This list of ways to be involved in the work and make an impact on child and youth well-being includes easy actions that you can take to help improve well-being for children and youth in our community. The list will change as opportunities evolve. We’re glad you’re here.
Current Opportunities
Disaggregating Youth Impact Survey Data
As we continue to dig into the data collected from the 2021 Youth Impact Survey, we are moving toward the disaggregation stage. Work is underway to create 8 Snapshots to help convey the stories specific to subpopulations of young people including:
AgeCity/TownshipGender identity- Indigenous identity
- Newcomers/Immigrants
- Racial identity
Sexual orientation / 2SLGBTQ- Special needs
- Those with experiences of homelessness
As we get ready to do this, we’d like to connect with members for help and advice on which pieces of data we select to include in each Snapshot. If you have lived experience or work experience tied to any of the aforementioned groups, and would like to help advise in this process, please contact Alison Pearson at apearson@regionofwaterloo.ca.
Ongoing Opportunities
We’ve put these opportunities into three categories based on the time commitment we think would be required to effectively participate.
Interact with CYPT on Twitter
- The Children and Youth Planning Table is on Twitter! This is the most informal way we communicate information to followers about the work we are doing. We also tweet and retweet community events and things that affect child and youth well-being in Waterloo Region. Follow the CYPT on twitter.
Keep CPLC updated with in-house training opportunities
- The Continuous Professional Learning Committee is interested in hearing about upcoming opportunities you have that can benefit more people in Waterloo Region. To let the committee know about an upcoming learning opportunity, please click here.
Champion the work (and CYPT as a whole)
- The CYPT is a community-wide partnership that includes service providers, researchers, planning bodies, and funders serving children, youth, and families in our community. Using a collective impact model, we strive to live our vision of happy healthy children and youth – today and tomorrow. A great way to be involved is to champion the work. Talk about it at your organization, get to know the work the backbone team and other organizations are doing, and begin working to move the needle on the nine dimensions of child and youth well-being in your organization.
Actively promote Family Compass and ensure the information on the Family Compass website is accurate
The Family Compass website launched in February of 2018 and is a go-to site for finding community-based services and supports for parents, youth, and children in Waterloo Region. - If you have not had the opportunity to look at the Family Compass marketing package, which includes sample posts, images, and things you can share with your network, this is a great way to champion the work of the CYPT.
- In addition, checking the Family Compass website to ensure your information is accurate is a quick, but important way to be part of the work. If you see any errors, broken links, or have any other concerns about Family Compass, please use the feedback link located at the bottom of each page of their website.
Participate in asks (i.e. surveys)
- The backbone team at the CYPT occasionally sends emails that include things like surveys and requests for feedback. These emails are sent to capture the thoughts of members and to ensure that the focus of the backbone team is in line with the pulse of the membership. Thoughtfully replying to these asks is an important way that you can guide the work and ensure that it is moving forward in a meaningful way.
If you’re not already a Voting Member, consider becoming one.
- The CYPT currently has more than 700 general members and over 60 voting member organizations (VMO). VMO’s are based in Waterloo Region and are intentionally invested in the strategic direction and future of the CYPT. If your organization is intentionally aligning itself with the Vision of the CYPT and is working to move the needle on at least one of the nine dimensions of child and youth well-being, becoming a VMO might be the right next step.
Attend full-member meetings thoughtfully–send the best person from the organization
- Full membership meetings are held a few times a year and each meeting is different. Plans for full-member meetings, revolve around how best information can be shared with the collective to help improve child and youth well-being in our community. When invitations to the meeting are sent, we recommend looking at the planned topics and decide thoughtfully who would be the best person in your organization to attend.
Join a Nested Group
- There are currently four CYPT nested groups. If you are interested in learning more about the groups or joining a committee, follow the links below:
- Parenting Alliance of Waterloo Region
- Early Literacy Alliance of Waterloo Region
- Early Years System Steering Group
- Brain Story Mobilization Working Group
Join a Support Team
There are currently three CYPT Support Teams. If you have skills you can bring to any of these committees, please contact each committee for more information: