Children and Youth Community Partner Table

Terms of Reference - November 16, 2018

Vision

A community where all children and youth are supported in reaching their full potential in life.

Mandate

To promote the healthy development of children and youth in the District of Thunder Bay. 

Principles

These Guiding Principles will be followed:

• Children, youth and families are our top priority
• Membership will be committed, engaged and accountable
• Strong partnerships will be established and maintained with local service providers, businesses, government and community members to accomplish identified goals
• Contributions of the diverse groups across our vast district will be valued
• Work must be conducted with integrity, honesty, respect, diversity and individuality
• Data, community context, research, best/promising practices*, experience and expert opinion will drive decision making

Responsibilities

The Children and Youth Community Partners’ Table (the Table) has a responsibility for carrying out the Vision, Mandate and upholding the core principles. 

The Table is comprised of multi-sectoral agency staff who have been delegated decision making ability. The Table meets regularly from September to June, with the expectation of consistent representation at meetings.  The Table will complete a strategic plan with formal planning processes to be reviewed at each meeting.  The Table is also responsible to create an annual report related to the successes of the strategic plan and the actions of the subcommittees to be made public.  The Terms of Reference will be reviewed as needed.

The Table will have Co-Chair positions. The Co-Chairs will be selected by the Table and the positions will be reviewed annually. The responsibilities of the Co-Chairs are to plan and Chair meetings, and to act as a spokesperson for the Table. Administrative support will be under the direction of the Co-Chairs.

Subcommittees exist within the Table. These are identified within the Strategic Plan along with their specific objectives.  Each subcommittee of the Table is responsible for a body of work with clearly defined, measurable objectives directly linking the work to the Vision, Mandate and Principles of the Table.  Subcommittee reports will be a standing agenda item.

*promising practices:  Programs and strategies that have some scientific research or data showing positive outcomes in delaying an untoward outcome, but do not have enough evidence to support generalizable conclusions. This can  include ceremony, land-based and cultural practices.

Children and Youth Community Partners' Table Resources