Children and Youth Planning Table of Waterloo Region invite community to attend the Children and Youth Belonging Expo

August 01, 2025

 

 

 

 

WATERLOO REGION – On Thursday, September 28 from 6-8 PM, the Children and Youth Planning Table (CYPT) of Waterloo Region will hold their annual Belonging Expo at the Kitchener Public Library (KPL) Central Branch. The event looks to connect over 30 local organizations that offer programs and resources for children and youth well-being to parents, caregivers and educators of Waterloo Region. This tradeshow-style event is free and open to the public, no registration is required.

During the event, keynote speakers Oluseun Olayinka, Executive Director at Adventure4Change and Dr. Dillon Browne, Professor of Psychology at the FamilyPsycle Laboratory at the University of Waterloo will present about the importance of belonging for children and youth well-being and how to foster it within families.

“Building a community where our youngest residents feel they belong, have space to learn, play and feel supported is important work.“ said Karen Redman, Chair of the Regional Municipality of Waterloo. “The Belonging Expo is a wonderful opportunity for anyone involved in the lives of children and youth to find new resources and programs to support them in their everyday lives and in the work they do.”

“Belonging is about being – every child and youth should be free to exercise their right to simply be,” said Oluseun Olayinka, Executive Director at Adventure4Change.

Some organizations that will have booths at the Belonging Expo include:

  • AIDS Committee of Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo and Area (ACCWA)
  • Adventure4Change
  • Business & Education Partnership of Waterloo Region
  • Camino Wellbeing + Mental Health
  • Changing the Flow
  • City of Kitchener
  • Community Justice Initiatives
  • Continuous Professional Learning Committee (CYPT Standing Group)
  • EarlyON
  • Extend A Family Waterloo Region
  • Family Psycle Laboratory, University of Waterloo
  • HCCWW Mental Health and Addiction Nursing Team (Child and Youth)
  • Interfaith Community Counselling Centre
  • John Howard Society of Waterloo-Wellington
  • KidsAbility
  • Kitchener Waterloo Multicultural Centre
  • KW Habilitation
  • Mac Maple Grove
  • Measurement4Change (CYPT Working Group)
  • Marillac Place
  • Neighbourhood Nursing Team - Public Health
  • Nutrition for Learning
  • Porchlight Counselling and Addiction Services
  • Region of Waterloo Children's Services
  • Smart Waterloo Region Innovation Lab
  • SPECTRUM
  • The Pregnancy Centre
  • The Ripple Effect Education
  • Waterloo Region District School Board
  • Waterloo Region Family Network
  • YMCA of Three Rivers
  • YWCA Cambridge

Find out more about the 2023 Children and Youth Belonging Expo at https://childrenandyouthplanningtable.ca/expo/

About the Children and Youth Planning Table of Waterloo Region

CYPT is a community-wide partnership of service providers, researchers, planning bodies, and funders who serve children, youth, and families that works to improve the well-being of children and youth in the region, and importantly, move the needle on child and youth well-being. The CYPT believes that a strong sense of belonging is foundational to child and youth well-being, which is why improving belonging is one of their top priorities.

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