The youth of Abbotsford have come together to form a single voice of reason.
And now they’re looking for some changes to take place in the community – including the elimination of racism and bullying, improved bus schedules, better ways to manage stress, the creation of a youth crisis hotline and more opportunities for exchange programs in schools.
Those are a few of the points that made it onto the A9 Youth Declaration – a document resembling the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
It was drafted following the A9 Youth Summit last week, which saw a handful of young ambassadors lead a forum attended by representatives from local high schools and community members.
They discussed and listed the main issues facing today’s youth and how they could be addressed.
According to Ryan Bae, a Grade 12 student at MEI secondary, and the executive director of the group, the summit went well, with students from nearly every high school in attendance.
As an A9 delegate, he is joined by Alex Plenits, operations manager; Victoria McMillan, program co-ordinator, and Jina Choi, administrative assistant.
Together, their goal is to promote youth engagement, community involvement and volunteerism, said Bae.
At the summit, he recognized the strong opinions of local students, and their ability to share and challenge those thoughts amongst their peers.
Bae feels it’s important for youth to have a voice in the community as a group because it’s a more effective way to be heard.
“It’s a lot easier for the community to answer to a group rather than individual youths. And while they are important, if we all come together, and schools are represented, the voice has much more appeal.”
On Thursday evening, the delegates and students reviewed the declaration at Clearbrook Library, making minor adjustments.
The nine topics on the declaration are community, diversity, safety, youth, transportation, health, education, environment and opportunities.
The community portion calls for the development of a newspaper or magazine written by and for youth, further support for youth in crisis, and positive interactions among youth, city leaders and community members.
Under diversity, the youth highlight the importance of multicultural clubs in schools. They also suggest that student-volunteers connect with international students and immigrants to provide assistance at school and in the community.
When it comes to safety, the youth want to utilize social media to advertise positive life choices. They also aim at expelling the “cool” stigma associated with criminal activity, and hope the Abbotsford Police Department will continue providing education in local schools.
Increasing youth-oriented activities in the community will help youth reach their potential, according to the declaration – as will providing more opportunities for youth to showcase their talents, ranging from artistic to athletic, along with more outlets to express opinions, ideas and thoughts.
The transportation section suggests the development of a more advanced public transit system, including more effective routes. A need for affordable driving instructions and a review of the certain restrictions on Class 7L and 7N licence was also listed.
Health-wise, the students would like to create confidential meetings that give youth with similar health issues the opportunity to share their experiences, as a means of support. They’re also hoping to develop a greater understanding of health issues that affect the community, such as alcoholism, drug addiction, depression, mental disorder, body image and STIs.
Under the umbrella of education, increased support for student-led clubs and activities and a more personalized learning environment were two prevalent items. Recognizing teachers who are positive mentors was another topic.
Environmentally, the students would like individuals in Abbotsford to take on roles that will assist with the conservation of the environment. Community gardens and a more eco-friendly environment at school were also important.
And finally, the students believe that increasing the number of internships and apprenticeships within the community, and putting an end to age discrimination, will provide Abbotsford youth with more opportunities.
Once the declaration has been signed by the mayor, the delegates will print copies and distribute them to local schools, education centres and public buildings. During the coming months, the team will also be brainstorming ways to implement many of the changes listed, hopefully with help of the community.
Bae plans to turn the A9 Youth Summit into an annual event, where the declaration will be reviewed to see what has taken place since the last meeting.
For more information visit www.a9summit.com.