Investigate
What are pressing issues youth face across Canada?
Youth and youth-serving organizations across Canada identified issues related to the following 10 topics as being the most pressing for youth in Canada.
Youth spaces: Safer and inclusive physical and virtual spaces for youth participation and youth voice within organizations, schools, community institutions, public spaces, or institutional policies
Violence and bullying: Addressing individual, group, and community- level issues related to physical, emotional, psychological violence, cyberbullying, peaceful conflict resolution, gender-based violence
Gender Equality: Promoting greater awareness of and understanding around gender identity, gender expression, and LGBTQI rights
Newcomers and refugees: Issues related to migrants, immigrants, refugees, people with precarious immigration status
Reconciliation: Rights of indigenous peoples, trauma and healing, decolonial approaches, indigenous and non-indigenous relationship-building, traditional indigenous teachings and spirituality
Mental health: Stress, eating disorders, addiction, depression, well being and self-care
Healthy relationships: Sexual health, boundaries, interpersonal communication, romantic relationships, friendships, power dynamics, peaceful conflict resolution
Discrimination: Addressing stereotypes, prejudices, racism, privileges, and systemic discrimination
Rights and responsibilities: Knowledge and action for the promotion, protection and respect for human rights (children’s rights, women’s rights), individual and collective responsibilities for the protection of rights
Identity and self-esteem: Being comfortable with oneself, knowing who you are, where you’re from, understanding how identities are intersectional and complex
How do these issues compare with those you and other youth face in your community?
Find out more by clicking on the topic or check out these resources to help you dig deeper and find solutions. Push your project further by asking yourself some of the questions below , and share what you discovered with others!
Push your project further by asking yourself...
What is the key issue in your community that you want to address?
How is this issue related to equality, inclusion and diversity? How is this issue related to human rights? How is the issue experienced differently by different people?
What needs to change in order to resolve the issue?
What are the root causes of the issue? What factors make the issue better or worse?
Who are the people that influence the issue?
What causes and factors can you influence? What are other people doing to address the issue already? How are these people working together?
