This summer, twenty-five young Ontarians from across the province spent a jam-packed weekend on the Toronto Islands working to change the rules of engagement about when and how to involve young people in developing public policy.

The main focus of the Ontario Youth Matter (OYM) Youth Advisory Panel was to demonstrate the value that young people can bring to decision-making and provide insights on how to best create an outcomes-based youth policy framework for the province. This initiative was supported by the United Ways of Ontario, United Way of Greater Toronto and the Laidlaw Foundation.

The panellists were chosen from among the respondents who replied to one of 5,000 invitations sent to randomly selected households across Ontario. Any 16 to 24 year-old who received one could enter their name in the Civic Lottery for a chance to participate. The resulting members represented Windsor, Waterloo, Ottawa, Barrie, Fonthill, Toronto, Mississauga, Etobicoke, Scarborough, Thunder Bay, Owen Sound, Sudbury, Maple, Angus, and Fergus.

Over the course of the first day, the panellists heard from government representatives as well as young people who have successfully affected public policy. They compared and discussed the rule makers in their lives – from parents, teachers and coaches to government ministries – and noted the areas where they would like to exert more influence.

“It was a real eye-opener. You don’t usually sit around the kitchen table thinking about the different ways policy affects you. I learned so much!”

On the second day, they shared their experiences of working with decision-makers and identified the values and principles for effective engagement. These included clear and open communication, access to a range of resources and information, and ongoing support to help them to make their own decisions. Using these principles, they developed different scenarios to show how governments could make better choices when it engages young people.

The group was excited and optimistic about the influence that they can have, but also recognized that changes to policy don’t happen overnight.

“It’s not like an old computer that you unplug and replace with a new model. I understand now how long change might take, but we’ll keep working together to make it happen.”

Others appreciated the chance to meet people from across the province and share different points of view.

“I came to the Panel with ideas that I wanted to put forward. But then I realised that I had to think about the people who weren’t here. It’s up to me to think for others and not just for myself.”

The panellists also designed a series of local workshops to engage their peers in select communities across Ontario. The feedback from the Panel and the provincial workshops will be included in a final report that will be delivered to the Ontario government in the fall.

Learn more about the OYM Campaign and the Youth Advisory Panel.
Watch the OYM Panel video.