Community Action Report: We are Secure and We are Protected

39

Build in support and education around issues such a bullying, sexual harassment, social justice movements and issues within the community, and the experiences of youth. This can be through workspaces, schools, and youth occupied spaces.

We need more support and effort to help kids who are bullied and/or dealing with mental health issues.

– YIS Qualitative Data


Improved relationship (more positive interactions) between youth and police.

– Sense Making Sessions


Ensure that middle school and high school teachers properly deal with sexual assault and harassment. Stop letting boys get away with this.

– YIS Qualitative Data


Having more known safe protests about important things like BLM, the genocide facing Uigher Muslims in China

– YIS Qualitative Data


I think the findings of the survey should be disseminated to all segments of the community to spread awareness about the status of youth.

– Feedback Survey


More recognition of problems in Ontario/Canada. For example, BLM, Asian hate, Indigenous discrimination and discrimination in general

– YIS Qualitative Data

Organization: Kinbridge Community Association 

Kinbridge supports youth through relationship building with youth engagement workers to create safe spaces for open communication and respect. This occurs in spaces such as youth drop-in. Check out Kinbridge’s Fall programming hereLearn more about Kinbridge here

 

Organization: John Howard Society of Waterloo-Wellington 

John Howard Society of Waterloo-Wellington offers a variety of programs for youth. Such as, a school-based bullying prevention and social competency program for grades 1 to 8 and Level UP (gender based violence awareness) program for male youth ages 12 to 17. Learn more about John Howard Society of Waterloo-Wellington here!

 

Organization: Coalition of Muslim Women KW

CMW-KW developed Report Hate, an online tool where community members can report hate incidents and/or discrimination motivated by Racism, Islamophobia, and Xenophobia. Learn more about the Coalition of Muslim Women here!

40

Increase social programming and support for low income individuals/families. Increase the availability and quality of affordable housing, food bank programs, etc. And also ensure that community activities are inclusive for all.

I think the data should be used to improve conditions for those who may not have very much money in the community to eat and joins groups/events like sports teams etc.

– YIS Qualitative Data

 

Try to help struggling students for free. Safe inclusive community areas where they can go to for help!

– Feedback Survey

 

I think that the information collected through the Youth Impact Survey should be used to create more resources for youth

– Feedback Survey

 

Food accessible in the community reflects the community (e.g. halal options)

– Sense Making Sessions

 

 

Organization: YMCA of Three Rivers Waterloo Region 

YMCA offers “fees assist”  for families or individuals needing financial support for YMCA memberships or recreation programs. Learn more about the YMCA of Three Rivers here

 

Organization: House of Friendship

House of Friendship offers programming for children, youth and families in 7 different neighbourhoods across the region. Programs such as tutoring, after-school program, and youth drop-in to help families and children living on low-income access free programming. Learn more about House of Friendship here!

 

Organization: City of Waterloo

Offers assistance to those who can’t afford to pay fees for affiliated recreation, leisure, arts and culture programs. Successful applicants can get a $300 credit per person per year, that can be used for city-run programs, affiliated minor sports, or arts and culture programs. Learn more about City of Waterloo here!

 

Organization: John Howard Society of Waterloo-Wellington  

John Howard Society of Waterloo-Wellington advocates for affordable housing for youth and supports youth ages 16 to 24 who are in the Youth In Transition program to transition living on their own. “The Y.I.T. worker will assist youth to develop, identify and pursue their goals and will support them to access and navigate adult service systems relevant to their specific needs”. Learn more about John Howard Society of Waterloo-Wellington here

 

Organization: Camino Wellbeing + Mental Health

Camino hosts 2 neighbourhood community centres in the Paulander (Kitchener) and Erb West (Waterloo) neighbourhoods. Neighbours (adults and youth) are actively involved in determining programs, opportunities, etc. Community centres provide supports in accessing food, navigating housing, social and community building programs, etc. Learn more about Camino here!

 

Organization: Greenway Chaplain Community Centre

Greenway-Chaplin Community Centre connects community residents by offering neighbours and friends the opportunity to thrive by providing recreational, educational, supportive programs and volunteer opportunities. Learn more about Greenway Chaplain here!

 

 

 

 

41

Better address bullying in the community -this includes identifying the root causes of bullying as a starting point, and implementing further supports to kids who have been/are bullied. We must also acknowledge the growing presence of cyberbullying, and ensure that we are employing better/more community guidelines in spaces where cyberbullying can occur.

Work to identify the root causes of bullying

– Sense Making Sessions

 

Try to stop cyber bullying – more community guidelines in spaces

– Sense Making Sessions

 

We need more support and effort to help kids who are bullied and/or dealing with mental health issues.

 – YIS Qualitative Data

 

Organization: John Howard Society of Waterloo-Wellington 

John Howard Society of Waterloo-Wellington offers school based bullying prevention workshops, they are completed within school classrooms throughout the school day. JHSWW offers two workshops- One By One: We Get Along (JK – grade 3) and The Power Within (grade 4-6 / occasional  grade 7/8). Learn more about John Howard Society of Waterloo-Wellington here

 

Organization: Coalition of Muslim Women 

Coalition of Muslim Women has an online tool where individuals can report hate incidents and / or discrimination motivated by Racism, Islamophobia, and Xenophobia, see here https://reportinghate.ca/ . You can also call, text or WhatsApp 519-722-2449 to report a hate incident. Learn more about CMW here!

 

42

Increase financial supports for youth and families. This includes
  • de-stigmatizing food programs and increasing their quality (do they match dietary restrictions and cultural accommodations?)
  • raising wages so that they keep up with the cost of living
  • creating more street-engaged shelters
  • making community programs (events, sports, activities, etc) accessible to low-income individuals and families.

Housing prices & living sustainably (changing government’s minds)

– Sense Making Sessions

 

De-stigmatizing food programs at schools and more variety in options (do they match dietary restrictions and cultural accommodations?)

– Sense Making Sessions

 

Wages not keeping up with the cost of living (housing, rent, etc.)

– Sense Making Sessions

 

In my opinion, the most valuable things that the Region could do in order to help the community is take measures to control gentrification and build more affordable housing.

– YIS Qualitative Data

 

More support for those who struggle financially

– YIS Qualitative Data

 

We need more food banks and places where people can get free clothes.

– YIS Qualitative Data

 

More street-engaged shelters.

– YIS Qualitative Data

 

More financial support for families. Some of us are really struggling.

– YIS Qualitative Data

 

If families are having issues financially in terms of food I think there should be an increase of programs to help this problem

– Feedback Survey

 

Taking care of the more serious needs of the community like housing and food.

– Feedback Survey

 

I think the data should be used to improve conditions for those who may not have very much money in the community to eat and joins groups/events like sports teams etc.

– Feedback Survey

Organization: YMCA of The Three Rivers 

YMCA of Three Rivers has a youth program called Food4U, every Wednesday at 6:00pm, no registration required, staff and volunteers provide youth with a healthy family style dinner at no cost. As well as, a drop-in sports program for youth each Wednesday and Friday from 7:45-9:00pm in the gym at the Chaplin Family YMCA. Learn more about YMCA of Three Rivers here

 

Organization: City of Waterloo 

The City of Waterloo has a Fee Assistance Leisure Access Program to cover fees to participate in city-run recreation, leisure, arts and culture programs. Applicants can receive up to $300 per person per year. Learn more about City of Waterloo here!

 

Organization: Adventure4Change 

Adventure4Change offers free programming for children and youth in the community. Some of the programs offered are Youth Connect, Young Queens, Genesis, Sports and Talk and the Youth Accelerator Project. As well as, youth mentoring through the Youth Internship program where youth are assigned a mentor based on interests and goals. Learn more about Adventures 4 Change here!

 

Organization: Wilmot Family Resource Centre

Wilmot Family Resource Centre provides a variety of programs for children, youth and families at zero to low costs. Subsidies are available to assist with costs. Food assistance is also available providing weekly food hampers and free access shelves and a clothes rack with extra items that service users can access at any time. (Clothing, books, toys, extra food items, personal care items etc.) Learn more about Wilmot Family Resource Centre here!

 

Organization: Camino Wellbeing + Mental Health

Camino is partnered with the Food Bank Region to offer food distribution programs for families living in the Erb West and Paulander neighbourhoods. Find a food assistance program near you here- https://www.thefoodbank.ca/network/map/Learn more about Cammino here

43

Acknowledge and combat the housing crisis. Lower housing prices, control gentrification, build more affordable housing.

Housing prices & living sustainably (changing government’s minds)
– Sense making sessions

 

Wages not keeping up with the cost of living (housing, rent, etc.)
– Sense making sessions

 

In my opinion, the most valuable things that the Region could do in order to help the community is take measures to control gentrification and build more affordable housing
– From YIS Qualitative

 

More support for those who struggle financially
– From YIS Qualitative

 

More financial support for families. Some of us are really struggling.
– From YIS Qualitative

 

Taking care of the more serious needs of the community like housing and food.
– From Feedback Survey

Organization: John Howard Society of Waterloo-Wellington 

John Howard Society of Waterloo-Wellington is researching emerging affordable housing ideas, reports on research are available on their website. Learn more about the John Howard Society of Waterloo-Wellington here

 

Organization: Waterloo Region Community Foundation (WRCF)

The Do More Good Dialogue series brings people together to discuss important topics in our community and the work WRCF is doing to impact these. There have been several focus on affordable housing. Learn more about the Do More Good dialogues here!

 

Organization: Region of Waterloo (ROW)

ROW Affordable Housing Plan is committed to making housing affordable for all because they believe communities thrive when everyone has a place to call home. The plan aspires to develop up to 2500 new homes over the next five years, increasing affordable housing generated from an average of 50 units per year to 500 units per year. Learn more about the Affordable Housing Plan here!

 

 

Organization: oneROOF Youth Services

The Host Homes program works to prevent youth from entering into the cycle of homelessness. Members of the community onboarded into the program, provide youth with a room in their home – so youth can remain safe and secure while working with oneROOF to obtain permanent, stable housing and work on personal goals. Learn more about oneROOF here!

44

Recognize and address experiences of sexual assault and harassment. This can be through education, spreading awareness for reporting, and the consequences of sexual assault and harassment in elementary school and youth spaces

Ensure that middle school and high school teachers properly deal with sexual assault and harassment. Stop letting boys get away with this.
– From YIS Qualitative

 

Improve on the amount of harassment that young girls have to deal with, especially on public transportation, and near the university’s, i have been getting cat called and harassed since i was 12.
– From YIS Qualitative

 

Organization: Child Witness Centre 

Child Witness Centre provides support, education and advocacy to children, youth and families who are victims and witnesses of crime as they navigate the criminal justice system. Learn more about Child Witness Centre here

 

Organization: Sexual Assault Support Centre

The Male Allies program at SASC engages boys and men in ending systemic and everyday forms of gender-based violence. Programming provides alternative narratives of masculinity, self-reflection and dialogue, and challenges harmful language and behaviour.  Learn more about SASC here!


Organization: Women’s Crisis services

The Hope 4 the Future education program  is designed to teach youths in Grades 6-8 about healthy relationships to help eliminate violence in our community. Different programs within is focus on things like self-esteem, sexual harassment, mental health, etc. Learn more about the programs here!