Posted Tue Oct 23 2012

As we make our communities home to the healthiest children, teens and young adults, it's vital to engage young people and give them safe spaces to hang out and just be themselves.

Promoting healthy and engaged lifestyles

Created in consultation with youth committees, our seven Youth Zones across the GTA offer barrier-free access to a space where young people have the opportunity to meet up with friends, use interactive and innovative technology to play games and engage in physical activity, get homework support and learn from young leaders who will help them develop their own leadership skills.

Today's generation of youth face many challenges. In the GTA:

• 32% of kids 17 and under in Toronto lives in a low-income household (Statistics Canada 2010)
• 24% of Toronto’s youth are dropping out of school (Toronto District School Board 2006)
• 1 in 5 young people in the GTA are overweight or obese (Get Active Toronto 2010)

By providing safe places, positive role models and engaging programs, we can help our youth thrive and succeed while still having fun and being kids.

Read 12-year-old Navid's story