LSPC Newsflash (Published Fall 2003)
Inside this Issue:
From the Desk of Duncan Adams
The Importance of Social and Economic Inclusion of Youth in Thunder Bay
Social Economic Inclusion Initiative


From the Desk of Duncan Adams

HAPPY NEW YEAR! No, your eyes are fine, and that’s not a mis-print. It’s the beginning of the school year, and with the return to school of kids and adults, the Lakehead Social Planning Council gears up for a new year of events, meetings, and programmes.

The LSPC had a great Annual Meeting in June, with the LSPC Social Planning Awards to Nancy Clark and Wesway for individual and organization of the year. We had a superb Panel Discussion on youth issues in Social & Economic Inclusion, with informed guest panel members, and lots of questions and discussion.

Six new members of the Board of Directors were elected for a two year term: Julie Campbell, Larry Jourdain, and Carol Rusak returning for new terms, and Jeannette Sprovieri, Don Watson, and Doug West starting new service with the Board. Volunteers who serve on Boards are always in short supply, and we thank these involved members. Thanks also is extended to Jodi Carlson and Chris Loud, who completed their term, and did not run again.

Since the last Newsletter, there are significant happening in our Social & Economic Inclusion Initiative. We are part of a informative web-page: www.closingthedistance.com, and we held a well-attended significant conference for Thunder Bay youth in late June. John Saxberg, the Project Co-ordinator will have more news in the newsletter.

For social issues, LSPC is a significant player in the Economic Justice Committee, hosted by Kinna-Aweya Legal Clinic. The group convened following the Kimberly Rogers’ inquest results, and is attempting to provide a voice to those on the economic margins for a better safety net, and to make local changes to endure benefits and even survival. In addition, we have supported the Urban Aboriginal Strategy, which will bring $250,000 of federal funding a year for 3 years to Thunder Bay to address aboriginal child poverty. We are pleased to be working with the Indian Youth Friendship Centre, the lead agency on this project. We are awaiting funding announcements for homelessness and housing, and hope to get the community plan back on track.


The Importance of Social Economic Inclusion for Youth in Thunder Bay
By : Frank Pullia

On Friday June 27, I attended a youth forum called “Closing the Distance – the Leaders of Tomorrow” held at Confederation College. The forum had been organized by the Lakehead Social Planning Council and other organizations, with the intent of focusing on the issues of young people especially of those that are marginalized in our society. I am thankful to the Lakehead Social Planning Council for the opportunity to provide my views on this very important issue.

Concern about the isolation and alienation of this age group emerged after several community consultations in Thunder Bay during 2002. The Thunder Bay’s project is one of 6 in Ontario (all funded by Health Canada). In those consultations, sixteen and seventeen year olds identified their needs as:
to be listened to, valued, and understood by adults;
to be allowed to remain in school;
to have access to paid work; and
to be more financially secure.

During my attendance at the Forum, I was impressed with the approach taken by the organizers and the open dialogue that followed. One particular point comes to mind, and that is the fact that it is important for youth to be heard and for the message to remain unaltered. Many times, we adults listen, but then take the message and interpret it from an adult perspective thereby changing the whole dynamics of the communication link that had been established.

Following that particular forum on June 27, it was decided that there was a need to take the issues identified above further and formulate a Community Youth Action Network. The group was designed to involve members of this age group directly in a social marketing campaign to change negative stereotypical images of isolated and alienated youth in the minds of the wider population in Thunder Bay. The action group would also seek to facilitate making connections and building trusting relationships between alienated youth and adults committed to their well-being. I also attended their first meeting and was pleased to see the diversity of issues brought forward, and the eagerness for the group to move forward in a positive way.

In conclusion, recent Census statistics clearly show that Thunder Bay’s population is changing and more and more youth feel left out and marginalized. The out-migration issue is only a symptom of other broader problems that youth have to deal with. While these issues are complex and multifaceted, it is hearth warming to see the number of agencies and people involved in supporting the youth in our community.
Programs such as this one can help make a difference. Ultimately, it will be up to all of us to become aware of the issues and do our part in helping making Thunder Bay the city we all want to be proud to live in. In this kind of society diversity would not suggest distance but the recognition of the value and dignity of all and the contributions of the many to shape and sustain a healthy and prosperous population.

Frank Pullia is the Principal of Pullia Consulting.

SEII Update - By John Saxberg

The Social and Economic Inclusion Initiative has continued to perk right along this summer, managing to work around the vacation schedules of many of the central participants. Meetings of the Community Youth Action Network have been regularly getting out 20-25 people and have spun off three working groups which are involved with media, events, and policy respectively. The big problem that the group has decided to tackle is racism, while understanding that other issues will still need to be addressed from time to time. We have a great number of ideas for individual actions that we may take, and will be moving forward with some of these ideas in the next few months.

Dave Clement, who has been working with the program this summer, has returned to school. However, he has agreed to still give us part-time help with our new website, www.tbimc.dynserve.com/cyan. As well, we are currently sorting through resumes for another person to do youth outreach full-time. Meanwhile, anyone concerned with the problems of youth alienation in our city who wants to lend a hand should call John at 624-2343, or contact me at jsseii@lspc-circ.on.ca. The more people we can mobilize for this problem, the better it will be for our city’s health.