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More $$$ To Keep Kids Safe Online & In Class

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The province is offering up more money to help keep kids safe while in class and online.

Another $550k is being put up by Ontario officials to supporting funding aimed at fighting sex-trafficking, violence against women, bullying and cyber bullying.

Funds will be split between seven organizations that provide support, prevention education and advocacy around sex trafficking (and it’s victims), suicide prevention, gender equality and sexual diversity for 2SLGBTQ+ mental health and more.

The organizations included in the invest are:

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health reports that 23 per cent of Ontario students get bullied at school and 22 per cent of are bullied online.

Statistics Canada found these figures:

  • 95 per cent of victims of police-reported human trafficking were women and girls
  • 22 per cent of police-reported victims of human trafficking are children under the age of 18
  • Most of all police-reported incidents of human trafficking in Canada occur in Ontario

More details on the groups that will be receiving the funding can be found here.

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Report Demands Better For 2SLGBTQ Youth

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2SLGBTQ youth are asking leaders to listen to their voices and make changes like improving healthcare and mental health services.

LGBT Youth Line recently released a series of seven recommendations based on feedback from around 1,200 young people across the province.

The seven recommendations are:

  1. Redesign health system services and programs for 2SLGBTQ+ youth, especially mental health services & care for trans youth;
  2. In suburbs, smaller cities, towns and on reserves, intentionally dedicate resources (space, time, energy) and funding to directly support 2SLGBTQ+ youth;
  3. Develop mechanisms for grassroots 2SLGBTQ+ youth organizing to access much-needed resources and supports;
  4. Meaningful involvement of 2SLGBTQ+ youth (especially racialized and Indigenous 2SLGBTQ+ youth) in decision-making at the local, regional and provincial levels;
  5. Proactive efforts to increase 2SLGBTQ+ youth representation in positions of power and influence;
  6. Mandate change in building/facility standards to have safe, accessible, all-gender washrooms in all public spaces in Ontario, including on reserves;
  7. Comprehensive and ongoing training and capacity-building focused on supporting 2SLGBTQ+ youth, and challenging homo/bi/transphobia and racism.

Spokesperson Hayley Moody explains these are changes that 2SLGBTQ young people have been demanding for a long time.

“Youth experience systemic violence, youth experience lack of safety, youth experience isolation, and all of those things could be changed, it doesn’t have to be this way,” she notes.

The report features examples of how the recommendations could be put into action, like a Two Spirit youth getting support from their family and an Elder to run for a position on their local Band Council. Community leaders are also encouraged to consult youth when making decisions and pay them for their expertise.

Moody says their next steps include virtual open houses where anyone can attend and learn more about the report.

“Those webinars are a great starting point for folks who are in positions of power, for folks who work within those fields or within those sectors, to come to those online events and hear from Youth Line staff [and volunteers],” she says.