Belonging Expo 2023

Join the conversation.

Over 60 organizations in Waterloo Region are improving child and youth well-being.
Learn more about some of their work and why a sense of belonging is a core need for children and youth.

Event information

When: Thursday, September 28, 2023 6-8 PM

Where: Kitchener Public Library (KPL) Central Branch

6-8 PM: Open to the public! Come learn about 30+ Waterloo Region organizations working to improve child and youth well-being.

Everyone who attends the Belonging Expo will have a chance to be entered in a raffle for the following four (4) door prizes:

One $100 e-gift card to a vendor of their choice
Two $50 e-gift cards to a vendor of their choice
One Youth Impact Survey hoodie

Keynote speakers

Join us in the KPL theatre at 6:30 PM for a special presentation from two expert keynote speakers! Dr. Dillon Browne and Olusean Olayinka will be presenting about the importance of belonging for children & youth.

Olusean Olayinka

Executive Director

Adventure4Change

Dr. Dillon Browne

Assistant Professor of Psychology

FamilyPsycle Lab, University of Waterloo

Location and Directions

Kitchener Public Library Central Branch

85 Queen Street North

Kitchener, ON N2H 2H1

Transit routes

Plan your trip

Use the Grand River Transit Trip Planner to find your best route to the Kitchener Public Library.

Routes with stops near the library

#1 Queen – River

#4 Glasgow – Margaret

#7 King

#8 Weber

#20 Victoria – Frederick

#204 iXpress

#301 ION Light Rail

Parking options

Surface parking lot

Hourly paid parking is available 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the surface lot located at the corner of Queen Street North and Ahrens Street East.

Parking rates – Lot 19B

Additional options

Metered parking is available on Ahrens St and Roy St. A limited number of free one hour and two hour parking spaces can be found along other nearby streets.

Parking garages and surface lots are owned and operated by the City of Kitchener. For more information, visit the city’s parking information webpage.

Why Belonging?

At the Children and Youth Planning Table of Waterloo Region (CYPT), we believe that a strong sense of belonging is foundational to child and youth well-being.

The work of the CYPT collaborative is focused predominantly in the area of Belonging for children and youth. For us, belonging includes three key areas of focus:

Equity
Attachment/relationships
Children and youth feeling valued, heard and included

UNICEF Canada defines belonging as “feeling loved and supported and having mutually caring and respectful relationships.”

"Belonging means you don't have to hide who you are in order to fit in."

61.4% of youth in Waterloo Region reported feeling a very strong or somewhat strong sense of belonging to their community.

"Belonging feels like you have people who have your back. It's the little things that make you feel like you belong... you feel cared for and part of something bigger than yourself."

About the Children and Youth Planning Table

The Children and Youth Planning Table (CYPT) is a community-wide partnership that includes over 60 organizations serving children, youth, and families in Waterloo Region.

Our Vision: Happy, healthy children and youth today and tomorrow.

Our Mission: To collectively mobilize as one system for children and youth in Waterloo Region, that relentlessly strives to maximize well-being throughout generations.

The 2023 Belonging Expo would not be possible without generous support from the Kitchener Public Library and the Waterloo Region Community Foundation. Thank you!