Youth-led actions for change in Waterloo Region — and how the community is making it happen.
After narrowing down and prioritizing over 600 actions, these are youth’s top choices.
Click each action to learn more about how we got there and what the community is doing to make a change.
Want to see the full list of actions youth want to see happen? View the longer list of 39 actions below.
The Youth Impact Survey (YIS) is our community’s opportunity to hear directly from young people what their life is like in Waterloo Region. The survey is intended for youth ages 9-18 and it asks questions about nine dimensions of well-being.
While surveying, we try to hear from as many diverse groups of youth as possible.
We release the data back to youth and the community. There is one aggregate data report and eight snapshots focusing diverse groups of youth including: geography, age, immigrants, sexual orientation, gender identity, experiences of homelessness, disability, and racial identity.
Then, we went out to young people in the community for sense making sessions. We discussed the date and youth’s ideas of what we should do next to make our community better.
That includes the Impact & Action Youth Summit, which we host every year. It’s a chance for youth to play with the data and understand it so that we can figure out what action to take.
Combining data from the Youth Impact Survey and input from Sense Making Sessions, we had a list of over 600 actions or suggestions.
We worked with youth through 4 workshops to clarify, narrow down, and prioritize. We also spoke with adults at CYPT member meetings to get information about feasibility, resourcing, and other details so youth could make informed decisions.
The goal of the Data in Action resource is to turn youth voices into community change. This resource highlights specific actions that community members, organizations, and decision-makers can take to make those youth-led changes a reality. It’s designed to help anyone who wants to support local youth priorities — whether that means starting a new project, adapting existing programs, or advocating for policy changes.
Because community change is ongoing, the Data in Action resource is a living document. We will update it as new actions are taken and progress is made on the top six priorities. Check back often to see what’s happening — and to find new ways to get involved in creating the change youth want to see.
If you are taking new action around one of the top 6 priorities and want to include it in this resource, please contact the CYPT Backbone Team.
The Youth Impact Survey operates on a three-year cycle. The 2023 survey is the most recent set of data available, and it serves as the foundation for all current youth-led priorities and actions. Each cycle includes four main parts:
Surveying – Youth share their experiences, ideas, and priorities through the Youth Impact Survey.
Sharing the Data – The survey results are released to the community so everyone can understand what youth are saying.
Sensemaking & Action Planning – Youth come together to explore the data, discuss what it means, and identify key priorities for change.
Data in Action – The community uses this resource to take concrete steps on the top six youth priorities.
The next Youth Impact Survey will take place in 2026, beginning the next three-year cycle. During this time, Data in Action work will continue.
In 2019, CYPT Voting Members decided to evolve the Shared Goals for Child and Youth Well-being to include UNICEF’s Canadian Index of Child and Youth Well-being. This shared measurement evolution was officially implemented in January 2020. The nine dimensions of child and youth well-being are:
These dimensions are used throughout the Youth Impact Survey. We believe, as a collective, that these focus areas are key to the well-being of children and youth.
If you or your organization is taking new action on any of the top six youth priorities, or if you’d like to connect with others who are doing this work, please reach out to the CYPT Backbone Team. If you’d like to get connected to the ongoing work happening through the Children and Youth Planning Table (CYPT) Collaborative, we can help you find the right group or initiative to join.
You can view the previous Data in Action Report (2022) here.
The Youth Impact Survey (YIS) is Waterloo Region’s opportunity to hear directly from young people about their own well-being. But it’s more than just a survey! It’s a four-part cycle focused on continuous engagement of youth voices:
This is a three-year cycle. The next Youth Impact Survey will happen in 2026. If you’re a young person and want to be notified when the next survey opens, sign up for our Youth Mailing List.