RECOMMENDATION 4
Recommendation 4:
Meaningful involvement of 2SLGBTQ+ youth (especially racialized and Indigenous 2SLGBTQ+ youth) in decision-making at the local, regional and provincial levels.
The Problem:
2SLGBTQ+ youth feel that people in power simply do not care about them, do not consult them, and do not consider their perspectives or experiences.
2SLGBTQ+ youth do not want to be engaged in a tokenistic way.
Decision-makers must work to develop trust, and build relationships with 2SLGBTQ+ youth. This must be a meaningful commitment, with efforts to build trust happening on an ongoing basis (not just in an election year, for example).
What 2SLGBTQ+ Youth Are Saying
“I would tell them that you need to start having more conversations and bring in people from our community to have a better understanding of where youth are coming from and that they should provide better services that will support them in every means they can, even if it’s just baby steps like having more signs saying these events are LGBT friendly.”
— 2SLGBTQ+ youth in Northern Ontario
“Encouraging local community leaders to help shift the public's view towards a more positive and inclusive view of the LGBT+ community”
— 2SLGBTQ+ youth in Southwestern Ontario
2SLGBTQ+ youth, especially racialized and Indigenous 2SLGBTQ+ youth perspectives must be sought by decision-makers
“[We need funding for programs but] most of all we need people, especially ones in positions of power, to listen to what we have to say and act on that”
— 2SLGBTQ+ youth in London
“[I want to] have more presence of youth voice (councils, community meetings)”
— Indigenous 2SLGBTQ+ youth under 18 in Northern Ontario
Ideas to #DoBetter
Local youth mental health organization passes a bylaw that makes it mandatory for there to be a certain number of 2SLGBTQ+ youth positions on their board.
School board prioritizes seeking 2SLGBTQ+ youth for the Student Trustee roles.
MPP hosts a quarterly community meeting with 2SLGBTQ+ youth to understand needs.
Town Council pushes for all Committee mandates to be updated to include the need to recruit 2SLGBTQ+ youth.
Any policy review by the Province must include 2SLGBTQ+ youth, especially racialized and Indigenous youth and youth from northern Ontario.
When a developer is sharing their plans to build a condo and townhouse complex, they are required by the Planning Department to reach out to 2SLGBTQ+ youth to understand their perspectives. Without doing so, City Planners describe the community consultation as incomplete.
Business Improvement Area (BIA) does not begin any planning for celebrating Pride (putting up flags, organizing events, etc.) without 2SLGBTQ+ youth in a leadership role.