July 22, 2023

By Valentina Shamoun and Sydney John-Baptise, both Torontonians and members of BGC Canada’s National Youth Council

Dear Future Mayor – Toronto is a vibrant, multicultural city. The sheer number of traditions and opportunities – from jobs to culture to entertainment – draw people from around the world to live, study and work here. But without young people, this vibrancy is at risk.

Young people are finding it harder and harder to live here. We kept hearing that coming out of the pandemic, the city would come roaring back to life – prosperity, fun and relief that the worst was behind us and we could work toward fixing our city’s problems. It doesn’t feel that way living in Toronto these days. We are finding it hard to feel optimistic about our future here.

Dear Mayor, how are you going to help revive our city?

Young people can barely live here anymore. Did you know that the average age of Torontonians is now over 40? The average rent is over $2,500/month which is impossible for most young people to afford, pushing us further and further out to the edges of the city or out of the GTA altogether. We constantly hear that ‘young people don’t want to work’, especially in entry-level jobs, retail, and hospitality. That’s not it – we just can’t afford to live in Toronto and make those wages. Why would we commute into the city to make $16 an hour? Many of us are trying to get by on insufficient OSAP funds, piecing together part-time work, orare already drowning in student debt. It can take us an hour and a half to get from Scarborough to downtown in rush hour, each way. That’s 15 hours a week we could be working or studying instead. It just doesn’t make sense. We are worried about what downtown Toronto will look like in 5 or 10 years. Where will youth fit in?

What are you going to do immediately about violence on the TTC? Because most of us don’t feel safe. Ridership is down since pre-pandemic levels, but violence is up. Teens, especially young women, are taking the streetcar to the GO train in some areas because it’s not safe to be underground after dark with no cell service. It’s an expensive and inconvenient option that we resent. Dear Mayor, why does a world-class city not have cell service on subway trains in 2023? Youth don’t care about battles with big telecom. We cannot wait two years for this to happen – every day without it makes stepping underground feel like a roll of the dice.

How do you plan to advocate for marginalized youth and provide more mental health resources? More than 300 students have been involved in violent incidents so far this year. There is clearly a crisis in our schools. Students who are struggling, especially those with special needs, have been chronically under-served. Will you fight for equitable education and everyone’s right to feel safe in the classroom?

Dear Mayor, when was the last time you worked in the community? Spoke to someone who is unhoused unless you were in front a camera? Most youth want a mayor who has spent years working in the community because it’s the only way to truly understand the crisis going on now. The kind of mayor who cares less about showing up at the Pride Parade for a photo op and more about keeping trans kids safe and advocating for the health of 2S & LGBTQIA+ youth on a daily basis.

Dear Future Mayor, please don’t think we’ve lost hope. Young people need things to change and need you to show us you can get things done. Let us be a part of the strength of this great city we love so much.

Read more:

• National Youth Council Statement on Anti-Trans Legislation
• National Youth Council Statement on Mental Health

As the National Youth Council of BGC Canada (formerly Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada), our membership consists of individuals in the 2S & LGBTQIA+ communities, as well as allies from other diverse backgrounds.

Less than two months into 2023, more than 300 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced in the United States at the state level, 150 of which target transgender individuals. This is the highest number of anti-trans bills to be introduced in a single year ever.

Anti-trans sentiments are also prevalent in Canada; transgender and non-binary Canadians are concerned about transphobic ideology worsening across the country. Without strong advocacy and vigilance, this legislative attack in the United States could make its way here.

As young people affected by these harmful ideologies, we are concerned, frustrated, and exhausted. No individual should ever have to debate or justify their existence.

As members of BGC Canada’s National Youth Council, we are calling for change within our systems and our everyday lives. As an ally, you have the power and responsibility to help make that change. Below, we have provided several ways that you can contribute.

Sign petitions. Call, text, and email. Write letters to your local policymakers. Donate. Educate yourself and your family. Advocate for your trans peers even when they’re not around. Check on your affected friends, take care of your mental health, and help us defend and protect human rights.

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Ways to help

Petitions

• Protect Transgender Texans

Donations

• Canada Helps – supports LGBTQ+ Charities

Mental Health Resources

• Kids Help Phone – space for 2SLGBTQ+ youth and allies
• Trans Lifeline – provides trans peer support
• It Gets Better Campaign – uplifts, empowers, and connects LGBTQ+ youth around the globe
• Lesbian, Gay, Bi & Trans Youthline – offers free peer support for youth aged 26 and under (1-800-268-9688)
• The Trevor Project – provides information & support to LGBTQ+ young people 24/7, all year round

Stay Educated

• Mapping Attacks on LGBTQ Rights in U.S State Legislatures
• Understanding the Transgender Community
• Guide to Being an Ally to Transgender and Nonbinary Young People
• Transgender Children & Youth: Understanding the Basics

Additional Resources

• Adults supporting 2SLGBTQI Youth
• Supporting youth well-being through anti-oppression principles
• Preparing Students for the Transition of a Trans or Gender Diverse Peer
• BGC Canada’s 2S & LGBTQIA+ Toolkit (for senior leadership and decision makers)

Published on Toronto Guardian March 22, 2022

BGC Canada is the largest child and youth-serving charitable and community services organization. We spoke with Owen Charters, President & CEO, to find out more about them.

Describe your charity/non-profit/volunteer work in a few sentences.

At BGC Canada (formerly Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada), we believe that opportunity changes everything.

As Canada’s largest child and youth-serving charitable and community services organization, our Clubs open their doors to young people of all ages and their families nationwide, providing programs and services that help them realize positive outcomes in self-expression, academics, healthy living, physical activity, job readiness, mental wellness, social development, leadership, and more—and we’ve been doing that for over 120+ years!

What problem does it aim to solve?

We understand that the problems kids face today are complex. We provide safe, supportive places where children and youth can experience new opportunities, overcome barriers, build positive relationships, and develop confidence and skills for life. Our Clubs take a preventative approach to a broad range of critical issues, including poverty, health and nutrition, education, mental health, and youth violence. And it works. Kids that join a BGC Club struggle less with academics, avoid risky health behaviours, and have less interaction with the justice system. Simply put, they do better.

When did you start/join it?

I became CEO of BGC Canada in January 2016.

What made you want to get involved?

I originally volunteered at a local Club when I was a teenager, and subsequently worked in the youth-serving sector for years, at a YMCA and with Easter Seals. After entering the charitable sector professionally—having completed a business degree focused on nonprofit management—I did a lot of professional fundraising. Coming back to a youth-focused organization, and especially BGC Clubs where my original passion was ignited, was very special. This is a cause that means a lot to me, and now I get to see firsthand the impact we have on so many children and youth.

What was the situation like when you started?

BGC Clubs have been evolving for over 120 years, but one thing that stands out is that they are too often our best-kept secret. Clubs keep their head down and focus on the vital work in their community. Our challenge is that we sometimes forget to tell other people about the great work we do! The opportunity I saw when I started was the capacity to tell such a powerful story to the rest of Canada, to build on a phenomenal brand and grow the recognition of the organization across the country.

We’ve also seen the leadership of BGC Clubs grow—as Clubs have grown in size and scope, they often transition from leaders who are grassroots to professional managers. That brings benefits and challenges—we need leaders who can manage larger organizations effectively, but we also need leaders who can continue to connect with the community and cause. That’s something we’re working on now as we build a stronger national identity. We are ensuring that our Club leaders are connected to their community and to each other.

How has it changed since?

Being a bigger organization and building our brand has brought great benefits, but also has put Clubs in the spotlight more than ever, especially in a pandemic. Clubs needed to respond to a growing crisis on the ground—families that had lost jobs, kids that were losing an education, and figure out how to get them food, resources, access to technology and internet, and keep them engaged, among other things.

Our Clubs were ready—it wasn’t that they expected a pandemic, but they were in the right place at the right time. And our brand-building meant that funders—corporations, foundations, and government—turned to Clubs to understand what the needs were and what they could do to support. Funders heard our appeal and our Clubs benefited from a great deal of goodwill. And while the need continues, Clubs really helped families from falling through the cracks during this pandemic.

What more needs to be done?

The needs that Clubs see in communities never goes away, and unfortunately, the pandemic has exacerbated the inequities in society. More youth are falling behind and this leads to more challenges.

The rate of gang violence is growing and Clubs are trying to confront it. Food, academic supports, youth engagement—there is a whole host of things that Clubs need to provide. What we need today is for the community to think of Clubs as an investment, a safety net that ensures that youth don’t get left behind, that each of them finds the opportunities they need. Clubs need people who align with them and empathize with the challenges that youth face today. Clubs are charities, but they are also sophisticated enterprises. We need to support them as such—invest in them, help them grow to meet the demands for today, to lift up children and youth so they can access the opportunities they deserve. A great example is the 2021 TD Ready Challenge grant we recently received, which funds programs that address societal issues. The grant will allow Clubs to collaborate with Hoot Reading to provide more than 12,500 hours of one-on-one remote literacy tutoring with experienced classroom teachers to more than 2,500 children across the country. That is an investment with a long-term impact.

How can our readers help?

Visit BGC Canada’s website and click the red DONATE button, or use our Find Your Club page to make a donation locally. Readers can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @BGCCAN and help spread the word about our work across the country.

Do you have any events coming up?

We have our national BGC Club awareness day coming up on June 3 and we will be celebrating our Youth of the Year in September. More info will be shared on our social media channels so make sure to follow along!

Where can we follow you?

Twitter | LinkedIn

PAY IT FORWARD: What is an awesome local charity that you love?

Obviously, all BGC Clubs are local and I love them all. But one charity that does stand out for me is the Michael Garron Hospital in East Toronto (formerly Toronto East General). It stands out because in the pandemic it has been a beacon of community support, providing tests, vaccines, and encouragement to the community. It’s also our local hospital and my family has benefited from their care and compassion.

The Michael Garron Hospital saves lives: without them, we might not be the family we are today.