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Geography data snapshot from the 2023 Waterloo Region Youth Impact Survey now available

WATERLOO REGION – The Children and Youth Planning Table (CYPT) of Waterloo Region has released the first Disaggregated Snapshot Data from the 2023 Youth Impact Survey (YIS). The Geography Snapshot is the first of eight snapshots with data focusing on different subpopulations of young people in Waterloo Region. See the results.

“Every city and township in our region is home to young voices that need to be heard. By listening to the youth from every corner of Waterloo Region, we gain invaluable insights that help us shape a community that is resilient, forward-thinking, and reflective of the needs of the next generation,” said Karen Redman, Chair of the Regional Municipality of Waterloo.

In partnership with UNICEF Canada, Waterloo Region Community Foundation, United Way Waterloo Region Communities, and the FamilyPsycle Lab at the University of Waterloo, the Children and Youth Planning Table ran the Youth Impact Survey through the Spring of 2023. The survey was an opportunity for young people in our community to share their experiences related to their well-being. Data from 1,867 young people who completed the survey was published in January 2024.

The Youth Impact Survey is based on the Canadian Index of Child and Youth Well-being. It asks questions across nine dimensions of well-being, including belonging, mental and emotional health, connection to the environment, participation in the community, and more. The ultimate goal of the disaggregated YIS Data Snapshots is to provide members of our community with equity-focused insights that take into account the needs and interests of different groups of children and youth.

The Children and Youth Planning Table will release the Age Snapshot in the coming weeks.

Fast facts

  • 1,876 youth from diverse backgrounds completed the Waterloo Region Youth Impact Survey between April 30 and June 9, 2023. This is a 77% increase in responses from the last Youth Impact Survey in 2021.
  • When completing the Youth Impact Survey, respondents were invited to select which city or township they live in: Cambridge, Kitchener, North Dumfries, Waterloo, Wellesley, Wilmot, or Woolwich.
  • Aggregate survey data suggests that 71% of survey respondents said they felt a very strong or somewhat strong sense of belonging to their community. Disaggregating the data revealed that the following percentage of survey respondents felt a very strong or somewhat strong sense of belonging: 74% of Kitchener respondents, 69% of Cambridge respondents, 67% of Waterloo respondents, and 64% of Townships respondents.
  • Sense of Belonging in Cambridge increased by 15% between 2021 and 2023.
  • UNICEF Canada defines belonging as “feeling loved and supported and having mutually caring and respectful relationships.” This love and support can come from many sources including friends, family, teachers, pets, and people in the community. Locally, when we think about belonging for children and youth, we recognize the importance of equity, relationships and attachment, and feeling valued, heard and included.

Quotes from Respondents

“[The survey] allowed me to share my opinions and thoughts about various aspects of life as a youth in Waterloo Region, and that it is going directly into the improvement of my city.”

—2023 Youth Impact Survey Respondent

“In our community, I want to have more places for recreational activities built, since this will enable people to have some entertainment in their community, even if they don't have access to transportation methods.”

—2023 Youth Impact Survey Respondent

Making Sense of the Data

“The voices of young people, amplified within the Youth Impact Survey, tell us that there is much to be proud of in Waterloo Region. For example, we are trending out of the pandemic in a way that is conducive to youth belonging. At the same time, there are striking disparities related to geography (among other factors we will be discussing later) that force us to evaluate quality of life and conditions of living within our region. It is a unique opportunity to hear how broader contextual forces, especially those related to the economy, housing, public service, and migration, are implicated within the domains of youth well-being.”

—Dr. Dillon Browne, Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Child and Family Clinical Psychology at the University of Waterloo, and Founder of the FamilyPsycle Lab

About the Children and Youth Planning Table

The Children and Youth Planning Table (CYPT) is a member-driven partnership with over 65 Voting Member Organizations across Waterloo Region. The CYPT works to improve the well-being of children and youth through a system of coordinated and effective services that are supported by capacity building initiatives. Recognizing the complex challenges and issues related to the well-being of children and youth, the CYPT operates through a collective impact model seeking to promote the shared vision of “Happy, healthy children and youth — today and tomorrow.”

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