Hamilton Youth Engagement Initiative : Year in Review 2012-2013

2
HSCI—OPIRG MCMASTER
The Hamilton Youth Engagement Initiative (HYEI) brings together groups
of high school youth with older peer mentors. These mentors facilitate a
program which focuses on an applied learning of civics and community
engagement.
The 2012-2013 school year saw the exciting pilot of HYEI in a classroom
setting. Despite all the hurdles and challenges the program faced, we
were immeasurably fortunate-enough to be supported by incredible
passion from our mentors, energy from our students, and dedication
from our associated teachers and education consultants.
The Year in Review report introduces the reader to HYEI, provides an
evaluation of the program’s development, and finally, recommends how
the program should grow in the upcoming year and beyond.
The past year’s achievements include:
• Pilot of 6-session program with 3 classes and a youth community group,
reaching over 80 youth (not including mentors)
• Further collaboration with HWDSB to open classrooms as a setting for the
program
• Recruitment, training, and management of team of 40 volunteer mentors
• Trial of mentor position as a placement in a credited, university field placement
course
• Building of foundations for recruitment of mentors from Mohawk College
Contact Information:
Hamilton Youth Engagement Initiative (HYEI),
a project of the Hamilton Students’ Community Initiative (HSCI)
Coordinators: Alex Ramirez and Nathaniel Loranger
HSCI.OPIRG@gmail.com

THE HAMILTON YOUTH ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVE | 2012-2013
3
Sponsoring body:
Ontario Public Interest Research Group (OPIRG) McMaster
MUSC 229, McMaster University
1280 Main Street West
Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4S4
The Hamilton Youth Engagement Initiative (HYEI) seeks to encourage
and facilitate youth civic engagement through the development of
mentoring relationships between younger and older youth. Young
people have vast potential to actuate community growth and lead
social development; however, many youth need an environment that
nurtures these values and gives them relevance.
Rooted in the principles of inclusive and collective participation, HYEI
pursues effective, creative and sustainable solutions to its goals. Being
collaborative in nature, HYEI is a process that not only focuses on
revitalizing youth civic engagement, but also acts to garner and
strengthen collaborative partnerships in the City of Hamilton’s
community- and social-development sectors.
The ultimate goal of this project is to lay the foundations for a
revitalization of youth civic engagement – both across the City of
Hamilton, as well as provincial and national systems.
We envision a Canada where young people are
active in, passionate about, and dedicated to, the
civics of their communities.

4
Acknowledgments
HSCI would like to give a special thank you to all the people who
helped ensure that the Hamilton Youth Engagement Initiative
would continue to flourish in 2012-2013.
Sabrina Arrizza
Hamilton Students’ Community Initiative (HSCI)
Krista Brodersen, Carolyn Craven
Westdale Secondary School
Alice Smith
Sir Allan MacNab Secondary School
Mike Des Jardins, Scott Sincerbox,
Kristen Armstrong, Mark Currie
Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB)
Cecilia Irazuzta, Randy Kay
Milé Komlen
Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion (HCCI)
Brian McHattie, City Councilor—Ward 1
City of Hamilton Municipal Government
And to all the people who participated in the program as
students or mentors!

5
Table of Contents :
Introduction 6
Strategic Themes 7
Methodology 8
Participating youth 10
Engagement Sessions 12
Curriculum Connections 14
Project Examples 16
Program Evaluation 18
Program Recommendations 24
Future Developments 26
Supporting Literature 27

6
introduction
It has been recognized that the civics
component of the Ontario Grade 10 Careers
and Civics curriculum falls short in its pursuit of
student engagement: many students report a
strong disinterest in the delivered civics
materials 1*
. Further, youth are rarely invested in
the development and shaping of their cities 2, 3, 4
,
despite being a prominent denomination of the
Ontario population 5, 6
. Decreased social trust 3, 7
,
greater mobility and less community
connectedness 7
are degrading young people’s
ownership of their cities. HYEI strives to tap into
the critical period of maturation and learning
that people undergo during their late teens 2, 5, 8
,
a period characterized by the adoption of
distinct, personal perspectives and susceptibility
to influence of peers. The program builds a
forum for youth to act upon their visions of
social development.
Youth should not be viewed as problems
needing fixing, but as incredible assets to
the development of communities 5, 9, 10
.
*Note: Throughout this report, where
appropriate, citations will be made to
supporting research literature.
The Hamilton Youth Engagement Initiative is
supported by a number of themes that work
as organizational pillars and ethical parameters
in the conduct of our engagement strategy.
These are presented on the following page.

7
strategicthemes
Engage - HYEI engages all involved persons in an active, participatory and
inclusive environment.
Connect - HYEI connects visions by fostering environments of collectivity and
cooperation.
Change - HYEI encourages direct participation in community-oriented initiatives
for positive changes to communities and surrounding environments.
An integral component to this youth engagement strategy is support of youth
autonomy. People have an innate capacity to identify, prioritize and suggest
solutions to social issues according to their unique sets of experiences and
means of personal expression. HYEI mentors work within the strict parameter of
facilitation, rather than representation, to ensure the contributions of
participating youth are free from manipulation of interests. Young people do not
lack the desire to become civically engaged, but rather, the right opportunities
and resources 14
.
In developing a youth-led strategy for youth engagement, it is essential that the
process be introspective, flexible, and welcoming of change. Hence, the value we
place in HYEI’s reflective and organic nature is immense. Our methodology is not
immutable. It is shaped by the experiences of our mentors and participating
youth, guidance of education professionals, and insights of research literatures.
At HYEI’s core is an integral model of simple, but powerful, practices. By striving
to maintain this fundamental, we maintain the Hamilton Youth Engagement
Initiative as a program that is accessible and whose vision is tangible.
Furthermore, the program acts to link youth-serving organizations, youth-led
groups, and civic engagement groups 16
, a role that is often missing from youth
engagement 9
. In effect, we work to ensure the sustainability of the program for
future cohorts of youth 3
.

8
methodology
The Hamilton Youth Engagement Initiative
structures its engagement sessions between
youth and mentors around a specific learning
model. One might question why a teacher could
not deliver the engagement session material
without the external assistance of HYEI mentors.
Indeed, some teachers may already cover similar
discussions and activities in their lesson plans 24
.
The strength of the HYEI model is the
environment in which students learn. In the HYEI
program, youth work collaboratively with peer
mentors: older youth who act as facilitators and
role models in the process. The potential for
youth-with-youth informal learning, as well as
the smaller ratio of students to mentors, allows
students a much greater capacity to participate
in classes and make personally-meaningful
contributions. Moreover, this increased capacity
for students to participate ensures that each
individual’s voice is recognized and valued 13
.
In following with Ontario curriculums 21
, the inquiry model of learning is
practiced throughout the program, thereby increasing opportunities for students
to develop their self-directed learning capacities and explore intellectual
engagement with their studies.

9
Research shows that during adolescence, more than any other developmental
stage, youth look to their peers for support, guidance, and perspective. An
effective means, then, of motivating high school students to pursue positive
growth of their communities is via the influence of other youth.
Establishing a peer mentorship relation between secondary school students and
post-secondary students (adolescent youth with matured youth) engenders a
sense of togetherness. This relationship focuses on the creation of a safe
environment for youth to identify issues/interests pertaining to their surrounding
communities with individuals to whom they can relate 19
.
Mentors work with youth in decentralized, collaborative groups. Through the
process of collective dialogue, participating adolescent youth develop strategies
and policy recommendations for social change with complete autonomy.
In a mutually-beneficial relationship, high school students are supported in their
ambitions for community success, while our mentors will reconnect with their
younger selves and reflect on personal growth. In many cases, the mentors are
just slightly farther “down the road of life” than the youth they work with, and so
everyone involved stands to gain something from the relationship.
Informal learning activities can be effective techniques to include in dynamic
approaches to education processes 7, 19
. Informal, collaborative projects focusing
on both practical and theoretical disciplines encourage students to share their
personal perspectives, and in extension, explore these perspectives through
dialogue and research. Drawing on this concept, the HYEI provides an
opportunity for both secondary and post-secondary students to identify, discuss,
and debate community issues. Such informal activity encourages youth to
collectively share their concerns, learn from each other’s different perspectives,
and take the steps necessary to participate in local decision-making 7, 20
. The use
of decentralized focus groups proves to not only generate engaging, youth-led
discussions, but also results in an enhanced education experience for the post-
secondary students, making this youth-with-youth engagement strategy truly
unique in its ability to foster genuine learning experiences.

10
Participatingyouth
Post-secondary
The 2012-2013 HYEI mentor cohort comprised McMaster
undergraduate students who were either voluntarily participating,
or acting as mentors for a field placement credit in the Political
Science 3PR3 course. In accordance to agreements made with
the school board regarding ethical code of conduct, mentors
were required to provide a police reference check prior to
working with secondary school students. Between November
and February, a total of 32 training sessions were hosted for
mentors to familiarize themselves with the engagement session
plans. HYEI mentors were assigned to school locations and were
responsible, as teams, to prepare for each engagement session
and communicate with their partnered teacher, while relaying
progress and feedback to the coordinator team. At the start of the
classroom sessions, 37 mentors had remained with the project
and attended a satisfactory number of training sessions.
Secondary
Four groups of youth participated in the HYEI program, three of
which were in the classes of teachers who worked with HYEI.
More than 80 youth made up these four groups. The involved
groups were:
Voluntary Basis
• NGen Youth Centre After-school Focus Group
Mandatory Class Requirement
• Sir Allan MacNab Secondary School Grade 12
Canadian & World Politics
• Westdale Secondary School Grade 10 Canadian History
• Westdale Secondary School Grade 11 Genocide Studies

11

12
engagementsessionsBelow is an outline of the 8 week program developed in
consultation with the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board
for the 2012-2013 year. Please contact HSCI for the complete 2012-
2013 Engagement Session plans.
Session Title Key Objectives and Themes
1 Introductions to
communities
• Development of relations between mentors
and students
• Establish classroom norms
• Explore various interpretations of
community
• Identify values and themes of community
• Examine the roles youth can have in
building communities
• Reflect on the need for the HYEI program
2 Identifying and
categorizing issues
• Learn how to work in a group-based setting
• Learn how to identify and categorize
empirical information
• Identify real-world, pertinent issues
3 Tutorial on prioritizing
and consensus building
• Practicing tolerance and collaboration in
exploring perspectives
• Reaching agreement amongst opposing
perspectives
• “Finding the gray in a black and white
situation”
4 Collectively
prioritizing identified
issues
• Practicing procedures for reaching
consensus
• Prioritize issues needing attention from
youth

13
Session Title Key Objectives and Themes
5 Tutorial on effective and
diverse methods of
synthesizing research
• Explore fundamental questions that drive
research and narrow focus
• Explore advantages of consulting diverse
range of sources
6 Recommending solutions • Distinguish between broad/abstract/
ambiguous solutions and practical/specific
solutions
• Explore Hamilton-based resources
pertinent to projects
• Developing practical solutions to issues
• Practice developing clear language to
present work
7 Drafting a basic policy
recommendation
• Exploring the language of policy, and the
use of the language to empower youth
• Practice concise and cohesive writing and
communication
• Develop culminating policy
recommendations
8 Overview of collective
recommendations
• Review all that has been accomplished in
only 8 weeks
• Reflect on the power of community
engagement and social change
• Opportunities to communicate advocacy
positions

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curriculumconnections
As recommended by a public school board
teacher, HYEI seeks to trial its engagement
sessions within the Grade 10 Civics curriculum 21
.
It should be recognized that this strategy is not
an attempt to change the curriculum. Instead, it
is intended as a tool teachers might employ to
better help their students make connections
between the learning material and their personal
lives. It is a way to enhance the engagement and
empowerment of students with the curriculum.
The engagement sessions are designed to
give students a foundation in the theory,
skills, and experiences needed to make
meaningful, positive changes in their
communities. In essence, the program intends to
empower youth to become purposeful,
informed, and active citizens through civic
participation.

15
Informed Citizenship
Overall Expectations
• Demonstrate an understanding of the need for democratic decision
making
• Explain what it means to be a global citizen and why it is important to
be one
Specific Expectations
• Democratic Decision Making
• Rights and Responsibilities of Canadian Citizenship
Purposeful Citizenship
Overall expectations
• Demonstrate an understanding of the beliefs and values underlying
democratic citizenship and explain how they guide citizens’ actions
• Describe the diversity of beliefs and values of various individuals and
groups in Canadian society
• Analyze responses at the local, national, and international levels, to civic
issues that involve multiple perspectives and differing civic purposes
• Democratic Beliefs and Values
• Diversity of Beliefs and Values
• Responses to Civic Issues
Active Citizenship
Overall Expectations
• Apply appropriate inquiry skills to the research of questions and issues
of civic importance
• Demonstrate an understanding of the various ways in which decisions
are made and conflicts resolved in matters of civic importance, and the
various ways in which individual citizens participate in these processes
• Inquiry Skills
• The Resolution of Public Issues and Citizenship Participation

16
projectexamplesWhat follows is a sample of the themes, community
issues, and solutions that one class of students
researched for their projects during the HYEI program.
Group Theme: Specific Issue: Proposed Solution: Importance:
Accessibility Students with
disabilities
segregated to one
section of the school
due to design.
Implementing
wheelchair lifts that can
access all floors.
Will allow for students with
disabilities to be integrated
with the rest of the student
population, which can
encourage their social
development.
Education Education is lacking
in providing
students with
sufficient job
opportunities.
Implementing more
French classes into the
high school curriculum.
The benefits of knowing
two languages, especially
the ones that are official to
Canada, can increase
opportunity for jobs.
Environment The condition of the
Hamilton harbor
front.
Increasing awareness in
the media and through
school programs to
clean up the harbor
front.
Having a clean harbor front
can invite more
development for activities
(such as paddle boats) and
can increase tourism in
Hamilton.
Social Issues Racialization and
discrimination at
border checkpoints.
Border officers should
receive new training
that will teach them
about diversity.
Can limit personal
instances and experiences
of travelers being targeted
based on race, sex, or
religion.
Government There are not
enough students
voting.
Students need to be
targeted more during
electing campaigns, and
there should be no
school on voting days
so that students have
more reason to go vote.
Students make up a large
part of the population and
can greatly affect the
outcomes of the elections if
they were to participate
more.

17

18
programevaluationMethods of Evaluation
1)Mentor written evaluations
Mentors were to complete written evaluations of their experiences
in the program using a template supplied by the coordinators. They
were to complete these evaluations both before the start of the
engagement sessions with students, and after the sessions finished. The
pre-evaluations were completed together during scheduled training
sessions and so had ~70% completion rates. The post-evaluations were
to be completed online, and had ~23% completion rates. This lower rate
can be attributed to 1) the online template submission, and 2) lower
mentor engagement during the final exams and summer months. It
should be noted that mentors were very diligent about providing
detailed, constructive responses.
The mentor evaluation templates measured the mentors’
experiences of the program and their thoughts on how the program
should best be developed in the future, including Likert Scale and open-
ended questions. Reviewing the data, the scale-based responses did not
provide much further insight than that already gained from the
qualitative, open-ended responses.
2)Engagement session exit cards
At suggestion of one of the program’s partnered teachers, exit
cards were developed for each engagement session as a means for
students to track their progress through the program. Each exit card
included questions with scale-based responses to gauge the level
students achieved in the session’s objectives. Similarly to the mentor
evaluations, alongside the scale-based questions were open-ended
questions asking students to expand upon their perceptions of the
program.
Unfortunately, the quality of data gained from the exit cards leaves
much to be desired. Although their inclusion in the engagement session
format is important, their delivery during this year’s program was
lackluster. The material quality was low due to: 1) variation in distribution
between the three classes, 2) variation in whether the exit cards were
completed during classes, or as homework, and 3) variation within and
between classes about what the expectations were for completing work.

19
Methods of Evaluation cont.
3)Transcripts of evaluation focus groups
Recognizing that the exit cards did not provide sufficient or
satisfactory responses from the participating students, HYEI scheduled
follow-up focus groups with each of the three classes after the
completion of the six week program to obtain more reflections from the
students. The class teachers were included in these focus groups. HYEI
applied for and received a Support Grant from OPIRG in order to supply
each focus group with snacks and show how much HYEI appreciated the
continued participation of its partnered classes.
Because the focus groups were hosted during class time,
attendance was largely representative of the regular class groups. Being
a semi-structured interview style, it allowed the opportunity to probe for
and clarify the perceptions students and teachers had of the programs.
Although it is possible some students may have felt intimidated by
speaking their opinions in an open forum, others praised this practice for
its intimate, relaxed feeling, opportunity to take a participatory role in
HYEI’s development, and debriefing aspects.

20
programevaluation
What follows is a presentation of the
qualitative themes that arose in the
evaluation process. Where appropriate,
responses have been supplemented with
research literature. Quotations are presented as
they were given to the evaluators. They have
only been edited to make sense in the context of
the following presentation, without altering the
respondent’s intentions.
Overall, mentors gave very positive reviews of the program
coordinators and their volunteer management. Save for a few
lapses, email communications were prompt and regular, keeping
mentors on track. However, email communication seemed archaic
and a new mechanism would be appreciated. The program was
well organized, much more so than the 2011-2012 year.
Mentors valued having many different training times available during the week. The
focus on active learning of the engagement sessions helped to best prepare mentors.
Because the program had a rolling recruitment of mentors, some of the veteran mentors
found there was too much repetition in the training sessions. Efforts should be made to
include even more time to simulate sessions and discuss the troubleshooting of possible
scenarios that may arise.
Above all, mentors spoke highly of their opportunity to take an active role in the
development of the program. The encouragement of collaboration, equal contributions,
and coordinators’ openness to feedback all helped enhance the program’s engagement of
older youth. For the future, though, it should be clearly communicated when training
would focus on learning the material, and when it would focus on developing the
material.
A special note should be made about the program’s youth-led nature, which was not
lost on the mentors 14
. Some commented on how they approved working with similarly-
aged coordinators.
1)Mentor management and training
“I enjoyed the passion
of the coordinators
and their dedication
to excellence.”

21
“The reason I got involved with HYEI was precisely because of what it stands
for. I wish I had had more exposure in high school to avenues of change
regarding community issues. Also, my careers and civics course was a waste
of time. I think the goal of the program is both attainable and worthwhile. “
Undoubtedly, the opportunity to work closely with a high school class is one
of the main attractions for people seeking to be mentors in the program. Mentors
enjoyed this experience and believe in its objectives. As discussed earlier in this
report, the relationship of mentor and student goes far beyond a unidirectional
exchange. As one mentor explains:
“One thing that I really enjoyed surprised me and that is working with
students/youths. Going into this, I thought that we are there to essentially
teach students to become more active in their communities. Instead, as the
weeks progressed, I noticed that we are not teaching, instead it was more so
a collaborative effort to engage students to participate in civic duties. For
this reason, I enjoyed working with youths. “
A number of mentors also mention their capacity to personalize their experiences,
perceiving HYEI as an environment that allows for mentors to share and build their
respective assets. Whether it was students, mentors, or teachers, all agreed that the
program should work to bring together people with similar interests and passions.
2)Mentors’ experiences of engagement sessions
The most striking experience students had when working with mentors was
the shift in power dynamics in both the class, as well as the place the students
generally have in their communities:
“You could continue to talk with the mentors about other things:
university, their experiences… Teachers can talk down to students, so the
mentors spoke at the same level as the students… they have a similar frame
of reference as you, so it is easier to connect with them.”
Mentors could share personal perspectives on not only on career paths 5
,
but also community matters. All youth involved valued the opportunity to hear a
diverse selection of opinions on subjects 22
. From the very first engagement session
with HYEI, students spoke positively of the recognition mentors gave their
opinions5
. Mentors should be sure to not accidentally ignore or disregard student
contributions, though, as this alienates the class.
During one focus group, students were right to point out that the mentors
have certain power advantages over the students due to the mentors’ post-
secondary education, and that mentors should always remember to not let this
power negatively affect the dynamics in the class 22, 23
.
3)Students’ experiences of peer mentors

22
programevaluation HYEI’s greatest transition in the 2012-2013 year was its move from voluntary
sessions to a classroom setting. A topic often discussed by the mentors was the
range of engagement levels seen in the classes. Some students were very attentive
through discussions, whereas other students seemed to put very little interest in
the sessions. This in part can be attributed to the unclear structure and
expectations of the sessions, and objectives of the program. How the HYEI program
would fit into student evaluations was not well-defined for classes, and in turn,
students would be able to get by without doing any “real” research.
The mentors wonder if age plays a role in this, and that younger youth
simply may not have reached the maturity level necessary to become passionate
about civics. Consequently, students may not have any incentives to participate in
sessions. The Grade 12 class also voiced this possibility. In all of the evaluations,
respondents were questioned as to what education level a program like HYEI would
best be applied. The Grade 12 group spoke to the possibility that earlier education
levels would simply not be impelled to take ownership of the learning. Very
interestingly, however, the Grade 10 class strongly argued for the program’s
suitability to the age group. The potential that ageism exists in debates of youth
engagement - even within the hierarchy of high school cohorts - is quite intriguing.
Nonetheless, reflections on student participation could be very
encouraging:
“You could observe the confidence growing from day one to the last day. It was
very empowering.”
4)Class participation and performance
The content of the engagement sessions will require the most review and
reimagining for the upcoming year. Most all participating youth felt as though the
first four sessions were too drawn-out, leaving the last two sessions to be rushed. As a
result of the slower pacing in the earlier sessions, some students may have not felt
challenged and in turn, became disinterested. Moreover, students wished to receive
more communication about the program’s organization, goals and objectives 12, 24
.
Students did agree that they started to think more about their communities,
municipal government, and the aspects of their city that they would want to see
change. By focusing on topics that were relevant to their immediate lives, students
had reason to engage in the program. Many agree that the purpose of the program
should be for the program to give students the inspiration and framework necessary
to create change, and then let the class do the rest 14
.
The use of technology to supplement sessions must be reviewed. Mentors
suggested increased inclusion of a variety of media to pique the inquisitive nature of
students. Online participation was also discussed as a necessary component of this
generation’s learning processes. Mentors did experiment with the use of tablet
computers during class as a research aide, but the devices almost always served as
distractions.
5)Experiences of engagement session content and structure

23
Students in all three focus groups were unanimous is
support the HYEI program’s informal, discussion-based inquiry
learning model.
The discussion-based environment
was instrumental in drawing out
students’ opinions on community
issues, while creating safe spaces
for students to share personal experiences. Discussions
about local events were well-received, and flourished as
most everyone felt they could give input. A number of
students and mentors spoke to the difficulty for groups to stay on topic, reflecting
the organic nature of the discussion groups. These sentiments reinforce the need for
mentors to be experienced discussion facilitators, and how HYEI will depend on
returning mentors in the 2013-2014 year to pass-on their skillsets.
6)Students’ experiences of informal, discussion-based learning
“I like how our group
shares all of their
ideas and how it
makes me notice
things that are going
on in the city better.”
“I now know how to lobby for the help of the city government.”
“Encouraging students to cooperate with one another to discuss their
concerns… promoting collaboration and activism.”
“Giving back to the community in an appropriate manner for university
students.”
Program participants provided a wide assortment of responses to what they
thought the outcomes of the program were. This begets the central question of what
youth should be gaining from a program about civic engagement and social change.
Participants discovered the ease of putting their needs into communicable language,
only to uncover the more intimidating challenge of actually seeing that
recommendation through to reality. Some felt that a policy recommendation is
ineffective at creating change. In certain cases, due to the nature of the issue a group
was focusing on, it could be difficult finding feasible and realistic solutions to be
communicated through a policy recommendation. Such an obstacle can discourage
students. It would be helpful for students to present their work to authorities such as
organization leaders, city councilors or even the school student government. But
without a real-world outcome or closure, students will feel doubtful about their efforts
14
. Mentors and teachers suggested possibly limiting class projects to school-related
developments, so that students have a greater opportunity to present their work to
administrative powers and see their recommendations put into practice.
Finally, a strategy for sustainability of youth engagement must be devised. The
HYEI classroom program can serve as a beginning for many youth, but will not be
enough for continued civic participation. Once students leave the resource-rich
environment of the class and program, they will face many challenges in maintaining
their engagement 25
.
7)Outcomes
“Because of the small
group format, regardless
of how slow things went,
[the students] still take
ownership of the
process”

24
recommendations
Reflecting on the experiences of all those who participated
during the 2012-2013 year, as well as consulted research
literature, the following recommendations are proposed for the
HYEI program’s continued development into the 2013-2014
year.
1) Volunteer management & training
a. Establish an online, private forum with non-
anonymous accounts for mentor communications.
b. Couple each engagement session with a mentor
meeting to allow appropriate time for mentor
teams to prepare.
c. If following a rolling recruitment schedule, ensure
those who have been trained will train the new
recruits, decreasing some repetition.
d. Place more focus on simulation sessions and
troubleshooting scenarios
2) Engagement sessions & materials
a. Clearly communicate program goals and structure
to students from beginning
b. Condense material of sessions 1-3 to focus on
creating outline for student projects
c. Review how HYEI teaches civic engagement to
students, and whether a broader selection of
advocacy & activism tools should be introduced
to class
d. Match mentors with student groups based on
social change interests 26
e. Focus sessions 4-6/8 on preparing student projects
and exploring the obstacles to social development
f. Develop/obtain visually attractive materials for
students 12

25
3) Student evaluation
a. Tie student participation and effort to evaluation
b. Clearly communicate expectations of students and how
their class evaluations are tied to the program.
c. Increase number of student presentations to improve ac-
countability.
4) Technology
a. Develop a more welcoming graphic theme to tie HYEI me-
dia together
b. Invite students to participate in discussion forum for their
projects, which will also nurture interschool collaboration
23
5) Program evaluation 15
a. Encourage mentors to do evaluations together, or have
students do evaluations with mentors, as a means of en-
couraging completion rates
6) Outcomes
a. Connect student projects to their mandatory high school
service hours
b. Consider limiting student projects to school-related initia-
tives
c. Connect students to existing social change initiatives in
Hamilton
7) Sustainability 11, 27
a. Develop a governance structure for HYEI.
b. Secure financial support for program.
c. Develop a collaborative youth network in Hamilton

26
• Involve wider audience of youth: more
schools, more mentor sources
• HYEI hopes to involve a broader range of
mentors in the upcoming year, including
students from Mohawk and Redeemer
College, older youth not attending post-
secondary education, and youth who were
students of the program in 2012-2013.
• Pilot incorporation of HYEI into Grade 10
Civics
• Plan adaptation of HYEI model to Grade
10 Careers
• Establish HYEI’s governance system and
succession plans
• Increase inclusion of youth in their
communities’ decision-making processes

27
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Social Infrastructure to Foster Youth Organizing. Laidlaw Foundation. Retrieved July
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Youth Development Through Civic Activism: Outcomes of Youth Leadership for
Development Initiative. Innovation Centre for Community and Youth Development.
Retrieved July 2013 from theinnovationcenter.org
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Matter! Youth Advisory Panel. United Ways of Ontario, United Way Toronto, Laidlaw
Foundation. Retrieved July 2013 from ontarioyouthmatter.ca
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Generation.
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July 2013 from tigweb.org

28
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& Youniss, J. (eds.) Youth Civic Engagement: An Institutional Turn. Center for
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Toronto.

29

HSCI.OPIRG@gmail.com
MUSC 229, McMaster University
1280 Main Street West
Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4S4

Hamilton Youth Engagement Initiative : Year in Review 2012-2013

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