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Stepping Up is a strategic framework that outlines a common vision, guiding principles, themes and priority outcomes that have been developed to guide work in support of Ontario youth.
Stepping Up presents a strengthened, sustained commitment from the provincial government to support the success of all Ontario youth. Our vision is that:
Together, we will support all young people to become healthy, safe, hopeful, engaged, educated and contributing members of their communities and our province.
In order to achieve this vision, Stepping Up was developed to provide a platform so all those who are involved in supporting youth can come together through a common, overall approach. Although our specific individual contributions to supporting youth development may vary, we all have a role to play in ensuring that young Ontarians have the opportunities and skills they need to thrive.
Stepping Up reflects a holistic and ecological view of youth that considers the role individuals, communities, society and different systems and sectors play in youth wellbeing. It captures the many dimensions of youth development. In this way, Stepping Up is a first-of-its-kind framework for Ontario.
With this in mind, the following seven aspirational principles – grounded in positive youth development – were selected to guide the development of Stepping Up. Through consultation across government, and with young people and youth service providers, these principles have been proposed in order to provide a shared approach for our ongoing work together to improve youth outcomes.
They will influence the ways in which the Government of Ontario develops policies, designs programs and uses data relating to youth.
A holistic view of youth: Figure 2 provides a representation of the theme areas of Stepping Up. These themes are based on an ecological model of development and a person-centred approach that is also consistent with Aboriginal ways of knowing. The young person is at the centre of the circle – including their spirit / self as described on page 7. Important early interactions for youth include the smaller circles (their personal health and development, their family and friends). As they age, they grow to become members of the broader community (through education and employment, engagement and participation).
Under the guidance of these principles, and based on what research, youth and their allies say matters, Stepping Up is identifying 20 outcomes that are important for the positive development of Ontario's youth (see Stepping Up: A Strategic Framework to Help Ontario's Youth Succeed below). These outcomes articulate what we need to achieve our vision and support youth to succeed.
The selection of these outcomes was based on evidence and represents our key priorities for young people.
The Ontario government is committed to focusing on achieving progress toward these outcomes as our priorities for youth. These outcomes will inform policy design and program development across Ontario ministries and through provincial agencies. It is our hope that all those who play a role in supporting youth will use them too.
To help readers navigate the story and rationale behind each outcome, we have organized the narrative across seven themes (Figure 2). These themes reflect key domains of experiences that support positive youth development.
It is important to recognize that individual characteristics and conditions – such as a young person's cultural background or the neighbourhood they live in – can impact their experience across all of these outcomes. Every young person in Ontario faces unique challenges and considerations as they negotiate their environments. Throughout Stepping Up, specific challenges and considerations for different groups of youth will be identified and discussed. These themes and the outcomes are interrelated and interdependent.
Together, we will support all young people to become healthy, safe, hopeful, engaged, educated and contributing members of their communities and our province.
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