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YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
Local youth voice their concerns BY MARK WEBER mark.weber@reddeerexpress.com
YOUTH CONCERNS - Kris Fleckenstein, Youth HQ board chair, speaks to media following the release of a needs assessment report. Mark Weber/Red Deer Express
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More services for zeroing in on addiction and counselling need to have a higher profile as well, as do the overall range of issues faced by children A needs assessment report released by Red and youth. Deer-based Youth HQ shows some local youth “Children and youth should have the opporinterviewed said they are worried about a lack tunity for lifeskills training - including but not of parental support or limited involvement, fi- limited to cooking skills, resiliency training, copnancial problems, mental health concerns and ing skills, problem-solving, money management, and employability training. transportation issues. Questions asked included, ‘What are the is“Youth-serving agencies should also use their sues and challenges that you believe children expertise to educate the public on youth issues and youth face across our community, and what in general, the services available, and how to programs, resources and services and supports access them. are you aware of that meet the needs of children “There should be a one-stop shop available and youth across our community?’ to children and youth so they have easy access A final question asked to programs and services, for suggestions on how, including information and ▾ as a community, can the referrals,” he said. needs of children and “THIS NEEDS ASSESSMENT, As to mental health youth be better addressed. services, children, youth WHICH WILL BE AVAILABLE Adult focus groups later and families often have validated the results gener- TO THE PUBLIC, IS ANOTHER trouble accessing mental ated from the interviews, TOOL IN OUR COMMUNITY’S health services or they arsaid Kris Fleckenstein, aware of how to access TOOL KIT TO ADDRESS THE en’t Youth HQ board chair. these services, officials CHALLENGES AND ISSUES added. Some of the recommendations included A youth centre offering OF YOUTH.” that agencies should colfree programs in the City laborate to ensure efficient would also be a tremenKris Fleckenstein mobilization of volunteers, dous asset, as would the ▴ better networking, adeavailability of more arts and music opportunities quate information and referral services and better streamlining of ad- as well. vocacy for youth and children services. According to the City’s last census, there are “There should also be a central source of in- about 26,000 children and youth between the ages formation for children and youth that is easy to of zero and 24 years of age living in Red Deer. Input was gathered through interviews and access, and suggestions included a web site, an app or booklets,” he said. “This would include focus groups. information on events, programs and services “This needs assessment, which will be available available in the community with links to each to the public, is another tool in our community’s tool kit to address the challenges and issues of organization’s web site.” Other recommendations included beefing up youth,” he said. transportation options - for example offering free Youth HQ along with affiliates Boys and Girls bus passes to the younger set - to allow youth to Club of Red Deer and Big Brothers Big Sisters better access programs. “There should also be of Red Deer and District, offers programs and easier access to funding sources as parents and services that support children, youth and families. The full report will be made available at www. caregivers are often overwhelmed by the paperwork involved in applying for subsidies,” he said. youthhq.ca.
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