United Way calls for coordinated provincial youth strategy

United Way reports reveal lack of policy coherence and fragmentation of services still leaving too many young people behind

TORONTO —It's time for Ontario to coordinate its approach to serving the needs of young people, United Way Toronto President and CEO Frances Lankin said today. In the wake of United Way research released Monday, it is clear Ontario must develop a province-wide framework that addresses the challenges facing youth in our province.

"For several years now, the government and non-profit sector have put significant resources toward programs to better serve the needs of youth, especially youth at-risk in our community," said Lankin. "But despite this, cracks remain and many of our young people continue to lose their way."

"As the Province awaits the findings of the Roots of Youth Violence Review, United Way Toronto, joined by United Ways across the province, urges the provincial government to consider developing a coordinated outcomes framework for youth," said Lankin.

United Way released two reports that underscore the need for a new, more strategic approach to meeting the developmental needs of Ontario's young people with measurable targets for outcomes that are shared broadly across the youth-serving sector.

Lankin said such a strategy should take into consideration broad factors required for positive youth development, take a proactive approach to identifying and responding to youth needs, and aim to improve health, social and economic outcomes.

Toronto's Youth Serving System: Fragmented Paths to Youth Development examined the youth serving sector in the City of Toronto. The report found the sector plagued by fragmentation, with gaps and duplication of services in an environment that, at times, is competitive.

The second report, Youth Policy: What Works and What Doesn't analyzed various approaches to youth policy from other jurisdictions and found those that are successfully changing conditions for young people have a consensus-based and aligned strategy with measurable targets and common outcomes.

"All of us involved in the youth-serving sector care deeply about our young people and work very hard to do what's best and to create opportunities for their future success," said Lankin. "But despite wide agreement on the need to better serve youth, there continues to be a lack of coherence at the policy level, and our services have created a patchwork of sometimes unconnected and fragmented programs."

Lankin said what is needed is an approach similar to that taken by the government and the non-profit sector with respect to early childhood development in Ontario. Working cooperatively, the province of Ontario and the non-profit sector aligned public policy and service outcomes to improve conditions for children in the province.

Lankin also pointed to the worldwide trend toward aligning strategy with common outcomes to successfully improve conditions for children and youth.

"We know from Best Start and the Early Years Strategy that we can create a comprehensive framework where our policies, our goals, and our outcomes are better aligned," said Lankin. "We also know from other jurisdictions that a coordinated approach to youth policy and youth services results in much better outcomes for young people.

"We all share a common desire to give our young people the best chance at success," said Lankin. "We need to build the common framework today that will most effectively help set youth on pathways to success tomorrow.

Attached are key findings from the two reports.

Established in 1956, United Way Toronto is a registered charity and community impact organization dedicated to improving lives and strengthening neighbourhoods across Toronto. United Way identifies needs and takes action to create a better, safer, stronger city through research, partnerships and support of a network of 200 health and social service agencies.

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Media contacts:

Caitlin Stidwill
United Way Toronto
416 777 1444 ex 396
cstidwill@uwgt.org