Canadian Rural Partnership
Rural Dialogue



Rural Team - Saskatchewan
Youth Focus Group
Summary Report

Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
September 28, 2002

Publication # 2150/E
© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, 2002
Cat. No. A22-276/2002E-IN
ISBN # 0-662-33158-3

The RT-S Youth Focus Group was part of the Rural Dialogue, an ongoing, two-way discussion between the federal government and Canadians from rural, remote and northern regions. Launched in 1998, the Rural Dialogue is a key citizen-engagement component of the Canadian Rural Partnership (CRP) Initiative. The CRP is designed to support community development by adopting new approaches and practices that respond to rural, remote and northern priorities. The Dialogue process helps the federal government to understand local and regional priorities, and provides rural, remote and northern citizens with an opportunity to influence federal government policies, programs and services that affect them.

The RT-S Youth Focus Group addressed the commitment made by the Honourable Andy Mitchell, Secretary of State (Rural Development)(Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario), to the youth in attendance at the 2002 National Rural Conference, to support a National Rural Youth Network and initiatives towards a National Rural Youth Conference in 2003.

RT-S, the expression of CRP in Saskatchewan, made up of representatives from federal and provincial government departments and agencies targeted youth as a priority in their 2002 work plan. Youth participants with experience from previous provincially-based initiatives participated in the September 28th Focus Group. Youth out-migration is a major concern in Saskatchewan. The Focus Group was a forum for youth to express views and solutions to curtail the out-migration and to promote solutions to address some of the other rural and northern Saskatchewan challenges. Youth identified many areas where the RT-S could act as facilitator in moving the issues forward.

Note: Recognizing that there are structural differences which affect rural communities, the issues identified by a "*" are specific to northern Saskatchewan communities.

• Develop policies and programs to increase and retain the citizen population of Saskatchewan.
• Improve Saskatchewan's business competitiveness to make it easier for Saskatchewan businesses to grow.

• Forgive student loans to encourage graduates to stay in rural areas
• Increase promotion that targets youth - share success stories and information about programs and services.
• Introduce education on sustainable rural life to change attitudes and to discourage youth from leaving the rural life.
• Increase amount of gatherings and opportunities for youth to build a connection with the youth from other communities.*
• Incorporate youth in government initiatives, in an advisory capacity, and develop policies to encourage participation and involvement.
• Ensure governments promote their career opportunities and that they recruit local university and college graduates.
• Involve youth in the development and implementation of policies and programs to strengthen the arts, culture and tourism in order to improve the community's image, increase pride and morale among its citizens, as well as set an example for the world.

• Organize a media campaign to inform youth on leadership and skills development opportunities.
• Implement an employment and social mentorship campaign across the province.*
• Facilitate youth transition to leadership roles by including youth on boards and committees.
• Increase the links between the private sector and education system.*

• Restore the small town hospitals, schools and grain elevators - their absence is considerably affecting the morale of the rural population and causing major job loss.
• Implement paint projects to rejuvenate run down small towns, beautify buildings and preserve the history.
• Make the Trans-Canada Highway into a double lane with a 100 km speed limit.
• Create skate parks and recreation facilities which the community's youth could call their own.
• Recognize child poverty and address housing issues.*

• Ensure the level of technology is equitable throughout all communities to provide all citizens, including youth, with the same opportunities.*

• Ensure that the quality of education and courses available are equitable in all communities, especially in northern Saskatchewan.*
• Provide information about job opportunities and career development, and increase the information about post secondary training available.*
• Forgive student loans, provide bursaries and pay tuition fees to encourage graduates to stay in the province.
• Implement an education-based communication network involving youth (e.g., develop Web sites, organize conferences, prepare newsletters and provide updates on progress).*
• Provide citizens in northern Saskatchewan with the necessary support to access education and complete high school which would also help increase their self-confidence.*

• Support partnerships between the private sector and schools to provide mentorship .*
• Encourage town councils to include student representatives at their meetings.
• Develop a strong Saskatchewan youth network with the help from/participation of different and prominent groups in Saskatchewan.

• Organize a media campaign to promote Saskatchewan and to communicate key initiatives.
• Promote cooperation between communities.
• Counteract the messages about the limited job opportunities in rural Saskatchewan being relayed to students by people of influence (e.g. parents, teachers).

Focus Group participants offered many solutions to the challenges and priorities they identified. The solution identified most often was promoting what Saskatchewan has to offer (e.g. youth, career and partnership opportunities, and a friendly business climate). The most important recommendation made by participants was to organize a province-wide media campaign.

Participants, aware of RT-S's role as host of this event, had recommendations for action by Team members for follow-up, including leadership in governance. In relation to leadership in governance, participants suggested that RT-S could become an advocate for youth inclusion on town councils. Participants also indicated that they wanted the RT-S's assistance in implementing the province-wide media campaign - their most important recommendation. To address the issue of duplication of programs and inadequate services in the north, participants requested that the RT-S members encourage their own departments to consult citizens in northern Saskatchewan communities prior to implementing programs.

As part of the follow-up work, participants requested that RT-S review and bring the issues identified in this report to the attention of the appropriate parties involved. Focus Group participants also expressed that they want to be informed of any action taken based on their Focus Group work. Opportunities to continue providing youth-based information to the team, such as this Focus Group, would be of value.

As a next step, RT-S will analyse the Focus Group report to identify issues that could be addressed either by individual departments, through partnerships between departments or as a team.

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