South Huron seeking input from youth to build the future of our communities

The Municipality of South Huron has partnered with the Rural Ontario Institute (ROI) on a special project designed to boost civic engagement and leadership among local youth. Using a grant from ROI, South Huron has hired a Youth Engagement Strategist for the summer to lead a four month project (May - August, 2019) to engage people aged 15 – 29 years in conversations about the future of our communities.

“We want to make sure that youth feel engaged and have a say in the direction our community takes,” said Mayor George Finch. “This work will generate opportunities for youth to get involved in building their communities, which will ultimately assist in attracting or retaining them here.”

Initially, the municipality will engage youth in conversations using #southhuronyouth on Facebook, Twitter, and a new Instagram account that is being piloted as part of this project. In-person meetings with youth groups will follow to identify issues and projects that are important to them. The project outcomes will include a strategy as well as increased capacity for future youth engagement.

“Engaging youth in this way complements the work underway to build an inclusive, age-friendly community in South Huron,” added Finch.

The Rural Ontario Institute is a non-profit organization based in Guelph, Ontario with a mission to develop leaders and facilitate collaboration on issues facing rural and northern Ontario. With funding provided by the Province of Ontario, ROI launched the The Municipal Internship: Youth Engagement Strategies Project to support ten (10) communities to hire an intern, develop and implement youth engagement strategies, and actively provide a voice for local youth in the ongoing development of their communities. Of 35 applicants, South Huron was one of the successful communities to receive a grant.