In 2012, the City of Guelph Community and Social Services department undertook the process of developing a Youth Strategy for the City of Guelph and community. The strategy is intended to provide a framework for future initiatives that will be taken on by the City of Guelph and community organizations in order to meet the needs of today‘s youth.
Involving youth in the community builds a strong community now and into the future. A successful city must welcome its youth and invest in action plans that attract youth to the community. The current demographic projections demonstrate that our population is aging and that the youth cohort will decline unless strategic actions are taken and Guelph commits to ensuring that youth will thrive here. This strategy recognizes the importance of youth in the community and involving youth in the process of developing a youth strategy for the City. Creating a youth-friendly city is beneficial to all community members.
Throughout the strategy, a number of findings have been articulated based upon research of best practices and literature reviews, existing City of Guelph documents, demographic trends, and consultations with youth services providers and youth. The Youth Strategy is to ensure that the City of Guelph is a youth-friendly community now and into the future.