Kincardine named a youth-friendly community

The Municipality of Kincardine has been declared a youth-friendly community.

 

In committee-of-the-whole last night (April 13), the Youth Waves Coalition presented mayor Anne Eadie with a certificate and sign, stating the municipality has met the criteria for the bronze designation, as outlined by Play Works, the youth-friendly community recognition program.

 

Deputy mayor Jacqueline Faubert, a member of the coalition, told council that the process toward making Kincardine a youth-friendly community, began last fall as the group started working on the extensive application.

 

“But our hard work paid off,” she said. Members of the coalition, including two youth, travelled to Collingwood to receive the award from the Ontario minister of culture, sport and tourism. The municipality is included with larger centres, such as Kingston, Markham, Sarnia and Windsor, as well as towns, such as Hanover, Oakville and Richmond Hill.

 

“There are 16 criteria you have to meet to receive the designation,” said Faubert. “If you meet 10 of them, you receive the bronze. Now, we move forward from there.”

 

She acknowledged the hard work of recreation director Karen Kieffer for providing a variety of programming for youth in Kincardine, beyond sports programs.

 

Faubert said one of the advantages of going through this process, was discovering the gaps for youth in the Kincardine community. One major weakness is the lack of youth participation in civic decision-making, she said.

 

To address that, Youth Waves is proposing a youth council which would be a venue for young people to voice their opinions. The group would be comprised of local youth volunteers, aged 12-19.

 

Faubert said research shows that civically-engaged youth are more self-confident, have stronger ties with family and peers, moral values and integrity, and have compassion for others.

 

Youth Waves would work with municipal staff and council to organize and hold quarterly youth council meetings in the council chamber at the municipal administrative centre, said Faubert, noting she would like to spearhead this initiative and chair the youth council meetings.

 

The first step, she said is to meet with the mayor, deputy mayor, clerk and chief administrative officer to discuss implementation of a youth council. This would involve developing a terms of reference, a striking/appointments committee, and determining the format of the quarterly youth council meetings.

 

The next steps would be to promote awareness of the youth council, solicit participation, and select members; then organize and hold orientation meetings, and finally, hold an inaugural youth council meeting.

 

“I like the idea,” said councillor Maureen Couture. “But, I've seen this happen before and they (youth) don't understand the funding constraints of council. However, let's proceed, go through the orientation process and give them some financial information and let them come up with a budget.”

 

“What would they discuss,” asked mayor Anne Eadie, “council issues or youth issues?”

 

“Likely not development charges,” said Faubert.

 

“If they have some good ideas, I'd like to hear them,” said Eadie.

 

“There are different ways to organize a youth council,” said Faubert. “We could give them a budget and they have to discuss it, either a hypothetical one or a real one. They can go through a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis, and they can do a problem-solving exercise and try to come to consensus and vote.”

 

Committee-of-the-whole agreed to have the mayor, deputy mayor and staff meet with Youth Waves and bring a report back to council on the process of setting up a youth council.

 

Youth Waves is also working on other initiatives, including a youth-friendly drop-in centre in the community, a youth worker in the community, and transportation alternatives for youth.



Kincardine mayor Anne Eadie (second from left) accepts the Play Works youth-friendly community bronze designation award and sign, from members of the Youth Waves Coalition, at the council meeting Wednesday night (April 13); from left, are Kristi McCracken of the Grey Bruce Health Unit, South Bruce OPP constable Kevin Martin, co-chairperson Lori Harding, Jason Weppler of the health unit, and deputy mayor Jacqueline Faubert