Waterloo Region Youth Engagement Strategy

The Waterloo Region Youth Engagement Strategy (WR YES!) aims to address barriers to equity and engagement for youth in Waterloo region, particularly for youth farthest from opportunities.

Related Resources

An Ounce of Prevention (Fall 2018)

This report was developed to inform discussions on cannabis legalization and regulation, in the context of significantly higher rates of cannabis use versus our European counterparts. In particular, Ounce of Prevention drew attention to the near-absence of attention to, and funding for upstream prevention.

View the short report here: https://preventingcrime.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/An-Ounce-ofPrevention-Please-Cannabis-Report.pdf

Conversations Report (Spring 2019)

This qualitative report features the voices of 33 youth who use substances within Waterloo region, part of an intentional and ongoing effort to engage people typically not included in policy-programming efforts,

View the short report here:

https://preventingcrime.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/WCPC0658-Report-ConversationsOfSubstance-web.pdf

The Icelandic Model

Iceland has one of the lowest rates of substance use among youth in Europe, and rates approximately 1/3 of those amongst youth of a similar age in Ontario. Intentional and sustained funding for upstream prevention efforts has generated enviable results for communities in Iceland. Realizing a hybridized version of the Icelandic model is a key priority for the WR YES!

In 2018, the WRCPC together with the University of Waterloo’s School of Public Health invited Iceland’s Alfgier Kristjansson to speak with local leaders, academics and interested members of the public.

In the news

– Lisa Rutledge of The Cambridge Times spoke with Dr. Kristjansson about how the Iceland community model changed culture to prevent or delay youths from using drugs, including alcohol, here .

-Dr. Mark Pancer, a member of the WRCPC and Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Wilfrid Laurier University, wrote in The Record about Iceland’s effort and related upstream prevention initiatives here .

-Liz Monteiro of The Record spoke with Dr. Kristjansson here .

The Kitchener Public Library website contains key articles about Iceland’s approach here. You can watch Dr. Kristjansson’s presentation here.

Other Related Resources

PHO Grand Rounds: Planet Youth Lanark County: Community in Action
25 June 2019
Presenters: David Somppi, Brenda MacDonald-Rowe and Dr. Paula Stewart
https://www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/event-presentations/grand-rounds-june-25-2019.pdf?la=en

PHO Grand Rounds: Improving Lives based on Evidence: Introduction to Planet Youth
21 May 2019Webinar
Presenter: Dr. Inga Dora Sigfusdottir
https://www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/event-presentations/grand-rounds-may-21-2019.pdf?la=en

inREACH (2009-2013)

“When kids flourish, crime doesn’t.”

While we traditionally do a good job of serving those easiest to serve, those with more complex needs are often left out in the cold. Too often the “system” is an unforgiving experience that marginalizes those already at the edge.

A systems-level strategy to engage youth at the margins and at risk of crime and victimization has grown out of lessons learned from INREACH. This strategy seeks to ensure all youth have an opportunity to participate in community and enrich their quality of life- and future.

Youth Gang Prevention – inREACH (2009-2013)

inREACH was a federally-funded youth gang prevention program that assisted youth between the ages of 13-24 and provided supports in the areas of mental health, substance use, education, employment and family support. This was a collaborative project that worked with many social service organizations across Waterloo Region.