funds. Some youth play programs are free orhave minimal costs. The community commits funding for current and long-term capital for diversefacility development and improvement, such as indoor/outdoor parks, skate parks, creative artsspaces, dance studios and/or drop in centres.

8) The community supports positive youth development. Positive youth development is a formalprocess through which a youth makes the transition from childhood to adulthood. During this time,youth are exposed to and learn the following five competencies: social, emotional, ethical, cognition and physical. They also participate in programs and services which meets their sevendevelopmental needs, which are: meaningful participation, mastery and achievement, positive



interaction with adults and peers, physical capacity, creative expression, self-definition, and structure and clear limits. The community supports programs that help develop youth competenceand respond to their developmental needs. Staff and volunteers of youth service providers areoffered opportunities, and are actively encouraged to participate, in orientation and training sessions on positive youth development. A diverse variety of positive youth development opportu-nities are available in which youth can choose to participate.

9) The community supports youth volunteerism and leadership development. The communityrecognizes the connection between youth volunteerism and leadership development. Older children are sought out to fill junior leadership roles in sports clubs, youth groups, day campsand/or faith groups. There are systems to help youth get connected to volunteer opportunities, andyouth are familiar with these systems and can access them. Appropriate training aboutvolunteerism and leadership is provided for youth. The community has programs to recognize theefforts of youth leaders and volunteers.

10) The community has models of effective community partnerships. Local government depart-ments work cooperatively with each other and with community groups to provide the best menu ofopportunities for youth play. Specific attention is given to the needs of hard-to-reach, isolated, vulnerable and disenfranchised youth. Community partners include not-for-profit agencies, cultural groups, housing cooperatives, youth associations, sports clubs, arts groups, justice, socialservices, the faith community, private business, health, and education.

11) Youth activism and advocacy for play is nurtured. Youth activism and advocacy for play are nurtured. The voice of youth is a critical component of community life. The community ensures thatyouth actively participate in planning, promotion, implementation and evaluation of programs andservices that affect them. Youth actively speak out about their needs and, where this is not in evidence, youth are encouraged to do so by local champions. The community, including localdecision-makers and the media, respond to the voice of youth in a positive and proactive way andchanges are evident as a result of the youth voice being heard.

12) Youth feel comfortable in their own community. The community encourages businesses, recreation centres, malls, theatres and other locations to understand the needs of youth and worksto recognize and engage youth as contributing citizens within the community. Spaces are promot-ed as ‘youth friendly,’ and youth are provided opportunities to interact with others in a positive andmutually respectful way. Staff who work in facilities where youth play receive an orientation aboutthe needs and interests of youth, and how to build positive adult/youth partnerships.

13) Youth can get to the play programs that are offered. The community has explored innovativeways to physically connect youth with play opportunities. Examples include: responsive transitsystems with routes to dedicated youth play spaces, and that operate on days and times to maximize participation by youth; lighted bike paths and/or bike lanes on major roads; and mobileoutreach into isolated areas. Activities have been specifically located or relocated to be closer toyouth and to increase access for youth.

14) Schools support the youth friendly approach. The community works with schools to recognizeand capitalize on the important role of schools in getting information from the community to youth.Schools work with local service providers to help create a network between the school, the community and opportunities for youth play. School boards have a signed funding agreement withthe Ministry of Health Promotion regarding the community use of schools.

15) Adults champion the cause for youth play. The community has adult leaders who recognize theneed for positive youth play. They publicly support youth by ensuring elected officials, police, localcelebrities and media are involved in local youth events. For their part, youth regularly share theirexperiences of positive play with adults and at adult-led events, such as service club meetings,school board sessions, annual general meetings and professional association meetings.

16) Play is accessible to youth with disabilities. Every youth in the community should has theopportunity to participate in programs, if they want to. Programs are set up to specifically includeyouth with both physical and mental disabilities. Activities are adapted, facilities are accessible,additional assistance is onsite, and the participation of youth with disabilities is a seamless partof the program. Youth with disabilities are part of program planning and evaluation phases.



2006 Youth Friendly Community Applicants

City of BarrieCity of BramptonCity of CambridgeCity of Greater SudburyCity of LondonCity of PeterboroughCity of Thunder BayCity of VaughanCity of WellandCommunity of Lawrence Heights (Toronto)Municipality of BrightonMunicipality of ClaringtonMunicipality of LeamingtonMunicipality of West PerthTown of IngersollTown of MarathonTown of MiltonTown of NewmarketTown of OakvilleTown of Richmond HillTown of WhitbyWikwemikong Unceded First Nation



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Donnely, P. And J. Coakley (2002). The Role of Recreation in Promotion Social

Inclusion. Laidlaw Foundation Working Paper Series.

Hamilton, S. and M. A. Hamilton (2004). The Youth Development Handbook:

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Publications, Inc.

Hawkins, J. and R. Catalano (1992). Communities that Care: Action for Drug

Abuse Prevention. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers

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Out: A Path Toward Finding and Mobilizing a Community’s Assets.

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Mendley-Rauner, D (2000). They Pick Me Up. Columbia University Press

Offord, D. and E. Duku (1998). Which Children Don’t Participate in Sports, the

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Teenage Brain Tell Us About our Kids. New York: Doubleday

Totten, M (2005). The Cost of Excluding Ontario’s Youth from Play: A Call to

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Youth. Pennsylvania: Venture Publishing Inc.


1185 Eglinton Avenue EastSuite 406, Toronto, ON M3C 3C6Tel: 416-426-7142Fax: 416-426-7371

[email protected]

www.playworkspartnership.ca


Be Recognized...

as a Youth Friendly

Community

Small and Rural Communities – Lessons from the Field

Rural Layout 9/29/08 10:08 AM Page 3

2

A YOUTH FRIENDLY community is one that actively

supports and provides opportunities for

the growth and development of youth

(ages 13 - 19) through play.

• Does your community believe in supporting youth?

• Does your community offer young people opportunities to participate in meaningful play?

• Does your community have a variety of playactivities, such as recreation, arts, drama, sportsand dance?

• Does your community offer play opportunities thatinclude activism, volunteerism, and leadershipdevelopment?

If so, your community could be recognized as “youthfriendly!”

Play Worksis a group oforganizationsthat are concernedabout the future ofour youth and havejoined forces tobring back thepower of play toOntario’s youngpeople. Play Worksbelieves there arecommunities acrossOntario that are taking steps to opentheir doors to youthby reinvesting inyouth play. Let usknow about yours!

Those involved withPlay Works include:4-H Ontario, ArtsNetwork for Childrenand Youth, Boys andGirls Clubs ofOntario, LaidlawFoundation, OntarioPhysical and HealthEducationAssociation, Parksand RecreationOntario, SportAlliance of Ontario,YMCA Ontario.

Play Works would like to thank the following sixcommunities for their contributions and insights:

Brenda Whitehead – Municipality of Port Hope

Jo-Anne Fields – Municipality of South Huron

Janice Makepeace – City of Welland

Micole Ongman, Jenn McEachen – Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville

Jason Smith – Town of Ingersoll

Mary Jo Wabano – Wikwemikong Unceded First Nation

General Consultation:Les Voakes – Town Youth Participation Strategies

Linda Albright – Arts Network for Children and Youth

Marion Price – Parks and Recreation Ontario

LaidlawFoundation

Ontario TrilliumFoundation

Ontario Ministry ofHealth Promotion


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What we are trying to do…

Almost 70% of Ontario’s municipalities have apopulation of 10,000 people or less. In knowingthis, Play Works has created a special supplementfor rural communities with information and lessons from the field. We believe this will behelpful to you as you begin your journey tobecoming recognized as a Youth FriendlyCommunity.

A Youth Friendly Community encourages youthplay and actively supports and providesopportunities for the growth and developmentof youth (ages 13-19) through play. What do wemean by Play? Play is any non-school activity thathas elements of choice, leads to satisfaction, andencourages progressive learning and enjoyment.Activities can include – but are not limited to –recreation, sport, leisure, arts, drama, dance,civic engagement, youth activism, volunteerism,social clubs and youth leadership.

Through this resource and other supports, Play Works is working to help small and ruralcommunities move towards the designation ofbeing Youth Friendly. Even though your community may be small, you will likely have programs, services and approaches that meetthe Youth Friendly criteria.

The Ontario RuralCouncil (TORC)encourages smallcommunities toengage youth. “Theprocess of engagingyoung people todevelop competen-cies and avoid risky or harmfulbehaviour is carriedout with youth, notfor youth”. — TORCJuly 2007 reportRural Youth: LeadingToday, Tomorrowand Beyond


4

Youth Friendly Criteria:1. Youth have options for play.

2. Youth are formally connected to the community.

3. Facilities are dedicated to youth play.

4. It is easy for youth to find information aboutplay activities in the community.

5. The community supports public youth events.

6. The community celebrates and recognizesyouth.

7. The community commits funding for youth play.

8. The community supports positive youth development.

9. The community supports volunteerism andleadership development.

10. The community has models of effective community partnerships.

11. Youth activism and advocacy for play isnurtured.

12. Youth feel comfortable in their own community.

13. Youth can get to the play programs that areoffered.

14. Schools support the youth friendly approach.

15. Adults champion the cause for youth play.

16. Play is accessible to youth with disabilities.

Many communities meet these criteria… your community just needs to take the time to sit down

and figure out what you are offering for youth. Recognition is awardedfor a five-year period after which communities must re-apply to retaintheir Youth Friendly designation. Remember – the 16 criteria remainconstant so you can use the criteria to benchmark your community thisyear and decide when you want to apply. You can also use these criteria to strategically plan your youth services.

Here are the 16criteria.

Do you think youwill meet at least

10 of them? (10 isthe minimum

requirement forrecognition.)


5

We applied for Youth Friendly Recognitionbecause we wanted to:• Acknowledge the great things our community

is doing for youth.

• Help make our small community more attractive to families.

• Show that our community is dedicated toquality and being cutting edge.

• Show off all that is happening because youthprograms across our community have beengrowing.

• Have the same recognition as larger communities and show our small town pride.

• The community is growing and we want toshow that youth are a priority.

• Be a part of a quality standard. This isverification and validation of what we aredoing.

SMALL TOWN HIGHLIGHT – Bringing YouthTogether – The Wikwemikong Unceded FirstNation holds a youth conference each yearwhere youth from other aboriginal communi-ties come together. This is an opportunity foryouth to discuss issues important to themand problem-solve with their peers.

What smalland ruralcommunitieswho wereinterviewedsaid.

➼

What does a smallcommunity looklike when it isYouth Friendly? –Access to programs, familiesare supportive,youth want to stayin the small townor return to raisetheir families andyouth have optionsfor activities.

“We were happyto compete againstthe largercommunities. It was impressivethat we were recognized alongwith larger cities.” — Municipality ofSouth Huron


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We think the application looks like a lot ofwork. Where do we start? It may seem that this is a big community applica-tion. All communities in Ontario, large and small,are encouraged to apply.

To use a sport analogy – one organization or person needs to act as the “quarterback” to pullthe application together. The team approach hasbeen successful for many communities. As infootball, you – the quarterback – don’t have toplay all of the positions yourself, you have a teamto do that!

• Partnerships! Invite all of the groups in yourcommunity who serve youth – faith groups,Boy Scouts, 4H, Girl Guides, minor sportclubs, local art instructors, etc.

• e.g. the Town of Ingersoll has a Youth ActionCommittee of youth serving organizationsin their community. This group helped to complete the Youth Friendly Communityapplication and was a great way to haveorganizations in the community worktogether.

• “The application process brought youthorganizations together in our region. Itgave us an excuse and permission to contact other youth providers” —Municipality of Port Hope

• Get Support – Set up a meeting with all of theyouth organizations in your community andbring to your local town council or leadershipgroup. “Council and/or your mayor mustbelieve in youth and back this application. Itwouldn’t be possible without this support.” —City of Welland

The review teamfor your applica-tion will be fromrural Ontario andknow what toexpect in smallcommunities. The review teamwill be looking forexamples ofdifferent types ofplay in your community. “We did not feel theywere judged againstlarger municipalities– we can respondquicker because weare small and work atmore of a grassrootslevel from front lineto decision makers,mayor and council.” — Town ofWhitchurch-Stouffville


7

• Work with your local secondary school to seehow you can get youth input.

• e.g. The Municipality of Port Hope asked itslocal high school social studies class(grades 10-11) to complete the YouthFriendly Community application as part of aclass assignment. Students divided the 16 criteria and found evidence for each.The lead organization coordinated and compiled information to put the finalapplication together.

• If you have a youth council or mayor’s councilin your community, invite these youth to helpwith the application. The City of Welland hada lot of support from its Mayor’s Youth Councilto complete the application.

• Look at the criteria one-by-one and you willsee that you fulfill many of the criteria already.Breaking the application into smaller pieceswill make it much more manageable. You canalso see examples and ideas on the PlayWorks website: www.playworkspartnership.ca

SMALL TOWNHIGHLIGHT

Town of Ingersoll—Fusion YouthCentre was createdfrom a vacantschool that waspurchased, renovated andopened in 2006.There are now 90-100 youth whouse the centreevery day.

“Our shared agreement withthe school boardmakes the most oflocal facilities.”— Municipality ofSouth Huron


8

SMALL TOWN HIGHLIGHT – Welland YouthCouncil – The Youth Council is activity-basedand runs five events a year for youth and thecommunity. The Council’s original intent wasto give ideas to the mayor but they soonfound that youth were not interested in thispassive role. Current projects include WellandSkate Fest and an arts showcase event.

• “We found the process was a way to create a solid foundation and understandingof what is being done and build on that ratherthan look at what’s not being done and focuson that.” — Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville

• “Start small and grow rather than think bigand do nothing.” — Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville

Ideas to complete the applicationThe journey is as important as the destination.The application process can be a great communitydevelopment project and bring all of the youthgroups in your community together. Other communities who have completed the applicationhave found it was a great way to find out what ishappening in their community and bring youthorganizations together to set priorities for thefuture. You may be able to form partnerships, tominimize duplication of efforts and also fill anygaps you may find you have.

“I didn’t realizeeverything that wehave until we started putting together thisapplication.” — WikwemikongUnceded First Nation

“I found out aboutprograms I didn’tknow existed in our community. Theapplication processwas a good way totake stock of youth programs from volunteer organiza-tions and faithgroups in ourcommunity.” — Municipality ofSouth Huron


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What small communities said:Make the process fun

e.g. The Town of Ingersoll completed a scrapbook with the help of their youth with all of the criteria covered.

Look at each of the 16 criteria separately andcomplete one at a time. If you do one criteriaa month over the next year, you will havedone 12, and you only need 10 to be recognized!

Start early – look at the 16 criteria and startcollecting evidence over the next few monthsor the next year.

Contact a mentor from the Play Works website.“The mentor that we found online was veryhelpful.” — Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville

Choose a Lead Organization – many otherorganizations have found it worked well whenone organization took the lead to put theapplication together and others were contributors and divided up the applicationinto sections.

• “Community means no one person doingthe work, and community is what accom-plished this application.” — Town ofIngersoll

SMALL TOWN HIGHLIGHT – Involving Youth –The Municipality of Port Hope is asking a highschool English class to write testimonialsabout why Port Hope is a great place to live.They plan to use the responses in youthbrochures, advertising and to build on positives in their community.

In the Town ofIngersoll, the localpaper has 500-wordcolumn just foryouth. The YouthFriendly Communitylogo is used in thecolumn becausethen it is about thecommunity and notjust one serviceagency. Thisbrands all youthorganizations intheir community.


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Common Questions from Applicants• How many pages should the application be

and what format should it be in? There is nopage requirement for the application. We askthat communities give evidence for each criteria they believe they fulfill. Applicationsshould include newspaper articles, letters ofsupport and event flyers. The Town ofIngersoll Youth Advisory Committee, consist-ing of 10 youth, completed a full-colour scrap-book with newspaper clippings and picturesof youth events. This scrapbook was a greatway to use an alternative format and involveyouth in the application process. The YouthAction Committee (consisting of youth servingorganizations) took on other sections of theapplication and helped youth with anyquestions.

• Do we have enough programs and services to apply? There is not an expecta-tion of a minimum number of programs andservices that the community must have to beyouth friendly. It is not just about programs.It’s about offering opportunities, access andengagement of and for young people.

• How can we meet Criteria No. 13: “Youth canget to the play programs that are offered,”when we don’t have public transport?Getting to play programs is not just aboutpublic transit. There are many ways that smalland rural communities can meet this criteria:

• Skate parks are near schools or the centre oftown so youth can easily participate.

• School buses are re-routed to drop off at aplay area after school.

• A rural outreach bus program is offered.The Municipality of Port Hope has theirsfunded by the United Way.

SMALL TOWNHIGHLIGHT

Rewarding

Volunteers –

The Town of

Whitchurch-

Stouffville rewards

youth volunteers

by giving them a

credit of $1 to be

used towards town

programs for every

volunteer hour.


11

• Drivers who transport seniors and the disabled are asked to extend the service toinclude transporting youth to extracurricularand volunteer activities.

• Carpooling is encouraged. “Ride boards”areset up online, where people can sign up tohitch a ride with someone else from town.*

* The Ontario Rural Council (TORC) July 2007 Report,Rural Youth: Leading Today, Tomorrow, and Beyond

• We don’t have a youth centre. Does thatmean we’re not Youth Friendly? While it’sgreat to have a designated youth centre, insome small communities that are just startingto become youth friendly, this may not be feasible. Youth need spaces and places to calltheir own, including parks, community hallsand coffee shops. Find out where thoseplaces are in your community and includethem in your application. The municipality ofSouth Huron’s community centre is funded bya local church and is a well-used facility by itsyouth.

SMALL TOWN HIGHLIGHT – Youth ProgramSponsorship — How can we get localbusinesses more involved in our youth programs? The Municipality of South Hurongets sponsorship from a local company togive gift certificates to youth involved in itshigh school ‘Green Team’ litter program.


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What rural and small communities sayabout the benefits of being recognizedas Youth Friendly

• We have been recognized as a leader in our region

• Since we have been recognized, there has beenincreased interest in youth initiatives

• We now have an open dialogue with council aboutcontinuing to improve on our Youth Friendly status

• In all of our grant applications we mention ourYouth Friendly status to demonstrate our commitment to youth

• We now have better contacts and connectionsto other youth serving organizations in the community and have been working together on new activities and programs

• The Town of Ingersoll celebrated its Youth Friendlystatus by holding a Youth Friendly week. One ofthe successful activities was having youth conduct‘random acts of kindness’ in the community.

• “Our youth were very impressed with the launch at Queen’s Park. We rented a limousine to takeeveryone to Toronto because it was actuallycheaper than a bus and it made the event even more special.” — Town of Ingersoll

• “We are happy to demonstrate that we provide asafe, friendly and fun environment for youth tobecome more involved within their community.” —Wikwemikong Unceded First Nation

• “Since the application we have been working morewith other local youth providers , we now bookgym space first and will work out later what thecommitment will be for youth programming.”— Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville

• From time to time representatives from a recog-nized Youth Friendly Community will be asked to sit on the review team. Review team membershave found this process very rewarding because itgave them a chance to see what other communitiesare doing and gain new ideas from the field.

Looking for moreinformation orassistance?

Play Workscan help.

Check out our website:

• Youth Friendly

Communities

brochure and

application form

• Examples of the

16 youth friendly

criteria

• Contact information

for YFC mentors

• Dates for

orientation

sessions offered

via conference call

Call us at416-426-7142

Youth FriendlyCommunityRecognition ProgramPlay Worksc/o 1185 EglintonAvenue E, Suite 406Toronto, ON M3C 3C6

www.playworkspartnership.ca • pwp@playworks partnership.ca


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