The results of the recent Youth Impact Survey conducted by the Children and Youth Planning Table are glaring, specifically from those living in Cambridge.
A variety of questions were asked about people's quality of life, from access to physical and mental health services to food and housing security.
Responses from youth in the city ranked among the most concerning when compared to others in the region.
When it comes to food insecurity, 18 per cent of Cambridge respondents said they sometimes go to school or bed hungry, three per cent higher than the regional average and eight per cent higher than those living in the townships.
Looking at housing, 14 per cent said they are experiencing homelessness or hidden homelessness while 79 per cent believe they're reasonably safe or very safe from crime in their neighbourhood, the lowest total in the region.
Only 35 per cent of youth felt good about their ability to access mental health supports and 67 per cent felt the same way about accessing healthcare services such as doctors and dentists.
Troubling, yes, but there's a couple ways this data can be viewed.
The first is as a disappointing snapshot of how Cambridge youth view their place in the community.
Or, it can be seen as an opportunity to take meaningful action to bring about tangible change.
Haniya Nazir, a youth connector with the CYPT and Preston High School student, prefers to see it through the lens of the latter.
"I think this calls for action in Cambridge," Nazir said.
"I was happy people were able to answer honestly because that's what they need to do but I do see the negativity."
As a youth connector, Nazir serves as a bridge between the CYPT and youth.
Two of the more concerning data points are around homelessness and food insecurity, she said.
"We're way down comparatively," Nazir said.
"Seeing a number that's higher than I expected gave me a different perspective. I don't know what other people are going through and I hope people in the community understand this, as well."
Alison Pearson, manager of the CYPT, agreed there were noticeable differences between Cambridge and other parts of the region but is excited by the ability to disaggregate the information to get a clearer picture of what's happening.
A total of 1,876 youth responded to the survey, 16 per cent of which were from Cambridge. It's a relatively small sample but one that gives an idea of what young people are facing.
"I was quite surprised by the mental health numbers," Pearson said.
"In terms of the full community, it's identical to the 2021 number. We're seeing some rebounding in other spaces but I was surprised that was holding steady."
While homelessness and food insecurity remain a concern, Pearson was happy to see a 15 per cent increase over survey responses from 2021 in Cambridge when it came to feeling a sense of belonging within the community.
Arguably more important than the data itself is what action is taken to improve upon it.
Pearson said the information will now be brought to the community for conversations with decision makers and youth to discuss what changes can be made.
"We're very grateful for the young people that took the time to share how they're feeling and were vulnerable," she said.
"What we hear every year when we collect feedback about the survey experience is how meaningful it is that people ask them about their wellbeing. It makes them feel like folks care and are listening."
For Nazir, she'd like to see more funding put into initiatives that support youth, pointing to places like Langs Community Centre in Preston as a good example.
But facilities and resources are still lacking in other parts of the city, she said.
With the work to improve ongoing, she hopes the community as a whole takes the feedback seriously.
"We rarely have the opportunity for youth to be heard," Nazir said.
"There's sometimes a stigma or prejudgment these days. Youth are the future and we need to nourish the talents and ideas they have and not just assume we know what's going on."
More information on the CYPT can be found on its website at childrenandyouthplanningtable.ca and its Instagram page @CYPTWR.
Results of the survey can be found here.
