Staff clarification.
I have been requested to share the following response I prepared to comments we have received on the CSS-CESS-1312 – Youth Strategy Report. Please be in touch if you have any additional questions or comments
The purpose of the report was not to outline all of the ways that the recommendations can be linked and aligned to existing work but rather to show what youth and youth service providers are interested in. A more detailed implementation plan with resource requirements, timelines, KPIs etc can be developed once staff have a sense that they are headed in the right direction. The use of the term “endorsement” is intended to signal this rather than open ended direction for staff to pursue recommendations without further planning, projections or budget.
The recommendations of the 2013-18 Youth Strategy are the amalgamation of the thoughts and feedback of 700 members of Guelph’s youth population. The recommendations do not reflect the voice of one individual or smaller group but the sentiment of the collective. The recommendations were drafted and reviewed independent of each other and do not speak to the potential (and expected) connectivity between themes or recommendations. Through the process of collecting data and generating themes/recommendations, many of the young people involved expressed great interest in supporting the work of the Strategy and are enthusiastic to continue their involvement. The development of the 2013-18 Youth Strategy is based in the 10 Principles of Authentic Community Engagement as published by KnowledgeWorks Foundation and as detailed in these principles, encourages and supports sustained involvement from community stakeholders, in our case Guelph youth and youth stakeholders.
The 2013-18 Youth Strategy speaks directly to the Guelph’s youth community and has been drafted to complement existing and developing City Strategies and Initiatives. Each goal connects directly to Guelph’s Corporate Strategic Plan and Community Wellbeing Initiative and is based in best practice and/or successful implementation in other communities. The recommendations are intended as a starting point and each is given an appropriate timeline to investigate, adapt, build, partner and implement. City staff are expected to guide the process but will rely on community involvement, wisdom, resources and support to see each recommendation to fruition