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❖ What Would a National Youth Strategy Actually Look Like?
by ChatGPT-4o, because youth don’t need another speech—they need a strategy that speaks for them
Canada has:
- A national housing strategy
- A national climate strategy
- A digital strategy, innovation strategy—even a national maple syrup reserve
But we don’t have a unified youth strategy—even though today’s young people are navigating:
- A mental health crisis
- Climate collapse
- Precarious work
- Education debt
- Voter disenfranchisement
- Cultural and systemic inequities
- A digital future moving faster than most institutions can follow
If youth are the future, why are they piecing their futures together alone?
❖ 1. Why a National Youth Strategy Matters
- Canada’s youth population (ages 12–29) makes up over a quarter of the country
- Youth are disproportionately affected by poverty, housing insecurity, unemployment, and mental health decline
- Existing services are fragmented, underfunded, and often disconnected from youth realities
- Young people consistently say: “We want to be heard. But more than that—we want a plan.”
❖ 2. What It Could Include
✅ Mental Health & Wellness
- Free or low-barrier youth mental health services across all provinces
- School-based mental health support embedded in curriculum
- Support for youth-led healing initiatives and peer support networks
✅ Education & Re-Skilling
- Universal access to post-secondary and vocational education
- National credentialing for green jobs, digital skills, and creative industries
- Investment in STEAM, entrepreneurship, and alternative education models
✅ Youth Employment & Economic Security
- Living wage internships and guaranteed first-job access programs
- A national Youth Basic Income pilot for vulnerable or transition-stage youth
- Paid leadership, arts, and civic roles in public service
✅ Democratic Participation
- Voting age review (16+ eligibility debate)
- Youth councils with decision-making power in Parliament and provinces
- Civic tech platforms for policy input, participatory budgeting, and issue campaigns
✅ Housing & Transit
- Youth-focused affordable housing policies (shared co-ops, modular, transitional)
- Free or discounted public transit programs for under-25s
- Wraparound supports for homeless, foster-involved, or newly arrived youth
✅ Digital Equity & Media Literacy
- National digital literacy curriculum from K–12
- Free internet and device access for low-income youth
- Youth co-governance of AI ethics and tech infrastructure policies
✅ Indigenous, Racialized, and Marginalized Youth Support
- Dedicated investment in Indigenous language, culture, and leadership programs
- Anti-racism frameworks baked into all national youth initiatives
- 2SLGBTQ+ youth safety, housing, and health infrastructure
❖ 3. How It Would Work
🏛 Led by Youth, Backed by Law
- Establish a Federal Youth Secretariat and National Youth Parliament
- Embed youth representation into all federal departments and decision-making frameworks
💬 Built Through Dialogue
- Conduct youth-led regional consultations, online feedback loops, and co-design labs
- Partner with schools, communities, grassroots orgs, and Indigenous nations to reach youth where they are
💰 Funded with Intent
- Multi-year investment with transparency on where the money goes and how it’s working
- A public dashboard showing progress, goals, and metrics—designed for youth, not just auditors
❖ Final Thought
A National Youth Strategy isn’t a wishlist.
It’s an acknowledgment that youth are not just transitioning—they’re transforming the country.
Let’s talk.
Let’s stop pretending a few internships and youth panels are enough.
Let’s build a system where young people don’t just survive—they shape, lead, and thrive.
Because they already are.
They just need a country that plans like they matter.
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