Community Coordination
Convening key audiences for meaningful action. Connecting people, organizations and causes to reduce siloed efforts.
A community-wide collaborative
The CYPT is well known as an intergenerational entity that brings people together. We’re carrying forward our history of meaningful coordination work by connecting people, organizations and causes to reduce siloed efforts.
Our goals are to:
- increase understanding and fluent application of sense of belonging (what does this mean for people)
- collectively action youth ideas for change
- convene young people, member organizations and/or decision-makers in meaningful ways to advance the work
Key Community Coordination Projects
Youth Impact Project
Youth pitch solutions to problems identified in the 2023 Youth Impact Survey. We fund their ideas.
Data in Action
Taking the Youth Impact Survey data we heard from youth and asked them: “What do you think needs to happen next?” Youth identified key areas for change in our communities.
CYPT Annual Conference
Coming together to share our knowledge and coordinate our efforts around belonging in Waterloo Region.
CYPT Groups
Operating action-oriented groups to mobilize particular pieces of work on behalf of the collective.
Youth Engagement Projects
Impact & Action Youth Summit
In collaboration with Smart Waterloo Region (SWR), the Impact & Action Youth Summit is a youth-only annual event part of the Youth Impact Survey Cycle. The theme and goals of the summit change every year, but past summits have focused around:
- Gamifying the Youth Impact Survey data
- Hearing what youth think about the Youth Impact Survey results
- Gathering input from youth about what changes they want to see in their community based on the Youth Impact Survey results
Youth Impact Project
Youth pitch ideas. Youth decide where the money goes.
In collaboration with Smart Waterloo Region, we created a $50,000 fund to support youth ideas that address challenges seen in the 2023 Youth Impact Survey data. We assemble a youth decision-making team to assesses the pitches, and then we distribute funding to youth. United Way WRC and the Region of Waterloo give us the funding to run the Youth Impact Project.
Data in Action
We take the Youth Impact Survey data back to youth and asked them: “What do you think needs to happen next?” Through over 20 sense making sessions, youth identified key areas for change in our communities.
From here the Youth Impact Survey: Data in Action Report was born. In it, you can find the final list of actions for each focus area, how we got there, and what is happening in our community to move this forward.
Adult-Centred Projects
CYPT Annual Conference
The CYPT Annual Conference (or “Annual Forum”) is an event for all CYPT members to gather around topics in child and youth well-being. Past conferences have focused on topics such as building belonging in our communities, youth-led decision making, and the latest research in belonging.
In 2024, the CYPT Annual Conference was held in collaboration with the Waterloo Region Immigration Partnership and the Community Safety & Wellbeing Plan. We invite you to mark your calendar for this year’s conference!
CYPT Groups
The CYPT has a variety of of groups that work together to advance the work of the Strategic Plan. The three types of groups are:
- Support Teams: ongoing groups that work year-round to improve child and youth well-being by leveraging expertise in their focus area.
- Working Groups & Task Groups: Aim to accomplish specific child and youth well-being-related goals.
- Nested Groups: Groups affiliated with the CYPT that also have their own member organizations.