240403 Youth Advisory Council AgendaThe Corporation of the Town of Tillsonburg
Youth Advisory Council Meeting
AGENDA
Wednesday, April 3, 2024
4:30 PM
The Upper Deck Youth Centre
19 Queen Street
1.Call to Order
2.Adoption of Agenda
Moved By: ________________
Seconded By: ________________
THAT the agenda as prepared for the Youth Advisory Council Meeting of April 3, 2024 be
approved.
3. Disclosures of Pecuniary Interest and the General Nature Thereof
4.Adoption of Minutes of Previous Meeting
Moved By: ________________
Seconded By: ________________
THAT the minutes of the March 6, 2024 Youth Advisory Council be approved.
5.Presentation
5.1 Communities Building Youth Futures
Jodie Konior will present to the Youth Advisory Council on behalf of the Communities
Building Youth Futures Oxford County.
6.General Business and Reports
6.1 Youth Questionnaire, CS-24-042
Moved By: ________________
Seconded By: ________________
THAT report CS 24-042 titled Youth Questionnaire be received as
information; and
A.
THAT the Youth Advisory Council create additional questions for their next
meeting.
B.
7.Next Meeting
8.Adjournment
Moved By: ________________
Seconded By: ________________
THAT the Youth Advisory Council meeting be adjourned at PM.
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The Corporation of the Town of Tillsonburg
Youth Advisory Council Meeting
MINUTES
Wednesday, March 6, 2024
4:30 PM
The Upper Deck Youth Centre
19 Queen Street
ATTENDANCE: Scott Gooding
Liam Spencer-Enright
Sorraya Buchanan-St.Gelais
Sophie Hicks
Chris Parker
Kelly Spencer
Jaxon Gundry
Tyla Thiessen
Adam Thiessen
Naima Sandoval
Regrets: Scarlet Robson
Dakshneel Singh
Deb Gilvesy
Mya Williams
Staff: Randi Crawford
Hillary Miller
_____________________________________________________________________
1. Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 4:35 pm.
The Chair introduced Constable Randi Crawford to the Youth Advisory Council.
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2. Adoption of Agenda
Resolution # 1
Moved By: Sophie Hicks
Seconded By: Jaxon Gundry
THAT the agenda as prepared for the Youth Advisory Council Meeting of March
6, 2024 be approved.
Carried
3. Disclosures of Pecuniary Interest and the General Nature Thereof
None
4. Adoption of Minutes of Previous Meeting
Resolution # 2
Moved By: Tyla Thiessen
Seconded By: Adam Thiessen
THAT the minutes of the February 7, 2024 Youth Advisory Council be approved.
Carried
5. General Business and Reports
5.1 Youth Advisory Council Project
The Youth Advisory Council brainstormed some project ideas to complete
before the end of their term.
Some of the ideas included:
A study space, outside of the library, for students to get together
and study together.
Community engagement. Activities that engage youth such as
youth dances.
A questionnaire to present to high school age youth to determine
youth needs in the community.
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The Youth Advisory Council decided on drafting a questionnaire. Offering
an incentive, such as cookies, could be a way to get students to want to fill
out a survey.
Members will provide their ideas to the Secretary for the next meeting.
The Chair suggested drafting a priority list to leave behind for the next
youth advisory council to work on during their term.
Members also expressed a desire to bring back the Recreation, Culture
and Parks Department to a future meeting to help create youth events.
Resolution # 3
Moved By: Jaxon Gundry
Seconded By: Sorraya Buchanan-St.Gelais
THAT the Youth Advisory Council members provide written ideas via
email for a questionnaire to the Secretary before the next meeting;
AND THAT the Secretary prepare a report for the next meeting with a
summary of the questions for the Youth Advisory Council to review.
Carried
6. Next Meeting
The next meeting is on April 3, 2024.
7. Adjournment
Resolution # 4
Moved By: Chris Parker
Seconded By: Sophie Hicks
THAT the Youth Advisory Council be adjourned at 5:30 pm.
Carried
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Tillsonburg Youth
Social Space
A Youth-Led Pilot Project
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●A Canada-wide initiative funded by the
Government of Canada and the Tamarack Institute
focused on:
○Increasing high school graduation rates
○Improving youth (age 15-30) outcomes
after high school
●Aims to reach students who may face greater
barriers to educations, including but not limited to:
○Indigenous students
○Visible minority and racialized students
○Students living with disabilities
○Students living in a low-income household
○Students identifying as 2SLGBTQ+
●Youth-led initiative
○“Nothing about us without us”
What is CBYF?
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Who makes up CBYF?
YOUTH COUNCIL
●20 local youth (volunteers and
interns)
●Either live or work in Oxford
County
●Diverse backgrounds, life
experiences, and perspectives
●Members from 6 of 8
municipalities
○including 4 youth from
Tillsonburg
●Select priority areas and guide
creation and implementation of
CBYF efforts
LEADERSHIP TABLE
●Representatives from 15 local
youth-serving organizations
●4 representatives from the Youth
Council
●Organizations from multiple
sectors
●Support the implementation of
Youth Council-identified priority
areas, projects, etc. through
sharing of resources
●Provide guidance around
legislative and liability
considerations
Content
Experts
Context
Experts
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Partner Organizations
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Why?
Why do a youth social space in Oxford County?
►Heard that youth want spaces where they can
►connect with other youth
►feel like they belong
►show up without fear of judgement
►have fun
►A lack of free, neutral social spaces was also noted as a gap area in a grey literature review
►These spaces are often either missing entirely in Oxford’s rural communities, or if they do exist are
typically church-based, sports-related, or high-cost, all of which have been identified as barriers
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Why?
Why do a youth social space in Tillsonburg?
►Many strengths in the community that could be utilized to help make the space successful
►Community-minded businesses
►Town Recreation, Culture and Parks staff
►Tillsonburg Branch of Oxford County Library
►Aligns with strategic direction from Town of Tillsonburg’s Strategic Plan: “Maintain and enhance
programs and facilities to support an active, engaged youth population”
►Glendale’s high school graduation rates ranked amongst the lowest in Oxford County public high
schools (all of which fall below the provincial average)
►Accessibility (Glendale H.S. being in community)
►Youth from neighbouring communities regularly come into Tillsonburg for a variety of other services
►Youth are interested!
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Introducing: VIBE
►Launched May, 2023
►Breaks for summer and December holiday break
►Total visits: 159
►Thursdays from 3:30-5:30PM
►Tillsonburg Public Library
►Run a variety of optional programming
►Have food & drinks available
►Have hygiene supplies available
►Have resources available
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Weekly Staff Observations
►Youth regularly have accessed food available
►including more youth openly taking food home from program when needed
►Regularly accessing hygiene supplies being available
►Youth opened up to staff and each other about challenges at home with family,
with friends, in-school related to issues like bullying, school stress, and
navigating post-secondary options, and general mental health challenges they
were experiences
►Youth and staff often had open conversations about sociopolitical issues such as
being 2SLGBTQIA+ in the community, class issues, and homelessness
►Youth really connected with each other, forging strong friendships that translate
outside of VIBE
►A story to share…
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Impact
100% of youth who completed the Impact Survey either completely or somewhat
agreed with the following statements that VIBE:
►Helped them build relationships with other youth
►helped them build relationships with caring staff
►Made them feel more connected to their community
►Introduced them to new friends
►Made them feel like they belong
►Was good for their mental health
►Gave them space to have fun after school
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Impact
Youth who completed the Impact Survey identified that since participating in VIBE,
they have experienced the following impacts on risk factors:
►Physical health has improved
►Mental health has improved
►Reached out for support during a tough time
►Have better nutrition after school
►Have more structured after school time
►Have a better outlook on life
►Feel better about their future
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Impact
Increased
protective factors
Decreased
risk factors
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Impact
►“Vibe has given me a place to go after school with friends and just sit without
having an expectation to be doing school work or doing something. It's nice to
have a place to go and be yourself and it's nice knowing that if I want to, I have
the option to join in games, do art or just sit and relax”
►“It's a good space to get away from stress from home, and a good way to talk to
people. And I love this space to keep going”
►“Created a excellent space and I’ve enjoyed every session more connecting with
other people from school etc, it’s unique”
►“I feel more free than ever!”
►“It gives me something to do after school and it’s good for my seasonal
depression”
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Subject: Youth Questionnaire
Report Number: CS -24-042
Department: Corporate Services Department
Submitted by: Hillary Miller, Records and Legislative Coordinator
Meeting Type: Advisory Committee Meeting
Meeting Date: Wednesday, April 3, 2024
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT report CS 24-042 titled Youth Questionnaire be received as information;
and
B. THAT the Youth Advisory Council create additional questions for their next
meeting.
BACKGROUND
At their last meeting on March 3, 2024, the Youth Advisory Council desired the creation
of a Youth Questionnaire to provide to area high schools. The following resolution was
passed:
Resolution # 3
Moved By: Jaxon Gundry
Seconded By: Sorraya Buchanan-St. Gelais
THAT the Youth Advisory Council members provide written ideas via email for a
questionnaire to the Secretary before the next meeting;
AND THAT the Secretary prepare a report for the next meeting with a summary of the
questions for the Youth Advisory Council to review.
Carried
This report will provide the summary of questions.
DISCUSSION
The ideas received by the deadline are provided in Appendix A. Only one response was
received to the email prompt for questions for the questionnaire. More ideas and
questions will need to be provided to create a questionnaire that can be circulated.
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Choose an item. CS-24-042 Youth Questionnaire
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CONSULTATION
Youth Advisory Council Members
FINANCIAL IMPACT/FUNDING SOURCE
N/A
ATTACHMENTS
Appendix A – Draft Questionnaire Ideas
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Hillary Miller
From:Kelly Spencer
Sent:Tuesday, March 26, 2024 1:53 PM
To:Clerks
Cc:Liam Spencer Enright
Subject:RE: Draft Questionnaire - Ideas
My suggestions are to complete a questions and implement at the high school and perhaps also finding a way to reach
high school kids from the Catholic High school that live in Tillsonburg.
I think it would be helpful to break the questionnaire into simple categories with simple questions.
Suggested categories:
1. Shopping
2. Downtown events for youth
3. Parks, Culture and Rec
4. Future in town/ out of town
5. Concerns with current social issues: inflation, cost of rent, housing, drugs and opioid crisis, homelessness
6. Education
7. overall needs for youth in the town
Suggested simply questions
1. Shopping: what stores do you like in town?
What stores do you wish to see in town?
are you needs regarding retail met?
2. Downtown:
Did you attend turtle fest? What did you like? What do wish different?
Did you attend the downtown Halloween Haunted House? Was it good? Would you change? How so?
What events downtown would you like to see for highschool youth?
3. Parks, Culture, Rec:
Do you play sports? Is there any sports you wish the town offered that they don’t?
What do you think is lacking for recreation for youth that don’t play sports?
What would you like to see offered?
Would you attend youth dances?
4. Do you see yourself living in Tillsonburg as an adult?
5. What are you concerns about ….
and so on. I offer this as suggestion and would like to hear from the youth council for relevant questions.
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