The first step in eliminating poverty is to involve families
in developing community-based social programs and activities.
Public attitudes toward poverty must be changed by making
everyone aware of the realities of the situation.
Education, health care and social welfare programs must be
equally accessible to everyone in Canada.
We recommend that places be created for youth by youth to go
for counselling, to talk and just have fun.
We recommend that assistance be given to youth to create
activities for youth, such as sports, summer camps, and trips.
We recommend that the government implement a national
awareness campaign about child poverty in Canada, and support
local community awareness. This should be done through personal
and genuine stories about people's lives and situations.
We recommend that the federal government launch a national
awareness campaign focusing on the emotional effects of child
poverty.
We recommend that old buildings or buildings not in use in our
communities be used for shelters, community centres or
orgainzations, such as Big Brothers or Big Sisters of Canada. We
could also use such spaces to provide counselling and offer food
in exchange for service or volunteering.
We recommend that there be a system in place to provide
tutoring where volunteers and advanced students could assist all
students in need of help.
We recommend that Canadian students organize literacy programs
in order to teach young children to read, providing support for
the family.
We recommend that the youth of Canada provide support programs
in computer technology, sports and music in order to offer
opportunities to disadvantaged children.
We recommend a hotline directing youth to centres and
resources that are available to youth. The hotline should be
advertised in school washrooms, public hangouts, malls, on
community television, popular radio stations, school cafeterias
and through community organizations.
We recommend that there be equal access for all youth, whether
they live in rural or urban areas, to youth centres and programs.
Some programs should be established in schools. We believe
students should be trained as peer counsellors and mediators.
Social workers should be available for confidential counselling
and guidance. Volunteers should also work together to offer
recreational or sporting activities.
To fight child poverty, we as youth feel we should work on
building better lines of communication by speaking out on youth
issues to our communities and organizations, and by listening to
the ideas and opinions of other children and youth.
We feel that as youth we should make a commitment to get
involved in establishing programs or activities for children and
youth. Participation or partnership with existing youth programs
is also needed.
We recommend that youth programs should be publicized more to
increase awareness of the resources available. Specifically, a
youth phone book could be developed locally, provincially or
nationally to include all programs.
We recommend that the opinion of youth should be more
influential and apparent in decision making concerning the
well-being of youth. For instance, a youth representative should
be on local councils and advisory boards.
We recommend that youth have more access to resources and
opportunities. A network should be developed to inform and provide
programs for youths. For example, short term and long term
counselling, job training, information about schooling and health
care, etc.
We recommend special programs be started in many communities.
For example, activities for all ages, teen centres (places where
all teens can go), breakfast clubs in schools (to help kids who
can't afford breakfast to get the nutrition they need), and Stay
in School programs with support for all who are involved.
We recommend that to help people to help themselves, we should
train individuals for jobs that utilize their skills and fulfill
their potential.
We recommend that drop-in centres be implemented (with the
support of government, the public, schools, churches, etc.) in
communities to provide for the basic needs of: food, clothing,
shelter. This will be supported by volunteer workers and
counsellors.
We recommend that awareness of available resources be built
within the youth community.
We recommend that government begin programs in schools
nationwide to educate young children. As young people ourselves,
we believe that the youth approach is the most effective way. We
could present interactive forums to young children to educate them
on diversity and on the importance of a good education. A good
education is the key to success. Even if you are from an
impoverished family and if you have a good education, there are
scholarships available, so that college or university may become a
possibility.
We need to empower youth-driven organizations, and support in
all ways youth-initiative programs by funding youth friendly
community organizations and by supporting national communications.
These groups encourage people to volunteer their time to help
those in need and decrease all kinds of stigmas (stereotypes) at
an early age. We need to improve and support the use of outreach
street workers.
