Every day, BGC advocates for children and youth.
For BGC, advocacy means amplifying youth voices, standing up for children and their families, and actively pushing decision makers towards a more inclusive and equitable Canada. Our strong working relationships with all levels of government enable us to sustain and expand the vital work of our Clubs, give young people across the country a platform, and ensure action is taken.
Child and Youth Poverty
A Canada where no child or youth lives in poverty.
The number of children and youth in poverty in Canada is inexcusably high. Some 700,000 children and youth live in poverty, with higher rates among persons with disabilities, recent (im)migrants, 2S & LGBTQIA+ individuals, and Indigenous communities. Young Canadians who live in poverty are more likely to experience chronic physical and mental illness, adverse early childhood development, and poor educational attainment—all which increase the likelihood of youth being trapped in a cycle of intergenerational poverty.
BGC Canada’s advocacy work focuses on:
- Supporting the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society and the Assembly of First Nations through the full adoption of the Spirit Bear Plan
- Improving access to affordable, quality childcare, and before- and after-school care
- Better addressing food insecurity and affordable housing for those living in poverty
Youth Employment and Training
Youth across Canada have the support, education, and experience to launch a career, irrespective of the inequities and barriers they may face.
Work is changing. Increasing automation, global competition, and new management models threaten the economic prosperity of Canada’s youth. Youth who are employed frequently struggle with low or stagnant wages, as well as increasing rates of burnout. In addition, getting and keeping employment is increasingly difficult for youth in equity-seeking groups who face deep inequities and barriers.
BGC Canada’s advocacy work focuses on:
- The evolution the Canada Summer Jobs Program into a year-round Canada Youth Jobs Program
- Continued investment in the federal government’s Youth Employment and Skills Strategy
- Working with Canadian employers to permanently hire young Canadians
Child and Youth Mental Health
All Canadian children and youth have access to quality mental health services, including community prevention and early interventions.
Mental health challenges, often linked to childhoods beset by trauma, are afflicting young people across the country in increasing numbers. For children and families struggling with income, identity, language and other barriers, especially in rural and remote communities, mental health challenges too often go unaddressed until a crisis erupts.
BGC Canada’s advocacy work focuses on:
- Expanding mental health first aid training
- Increasing trauma informed, community-based mental health supports for children, youth, and the frontline staff who support them
- Addressing mental health stigma and discrimination by elevating youth voices, including those who have experienced mental health challenges or illnesses
