Youth Making a Difference in Our Community

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Youth Making a Difference in Our Community

• An update from the
• Community Youth Coalition

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Why Were Here

• Theres been important developments in Thunder
  Bays youth community.
• Were excited to bring you this update.

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The Community Youth Coalition

• The Community Youth Coalition is a network of
  youth service providers working to get youth
  involved in their community.
• Lead Partners
• Thunder Bay District Health Unit
• City of Thunder Bay-Recreation Culture Division
• Executive Partners
• North Superior Training Board
• Job Connect
• Childrens Centre Thunder Bay

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The Action for Youth Forum

• Youth from across the city came together to plan,
  organize, and facilitate the forum.
• From focus testing of city youth, we obtained 5
  top priorities
• Youth Recreation
• Youth Image
• Youth Safety
• City Image (Youth Perspective)
• The economy
• The forum brought together youth and adults to
  address these concerns.

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Goals of the Action for Youth Forum

• Encourage the adoption of a Youth Civic Strategy
  by the City.
• Increase community awareness of youth
  perspectives.
• Encourage youth civic involvement.
• Identify common ground and foster partnerships.

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Outcomes of the Forum

• We need to
• Be more aware of youth perspectives.
• Acknowledge youth for what they are.
• See youth as an important community resource.
• Reduce stereotyping and look at youth in a more
  positive way.
• Also of note
• More awareness of community resources is needed.
• Safety concerns in some neighbourhoods some
  perceived, some real.

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The Origins of COW

• Last summer, the CYC brought together a group of
  youth.
• The youth discussed the outcomes of the Forum and
  created plans.
• Changing Our World (COW) evolved as a means to
  put our plans into action.

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Changing Our World About Us

• We are youth making a difference in our
  community.
• We feel that youth have an important role in
  bringing about positive change.
• COW is about
• Connecting youth
• Uniting youth
• Promoting youth initiatives
• Strengthening our community
• Youth led, youth driven.
• For youth, by youth.

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What weve been up to
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Got Youth?

• We brought together 16 youth groups to network
  and plan cooperatively.
• It was a great start and had a spirited
  discussion.
• We will be holding similar meetings on a regular
  basis starting in January 08

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COW Looking Forward

• We will strive to represent our diverse youth
  community.
• Were setting up our website
• Promote discussion through online forums.
• Keep youth informed about events in their
  community through a calendar.
• We will try to reach more youth through events
  promoting civic involvement.
• COW will be an important part of the future Youth
  Civic Strategy.
• Were building on our strenghts and mooving
  forward.

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Future Projects

• Look forward to seeing us in 2008 - heres what
  we have planned and who were working with
• Peer leadership
• Dennis Franklin Cromarty
• Youth Safety Workshop
• Input from Frank Wilson
• Youth Image Multimedia Campaign
• Health Unit, CYC, DAC
• Youth Mental Health Multimedia Campaign
• Childrens Centre Thunder Bay
• Youth Week 2008
• All partners

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A Brighter Future

• Were grateful for the support of the Drug
  Awareness Committee and the Community Youth
  Coalition.
• We know that the only way to achieve our goals is
  through collaboration.
• We will continue to forge partnerships between
  youth and adults strive towards a Youth Civic
  Strategy.
• The future is looking bright.

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Thank you for your attention.

• We need to be the change we wish to see in the
  world.
• Gandhi