Section 1. Introduction
This Youth Profile has been created to support the development of a Youth Segment, Service Vision for Canadians. Service strategies are how the Service Vision for Canadians is operationalized. (See Figure 1-1 below).
Figure 1-1: Building blocks for an informed Service Vision for Canadians
Full service transformation is most likely to be effective when the focus of government action is directed at specific segments of the population to bring to bear all relevant public service offerings across departments and jurisdictions. A client-centred service strategy for youth will result in a more seamless service experience geared to the specific needs of youth, and will engage departments and agencies to work horizontally.
Examining youth as a segment of the general population is a good starting point for understanding some of their distinct needs and preferences. By understanding the needs of young Canadians, the Youth Segment, Service Vision for Canadians can concentrate on serving youth in ways that are relevant to them and that are most likely to be effective.
This document provides a profile of young Canadians to better understand their needs. Client preferences and behaviours help to identify how the Government can best serve this population both now and in the future.
1.1 Defining and Measuring Canada's Youth Population
The information in this report comes from a number of sources. While these sources use a variety of age ranges to define the youth population, for the purposes of this report youth will generally refer to Canadians between 15 and 24 years of age. However, some of the characteristics of youth discussed in this profile can appear before the ages of 15 (such as smoking) or remain after the age of 24 (looking for a job after completing education). It should also be noted that given the more broad definition of youth employed by key Government of Canada initiatives targeting youth (e.g. the Youth Employment Strategy), data relating to young Canadians 15 to 30 years of age will be included wherever possible.
1.2 Key Sources
The National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (NLSCY)1 - This long-term study of Canadian children follows their development and well being from birth to early adulthood. The NLSCY began in 1994 and is jointly conducted by Statistics Canada and Human Resources and Social Development. The study is designed to collect information about factors influencing a child's social, emotional and behavioural development and to monitor the impact of these factors on the child's development over time. The survey covers a comprehensive range of topics including the health of children, information on their physical development, learning and behaviour as well as data on their social environment (family, friends, schools and communities). The fifth cycle of NLSCY collected data from more than 32,000 children and youth ranging in age from newborns to 19 year olds in all provinces and territories between the fall 2002 and the spring of 2003.
Youth in Transition Survey2 - Developed through a partnership between Human Resources and Social Development and Statistics Canada, the Youth in Transition Survey (YITS) is a longitudinal survey designed to collect a broad range of information on the education and labour market experiences of youth. It is a key instrument for identifying the factors that can assist youth in the successful pursuit of their education and employment goals. The first cycle of the YITS for the 18-20-year-old cohort collected data from more than 22,000 youth between January and March 2000. The second cycle of the YITS occurred in early 2002 and collected more recent information from this same youth cohort, tracking their educational and labour market activities over time.
Health Behaviours in School - Age Children (HBSC)3 - Is a cross-national collaborative study conducted by the World Health Organization. It includes trend comparisons based on data collected from 11, 13 and 15 year olds in Canada during 1989-90, 1993-94 and 1997-98 survey cycles. It also includes data from Grade 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 students in Canada, as well as a selection of data from other countries.
Statistics Canada Census4 - Provides the population and dwelling counts not only for Canada but also for each province and territory, and for smaller geographic units such as cities or districts within cities. The census also provides information about Canada's demographic, social and economic characteristics.
Labour Force Survey5 - A household monthly survey in which data is collected from 52,000 households across Canada. The survey provides a wide range of information on employment, unemployment, and labour force participation. The information is available by demographic characteristics such as age, sex, level of education and family characteristics. Information is also produced by industry, occupation, job tenure, class of worker, weekly hours, wages, and union coverage. Results are available by province, census metropolitan area, and sub-provincial area. The survey collects data from 52,000 households across Canada. Excluded are people living in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, residents of Indian reservations, hospitals, penitentiaries, and long-term care facilities. Also excluded are full-time members of the armed forces.
Juristat6 - A series of reports that provide a detailed statistics and analysis on a variety of topics and issues concerning Canada's justice system. Juristats are produced on areas such as: crime, homicide, youth and adult courts, and corrections. Juristats are also produced on current topics of interest to the justice community.
The Daily7 - Is Statistics Canada's official release bulletin. The Daily issues news releases on current social and economic conditions and announces new products. It provides a comprehensive one-stop overview of new information available from Statistics Canada. The Daily has been published since 1932 and is released each working day.
Cansim8 - An on-line resource for Canadian socio-economic statistics on labour, health, income, trade, education, manufacturing, investment, and more. Cansim includes over 18 million series to help track trends in every aspect in the lives of Canadians.
Departments and Agencies -- Input has also been received from participating departments and agencies.
1 For additional information, please refer to the following Web site at: http://www.statcan.ca/english/sdds/4450.htm
2 For additional information, please refer to the following Web site at: http://www.statcan.ca/english/sdds/4435.htm
3 For additional information, please refer to the following Web site at: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/dca-dea/publications/hbsc_01_e.html
4 For additional information, please refer to the following Web site at: http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/home/index.cfm
5 For additional information, please refer to the following Web site at: http://www.statcan.ca/english/sdds/3701.htm
6 For additional information, please refer to the following Web site at: http://www.statcan.ca:8096/bsolc/english/bsolc?catno=85-002-X
7 For additional information, please refer to the following Web site at: http://www.statcan.ca/english/dai-quo/
8 For additional information, please refer to the following Web site at: http://www.statcan.ca/english/ads/cansimII/index.htm
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