Youth Policy for Canada: A conversation guide for hosting your own dialogue session

Youth Policy for Canada: A conversation guide for hosting your own dialogue session

Introduction Thanks for taking an important step in shaping the future of young people in Canada by hosting your own discussion to contribute to Canada s first ever youth policy! The Government of Canada is committed to listening to youth, supporting youth, and promoting youth leadership across Canada. To support this commitment, a youth policy for Canada is being developed, driven by a cross-canada, youth-led dialogue. This dialogue is an opportunity to have your voice heard and to share your concrete ideas on how youth in Canada can be best supported to live healthy, empowered lives. By hosting a discussion and expanding the cross-canada, youth-led dialogue, you can help: identify issues that are important to youth and solutions that could improve the lives of young Canadians; examine the supports that enable all youth, regardless of their background, to be Canada s leaders today and tomorrow; and, share how youth want their voices to be heard and how youth want to influence the Government of Canada s actions and decisions. This conversation guide offers support on how to host and report back on youth-led discussion(s) on what should be included in a youth policy for Canada. 1

What s in this Conversation Guide You can use this conversation guide to help plan, organize, and lead discussions on a youth policy for Canada. Watch for tips and resources to help you plan and lead your conversation. The guide has three main sections followed by a resource section: Section Page 1) Before your discussion (Plan and organize) 4 2) During the discussion (Execute) 5 Option 1: Small group discussion 5 Option 2: Large group discussion 9 3) After the discussion (Report back and stay involved) 16 4) Additional resources to support your discussion 17 *If you need more information on youth policy, visit www.youthaction.ca 2

Background and Purpose The purpose of the conversation you are hosting today is to gather feedback directly from youth that will help to shape and influence the development of a youth policy for Canada. What is a youth policy? There is no single definition or simple explanation of youth policy, but this lack of a clear description provides a unique opportunity for youth to inform the creation of a tool that will resonate with them and will have a meaningful, long-lasting impact. To provide some direction for your discussions, very broadly, a youth policy can be thought of as a commitment to realize a vision for youth, which can guide the priorities, investments, and actions of government(s) and society and provides an opportunity for youth voices to be heard. You and your group are being asked to reflect and report back on: 1. The issues that are important to youth today and for the future, and why. 2. The underlying principles and objectives that will guide your proposed solutions/actions. 3. Concrete solutions or actions that could be undertaken to improve on an issue. Ten topics, or issues, that have been identified by youth across Canada are included within the conversation guide and can be used as the basis of your conversation. These topics are only suggestions your discussions should be informed by the topics that matter most to participants. 3

Before Your Discussion Before you begin planning, think about the type of discussion you would like to host An informal chat with friends in a coffee shop? An in-depth conversation with a large group? Option 1: Host a small group conversation o This could be with a group of friends, classmates, etc o Ideal for under 15 participants Option 2: Host a large group conversation o This could be with your sports team, youth group, etc o Ideal for 15+ participants SKIP TO PAGE 5 SKIP TO PAGE 9 Resource: checklist on key steps for a successful discussion, no matter the size of group. Don t forget to assign a note taker! After your discussion is over, visit the online report submission portal to share your group s input with the Government of Canada: https://pco.hostedincanadasurveys.ca/index.php/187195?lang=en 4

Step 1: The Invite How to get people to participate in your conversation o Explain that you want to host an informal discussion on youth issues and ideas to give feedback to the Government on the first youth policy for Canada o Select a meeting place with the participants (e.g., school cafeteria, café, library, your basement) Canadian identity, immigration, and international experiences Civic engagement and youth impact Option 1- Small Group Discussion Step 2: Where Do We Start? Select a Discussion Topic Select one of the ten topics below to focus the conversation. In choosing a topic, consider how these topics may have affected you and your group s lives. Economic opportunity, innovation and money Environment and climate change Resource: sample invitation Suggested Conversation Topics Gender equality, inclusion and accessibility Physical and mental health 5 Rural, remote, and northern communities Youth education and employment Service and volunteering Reconciliation Don t like these topics? Can t decide on just one? Create your own topic or discuss more than one just remember to communicate what was discussed through the online report submission portal.

Introductions Step 3: The Conversation Let s Start Talking! Now that you ve selected a topic, or several, and have people ready to participate, it s time to host your conversation! Make sure you or someone else in the group takes notes so you can share your findings on the online report submission portal. Make sure everyone in the group knows each other so they feel comfortable sharing their ideas and experiences. Remind everyone of the purpose of the conversation and why you re there. Discussion Guidelines Option 1- Small Group Discussion Tip: Ask everyone to share their name and a fun fact about themselves (you can skip this step if you are hosting the conversation with your group of friends). This conversation is intended to provide the opportunity for participants to share their own ideas and experiences. A diversity of ideas being shared will only enrich the discussion so it is important to encourage everyone to participate. There are no wrong answers! Tip: As a group, you may want to come up with some guidelines on how you will keep the conversation respectful and inclusive. 6

Option 1- Small Group Discussion During your discussion: As a group, come up with one sentence that defines the topic(s)/issue(s) you ve chosen. As a group, identify key principles that should guide a youth policy for Canada and objectives to guide your proposed solutions. After discussing these items, as a group, list any solutions or concrete actions that you feel are needed to address the topic(s)/issue(s). As the host, you will be facilitating the discussion. Below are some suggestions to support the flow of the conversation and make sure that meaningful dialogue takes place. Examples of prompting questions to help define and understand the topic(s) or issue(s): o Why is this topic important to you? o What specific issues fall under this topic? o How does this issue affect you or your peers? Why and how? o What is important to you or your peers in this area? o Is the issue at hand different for youth in different communities or for youth of different ages? 7

Examples of key principles and objectives: Option 1- Small Group Discussion o Principles: innovative, inclusive, participatory o Objectives: no young person in Canada should live in poverty, all youth should feel their rights are respected and valued Examples of prompting questions to help identify solutions and actions: o What specific actions are needed to improve the lives of young Canadians related to this topic/issue? o How do you want to influence government actions and decisions on this topic? What ways could your voice meaningfully be heard? (e.g., more youth polls, online forums, youth advisory conferences) o What types of opportunities do you want related to this topic/issue? (e.g., if the topic is youth employment, an opportunity might be more paid internships so youth can gain valuable work experience) Step 4: Complete the Questions on the Online Report Submission Portal Congratulations! You ve successfully gathered input that will be considered in developing a youth policy for Canada. To ensure your ideas have an influence, complete the questions on the online report submission portal: https://pco.hostedincanadasurveys.ca/index.php/187195?lang=en 8

Option 2- Large Group Discussion Step 1: The Invite How to get people to participate in your conversation o Explain that you want to host a discussion on youth issues and ideas to give feedback to the first youth policy for Canada o Select a meeting place with the participants (e.g., youth centre, a classroom). Consider working with a local youth organization that may have a meeting place and a large network of young people. o Consider using meeting event websites to support your registration/recruitment. These include Facebook events, posters with registration link and event brite. You can also use doodle polling with a groups that you know to identify the best date for the event. Resource: Sample invitation Step 2: The Game Plan Preparing to host your large group conversation Once you have invited and confirmed how many participants will be attending your conversation, make a list and gather all relevant materials you may need, such as: o Flip chart paper to write notes o Writing utensils (pens, different coloured markers, pencils) o Printed copies of the breakout facilitator/note-taking tool (to be returned to you at the end) Tip: Prepare an icebreaker activity to do with the participants before beginning the discussion. There are lots of ideas of icebreaker activities available online. Resource: Sample agenda. 9

Option 2- Large Group Discussion Step 3: The Conversation Let s start talking All the participants have arrived and you re ready to get underway! Introductions Make sure everyone in the group knows each other so that they feel comfortable sharing their ideas and experiences (you may want to start with the icebreaker activity). Remind everyone of the purpose of the conversation and why you re there. Tip: You may want to provide a quick breakdown of how the conversation will work (e.g., reviewing topics, voting on topics, breaking out into small groups, reporting back). Discussion Guidelines This conversation is intended to provide the opportunity for participants to share their own ideas and experiences on the topic. A diversity of ideas being shared will only enrich the discussion. There are no wrong answers! Tip: As a group, you may want to come up with some guidelines on how you will keep the conversation respectful and inclusive. 10

Option 2- Large Group Discussion Now it s time for the group to select your discussion topic(s) (if applicable). Part 1: Introduce the Suggested Conversation Topic(s): We are here today to discuss topics/issues that affect youth in Canada to provide input into a youth policy for Canada. Ten topics have been identified by youth across the country, but if none of these resonate with you, you are also able to come up with your own topic(s). This conversation is about all you and your daily experiences. You shouldn t feel as though these are the only topics that can be discussed. Suggested Conversation Topics Canadian identity, immigration, and international experiences Economic opportunity, innovation and money Gender equality, inclusion and accessibility Rural, remote, and northern communities Service and volunteering Civic engagement and youth impact Environment and climate change Physical and mental health Youth education and employment Reconciliation 11

Part 2: Refine your group s topics: Prompt: What issues are most important to youth and have the biggest impacts on your daily lives and futures? Identify Gaps: Are there any topics here that you feel are missing? Is there more that could be added to this list to bridge any potential gaps? Part 3: Select up to 5 topics to discuss further in small groups. 1. Keep the decision-making process engaging with a fun and interactive way for participants to vote and select the (up to) 5 topics that they feel strongest about. Make sure that the participants feel personally connected with these topics and will want to discuss them in further depth in smaller groups. 2. Based on votes, select the 5 most popular topics for smaller breakout discussions. 3. Break the participants up into smaller, equal sized discussion groups. 4. Assign a topic to each smaller breakout group. 5. Identify a volunteer for each group to a) be a note-taker and b) be a facilitator who can ask prompting questions (below) and keep the conversation flowing and inclusive. 6. Hand out copies of the breakout facilitator/note-taking tool to the breakout group volunteers (to be returned to the host at the end). Resource: Ideas to organize voting and group selection. Option 2- Large Group Discussion 12

Option 2- Large Group Discussion Step 4: Let s Break It Down Smaller Breakout Conversations Part 1: At each topic station, groups will come up with one sentence that defines the topic/issue chosen. Part 2: At each topic station, groups will identify key principles that should shape a youth policy for Canada and objectives to guide the proposed solutions. Part 3: After discussing these items, list any solutions or concrete actions the group feels are needed to address the topic/issue. Part 4: The small groups should complete the breakout facilitator/note-taking tool to share ideas with the larger group. The host should collect these tools to inform the responses submitted via the online report submission portal. Breakout group facilitators can use the suggestions below to support the flow of the conversation. These prompting questions are also included in the breakout facilitator/note-taking tool. Examples of prompting questions to help define and understand the topic(s) or issue(s): o Why is this topic important to you? o What specific issues fall under this topic? o How does this issue affect you or your peers? Why and how? o What is important to you or your peers in this area? o Is the issue at hand different for youth in different communities or for youth of different ages? 13

Option 2- Large Group Discussion Examples of key principles and objectives: o Principles: innovative, inclusive, participatory o Objectives: no young person in Canada should live in poverty, all youth should feel their rights are respected and valued Examples of prompting questions to help identify solutions and actions: o What specific actions are needed to improve the lives of young Canadians related to this topic/issue? o How do you want to influence government actions and decisions on this topic? What ways could your voice meaningfully be heard? (e.g., more youth polls, online forums, youth advisory conferences) o What types of opportunities do you want related to this topic/issue? (e.g., if the topic is youth employment, an opportunity might be more paid internships so youth can gain valuable work experience) 14

Option 2- Large Group Discussion Step 5: Wrap It Up - Report Back as a Large Group Part 1: Each breakout topic group will be asked to reconvene as the original large group once more. Part 2: As a circle, share what was discussed and summarize what will be submitted to the Government of Canada (i.e. definition of topic, underlying principles/objectives, top three solutions). As the host, you are responsible for responding to the questions on the online report submission portal. Part 3: Remember to gather all of the note taking tools from each small breakout group. Part 4: Take this as an opportunity to validate other groups results, ask questions, or add anything. Step 6: Close the Conversation Key Closing Message After your discussion has come to an end, as the host, you may wish to say a few words to thank participants for coming out and to participate in the national dialogue in other ways. o Thank participants for their time and contributing their ideas o Remind people that what the Government heard from your group discussion will help inform a youth policy for Canada o Add that participants can continue to stay involved by checking out the website at www.youthaction.ca Step 7: Complete the Questions on the Online Report Submission Portal Congratulations! You ve successfully gathered input that will be considered in developing a youth policy for Canada. To ensure your ideas can have an influence, complete the questions on the online report submission portal: https://pco.hostedincanadasurveys.ca/index.php/187195?lang=en 15

After the Discussion- Report Back & Stay Involved Once your discussion is over, the final step is to report back on your discussion: Part 1: Complete the questions on the online report submission portal: https://pco.hostedincanadasurveys.ca/index.php/187195?lang=en Part 2: You re done! Did you have fun? Want to keep going? You can host more discussions and submit ideas on other topics. You can also stay involved by checking out our website at www.youthaction.ca and: Sharing your individual views Posting a video comment Participating in online discussion forums Posting your views on social media with the hashtag #Cdayouthaction Thank you for sharing your ideas on a youth policy for Canada! 16

Need More Help? Additional Resources ANNEX LIST: 1. Questions to Complete on the Online Report Submission Portal (how you report back) 2. Breakout facilitator/note-taking tool (to be returned to the host) 3. Checklist for hosting a youth policy dialogue 4. Sample invitation 17

Questions to Complete on the Online Report Submission Portal As a host, immediately following your session, you should visit the online report submission portal to submit your group s input. Below is an example of the key questions you will be asked to answer. Your responses should be based on what you heard throughout the session, including the reporting back during plenary and the facilitator/note-taking notes from each group (if relevant). Your responses should not attribute ideas or views to any specific individuals and should not contain any sensitive information. When you visit the online report submission portal, you will be asked to review a privacy notice statement and register with your name and email. Click on this link to continue to the online report submission portal: https://pco.hostedincanadasurveys.ca/index.php/187195?lang=en Date of event Province/ Territory Location (town, city, etc) Host Name # of participants Age range 1) Identify which topics were discussed (check all that apply). Canadian identity, immigration and international experiences Civic engagement and youth impact Economic opportunity, innovation and money Environment and climate change Gender equality, inclusion and accessibility Physical and mental health Rural, remote, and northern communities Youth education and employment Service and volunteering Reconciliation Other: 2) For each topic discussed at your session, to the extent possible: a. Identify the topic discussed and outline how it was defined, including why the topic was important to youth. b. Identify the underlying principle(s) or objective(s) for action. c. List the concrete solutions or actions identified that could be implemented by the Government of Canada.

3) Provide any additional feedback/comments from the session. 1

Breakout Facilitator/Note-taking Tool (return to host) The purpose of this tool is to support breakout facilitators in leading discussions and note-takers from each group in recording and reporting back to plenary. To ensure that your group s feedback can inform a youth policy for Canada, please ensure these notes are returned to the host who will submit a final report from the session. 1) Define in one sentence the topic/issue identified for your small group. Why is this topic important to you? What specific issues might fall under this topic? Does this issue affect you or your peers? If yes, why and how? If no, why not? What is important to you or your peers in this area? Is this issue different for youth in different communities or for youth of different ages? 2) Identify underlying principle(s) or objectives for action. Craft declarative statements that will guide the development of solutions. For example, for a topic such as youth employment, an underlying principle for government action could be no young person in Canada should live in poverty. 3) List up to three solutions or specific actions the Government could implement. How do you want to influence government actions and decisions and how do you want your voices to be heard? (e.g., the PMYC should host an annual youth forum) What specific actions can the Government take to improve the lives of young Canadians? (e.g., strive to offer all young people meaningful paid internships) What supports enable all youth, regardless of your background, to be the leaders of today and tomorrow? (e.g., create incentives for organizations to offer youth advisory opportunities within their boards of administration) 1. 2. 3. 2

Key Checklist for Hosting a Youth Dialogue We re excited that you are thinking about hosting a dialogue. We ve provided some tips to assist you. Here s a quick checklist for the critical steps. Checklist of steps Secure a location, if required, or identify a public space that you can use Recruit participants (see sample letter) Confirm participants Identify and bring materials/equipment you need to facilitate the dialogue and record ideas (e.g., flip charts, pens, papers) Organize snacks if you would like Arrive half an hour early, host and facilitate the session, record ideas for reporting back online Immediately post-dialogue organize and review the discussion notes Prepare your responses to the questions on the online report submission portal and submit them through the following link: https://pco.hostedincanadasurveys.ca/index.php/187195?lang=en Watch social media details/website details for updates Participate in the youth policy dialogue in other ways and share information with your peers 3

Sample Invitation Letter Hello! Did you know that for the first time ever, the Government of Canada is creating a Youth Policy for Canada? Meaning that, for the first time ever, there is going to be a national commitment to support youth and directly better the lives of young people across the nation. The Government of Canada is looking to hear from people like us: to share our experiences and contribute to the development of this policy. Consider this an invitation to participate! If you are interested in having your voice heard, in a casual, comfortable, and safe environment, contact me/us at xxx@xxxemail.com or (xxx)-xxx-xxxx. You can also check out the consultation website at www.youthaction.ca and post on social media with the hashtag #Cdayouthaction. I/we look forward to hearing from you, and I/we am/are excited to share what I/we heard from you about your experiences and what matters most to you as a young person growing up in our country. Sincerely, 4