Youth Take Vancouver's Vital Signs
Vancouver Foundation
On June 2nd 2009, a team of Vancouver youth unveiled the city's first-ever Youth Vital Signs, a quality-of-life report card published by youth aged 15-24 who live, work and/or play in Vancouver.
Modeled on the national Vital Signs program run by community foundations across Canada, including Vancouver Foundation, Youth Vital Signs came about in recognition of young people's particular needs and points of view, and what they believe needs to change.
"Youth Vital signs is important because it is a forum to voice our ideas, where we can advocate on our own behalf, and express what means most to us -- about the world we live in -- to the people who have the power to make changes,"says Heather MacKay, a member of the Youth Vital Signs Leadership Council."
The Youth Vital Signs Leadership Council is a diverse group of Vancouver youth who spearheaded the year-long project, working with mentors and other groups of community stakeholders interested in finding out what youth had to say. The project was the brainchild of Vancouver Foundation's Youth Philanthropy Council,
"What makes this initiative successful was that youth had ownership. They directed it through all phases and build strong partnerships between youth organizations, funders and themselves," says Mark Gifford, Director, Grants and Community Initiatives at Vancouver Foundation. "It's been an amazing experience for everyone."
The Youth Vital Signs survey's 1,700 participants were asked to grade and rank twelvebroad-ranging subject areas that comprise life in Vancouver. Respondents identified four of these areas -- Poverty: the Gap Between Rich and Poor; Youth Housing and Homelessness; Safety; and Going Green as top priorities, areas they believe need urgent attention.
As well, three major themes emerged from the research, including concern over the high cost of living in Vancouver; a desire to respond to social and environmental challenges mixed with confusion over where or how to get started; and the need for more skill and employment training services geared specifically to youth.
Aside from the survey, additional information was gathered through an independent mobile-text survey (which received 3,000 responses in a single day), as well as an analysis of census data and a compilation of youth in action stories. The final report contains a selection of these stories showing the many innovative ways that youth in Vancouver are joining forces to make a difference.
Earn-a-Bike is one such example: part of the Pedal Energy Development Alternatives (PEDAL) initiative that promotes cycling as a means of transportation, the program teaches young people how to build and maintain a bicycle which they can then keep and use to get around.
Generally the report reflected optimism among young people, despite their awareness of the challenges facing them. And while "the report is just the beginning", it makes one thing very clear: young people "want to be involved in decision-making processes that affect our lives and our city."
To see the Youth Vital Signs report, visit www.youthvitalsigns.ca