Community Recreation for All released a briefing at the beginning of this week on the Recreation Services for Youth report (CRFA_Briefing).

In the Community Development and Recreation Committee this week, Toronto Councillors took a step in the right direction towards ten new youth spaces in 2014. We were also pleased about the outcome of the Street Needs Assesment. Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam moved an amendment to include a gender analysis and gender desegregated data for the Streets Needs Assessment.

Recreation Services for Youth,
Committee Recommendations:

The Community Development and Recreation Committee recommends that:

1. City Council approve the Youth Recreation Engagement Strategy attached as Appendix A to the report (September 4, 2013) from the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation.

2. City Council request the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to implement the following needs-based criteria in evaluating new youth spaces in Toronto:

a. area household income;

b. geographic need and access to other programming in the vicinity;

c. demographic needs based on particular age groups or other populations need access to services; and

d. other specifically identified needs for recreation services.

3. City Council request the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to report back to the December 4, 2013 meeting of the Community Development and Recreation Committee on:

a. the financial impact, criteria and capacity to implement an additional 10 new youth spaces, and that staff consider the criteria as outlined by Recreation for All in the implementation strategy, specifically mapping current lounges, utilization, needs and gap assessment, best practices, hours, staffing loads, staff training, physical infrastructure and transit access; and further that the report be consistent with the Toronto Youth Equity Strategy;

b. expanding the proposed 3-hour/day Youth Space model with the full-time model as proposed by St. Stephen’s Community House and Community Recreation for All; and

c. existing training programs for Parks, Forestry and Recreation staff and report on implementation of any new training modules including anti-oppression and anti-racist frameworks on an expedited basis.
Origin
(September 4, 2013) Report from the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation

Summary

In November 2012, City Council adopted the City of Toronto 2013-2017 Recreation Service Plan (RSP). The RSP will guide the City of Toronto’s planning and delivery of recreation programs and services over the next five years. An Implementation Plan was approved in July 2013.

This is a comprehensive report that recommends a Youth Recreation Engagement Strategy to guide implementation of the Recreation Service Plan and planning for youth. The Youth Recreation Engagement Strategy was informed through extensive outreach in summer 2013 that included input from approximately 1,600 individual youth and 80 community agencies.

In addition, this report responds to several other City Council directions regarding the provision of youth recreation programs and services in the City of Toronto. This report includes an inventory of current recreation programs and services for youth and explores options to expand additional youth drop-in programs. The report also provides an update on the strengthened Parks, Forestry and Recreation (PFR) relationship with Duke of Edinburgh’s Award program and integration with the Toronto Youth Equity Strategy.