* Jason Smith, Manager, Fusion Centre, Town of Ingersoll * Stacey Hatch, WhistleStop Productions Inc., Picton * Chrissy Poitras, Spark Box Studio, Picton * Moderator: Jamie Simmons, Program Development Manager, Northumberland Community Futures Development Corporation

1. Youth and the Creative Rural Economy

3. Three Part Youth Engagement Strategy
PART 1 – Develop the Idea
1.1 Strategic Plan & Backgrounder
1.2 Collaborative Model
1.3 Governance Structure
1.4 Policy Development
PART 2 – Implement the Idea
2.1 Youth Advisory Council & Youth Action Committee
2.2 Programming (structured/drop-in)
2.3 Engaging youth
2.4 Program outcomes
PART 3 – Evaluate and Evolve the Idea
3.1 Evaluating Impact and outcomes
3.2 Evolving change
3.3 Branding, Marketing and Trade Mark
3.4 Sharing the Model

4. Town of Ingersoll
Strategic Planning process
September 2003 - Downtown Revitalization study began
November 2003 - Town Council initiates Community Strategic Plan
with focus on “grass roots” planning process,
strong community participation, and sustained
action over several years
May 2004 - Action planning groups complete needs
assessments and surveys and present outcomes

5. Town Of Ingersoll
Strategic Plan Focus Areas
1. Industrial, commercial, residential and transportation
2. Downtown revitalization
3. Heritage and tourism
4. Recreation, trails and parks
5. Youth with two areas of focus (12 years and under/over age 12)
6. Health and community well being

6. Part 1.1- Strategic Plan & Background
Vision Statement
“Youth will be encouraged to achieve a high sense of purpose, of identity
and of pride for, and within their community.”
Expected Results
1. A permanent Youth Committee is created by Council in conjunction with
a broad based and youth oriented Youth Council.
2. A Youth Strategy is prepared that is responsive to the flexible needs of
youth.
3. A fully funded and professionally supervised Youth Centre is
established, meeting the diverse needs of local youth.

7. Proactive Thinking!

8. PART 1
Developing the Idea

9. Part 1.2- Collaborative Models Work!
4 Types of collaboration
Level 1 Permanent onsite partners
Level 2 Funding Partners
Level 3 Integrated Community Partners
Level 4 Community volunteers
*Note that various partners will overlap, further solidifying the relationship

10. Fusion Youth Centre
Our Vision is To be the leading youth service facility
where youth want to be
Our Mission is that Youth directed initiatives will
guide our Team to provide a fun, safe and inclusive
environment where youth know they belong and
are empowered to make positive changes in their
lives
The Mantra –Where Fusion YOUTH are Priority ONE

11. Level 1: Permanent Onsite Partners

12. The Million $$ Question
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs – Rural
Economic Development Grant
CAW Local 88
Local community groups, service clubs & generous
community members
Corporation of the Town of Ingersoll
*The facility is ultimately owned and operated by the Municipality.

13. Level 2: Funding Partners
Town of Ingersoll
• Owns, operates and funds 60% of Fusion’s $850,000 operating budget
Grants & Donations
• 15% comes from grants, community groups
Facility Leases and Rentals
• 25% comes from Facility leases and rentals
Social Enterprise
• Goal is to generate 10% of annual operating budget

14. Funding of $200,000 - $399,000 Funding of $500 - $9,999
Rural Economic Development Fund All Pro Billiards
Funding of $100,000 - $149,000 Canadian Tire Jump Start Program
Community Employment Services
Ontario Trillium Foundation
Giant Tiger Ingersoll
Smoke- Free Ontario
Home Building Centre Ingersoll
Funding of $50,000 - $99,000 Ingersoll Business Improvement Area
Ministry of Economic Trade and Development Ingersoll Kiwanis Club
Oxford Small Business Support Centre Ingersoll Lions Club
RInC Program Grant Ingersoll Oxford Realty Board - Fred Freeman
Ingersoll Rotary Club
Funding of $10,000 - $49,000 Job Connect
Canadian Summer Jobs Leon’s Furniture Woodstock
CAW Local 88 (Annual) McLay’s Transport
Communities in Action Fund Oxford Community Foundation
County of Oxford Oxford County Nutrition Partnership
Cowan Foundation Oxford Elgin Middlesex Local Training Board
Harvest Run - Cory and Tim Parrow Pharmasave Ingersoll
Heart FM 104.7 FM Rick’s Carpet
Ingersoll Community Foundation Right Renos
Nuclear Waste Management Organization Rogers Cable TV 13
Royal Bank of Canada Town Youth Participation Strategies
Response Generators United Church Ladies League
Sacred Heart Catholic Church Universal Printing
Small Projects Accessibility Human Resources & Verspeeten Cartage
Skills Development Canada
Summer Experience Grant
Tim Horton’s Children’s Foundation
United Way of Oxford (Annual)

15. Level 3: And more relationships!
Integrated Community
Partnerships
•Offer services and programming
•Co-facilitate programs
•May sublet space to generate revenue
•May offer in-kind services
•More accessible services for youth

16. Program and Service Partners
Army Cadets
Are You Ready-Canadian Mental Health Oxford County Drug Task Force
Association Oxford County Youth Strategy
Big Brother/Big Sisters Oxford Probation Services
CAMI Automotive Oxford Small Business Support Centre
CAW Local 88
Oxford Youth Action Alliance
Children’s Aid Society
Community Employment Services Oxford, Elgin, London, Middlesex
Community Options for Justice Local Training Board
Conestoga College Parks & Recreation Ontario
Duke of Edinburgh United Way of Oxford
Fast Forward-Fanshawe College
Woodstock & District Developmental Services
Ingersoll Learning Employment Resource
Centre Woodstock & Area Community Health Centre
Ingersoll Kiwanis Club Wrap Around
Ingersoll Seniors Centre Local Businesses
Ingersoll Youth Action Committee Community Members
Ingersoll Youth Advisory Council
Katimavik Just to name a few…..
Literacy Links South-Central
Local High School & Elementary Schools
Ontario Early Years Program
Ontario Rural Council
Ontario Trillium Foundation
Oxford County Board of Health

17. Level 4: Community Volunteers
• Community members willing to volunteer time in
any aspect of the program & Facility
• May offer special programs (rec/tech)
• In-kind donation of services or time
• Show genuine investment in our youth
• Local Business people on Fusion BAC

18. Part 1.3- Governance Model
Town of Ingersoll
Community Partners
Facility Partners
l

19. YOUTH are our PRIORITY #1
Youth leadership &
development
Youth directed and engaged
Inclusive Community

20. What makes us different?
•Combine Recreation, Technology and Skill Development
•Community collaboration
•Youth-driven decision making
•Municipally owned and operated

21. One Stop Shop for ages 12-18
 Mental health & Addiction services
 Employment training & skills development
 Volunteer opportunities
 Educational support & homework help
 Broad-based recreational activities
 “Blow your mind” technology
 Positive, caring, adult mentors

22. Part 1.4- Policy Development
The Municipal Role
 Municipality leads, Council driven and directed
 Establish a Youth Council (appointed by Council)
 Create collaborative partnerships
 Inter governmental policies (Upper Tier, Provincial, & Federal
 Engage youth in the discussions (For Youth by Youth)
Think different
 No longer soft or hard services
 Think 21st Century Recreation
 Building youth engagement
 Return on Investment

23. PART 2
Implement
the Idea

24. Part 2.1- Youth Advisory Council
 A living civics lesson, our I.Y.A.C.kers consist of 11 youth (ages 12-18)
and 2 adult mentors – nominated by youth
 Act as an advisory body & advocate to adults on youth issues
 Work collaboratively to improve the image, conditions and prospects for
youth in Ingersoll
 Fosters positive peer relations, and opens educational doors with
training workshops and conferences

25. Youth Action Committee
 Formed September 2005 from a Youth Forum
 Youth organization designates & Community members
 2 youth liaisons from the Youth Advisory Council
 Deputy Mayor sits on committee
 Takes action with the youth
Mission Statement
“The Town of Ingersoll Youth Action Committee will collaborate with the
Youth Advisory Council to plan and implement civic strategies that respond to the
flexible needs of youth. We will work cooperatively to improve the well-being of
children and youth in the Town of Ingersoll and surrounding area.”

26. Part 2.2
Programming
• Activity Centre
• Technology Centre
• Social Enterprise & Skill
Development

27. Program Objectives
• Youth Friendly environment
• Youth directed and involved
• To improve the economic, social and personal prospects of youth
• To develop and provide a cutting edge Technology Centre
• To provide a recreational facility and high quality programs and drop in
activities that will meet needs of all youth
• Accessible, Youth community-based, culturally relevant and supportive
projects, programs,

28. The Technology Centre
• Gaming Zone
• Internet Café
• iMAC Multimedia Lab
• Rebuild IT
• Recording Studio
• Radio Booths
• Fusion TV

29. Rebuild IT
• Youth rebuild donated computers
• Hands on experience
• Hardware and software repair
• Health and Safety training

30. iMAC Lab
Graphic Design & Video Editing
• Learn how to use IMAC computers
• Learn graphic design programs
• Create videos, art, and music using programs such as
Final Cut, Adobe Creative Suite and Garage Band

31. The Recording Studio
• A state of the art recording studio that is available to youth and the community for:
– recording opportunities
– individual youth and band practice
– Music lessons
• Youth are trained in the use
of recording console and software
• Youth also provide sound reinforcement
for community events

32. Radio Booths
• Currently broadcasting throughout the Fusion centre and soon online on our
website
• Single and two person radio booths
• Will give youth the opportunity to learn Broadcasting skills
• Heart FM Scholarships and partnerships

33. Fusion TV
• Partnership with Rogers TV cable 13 Oxford
• Youth learn about TV production including:
– camera operation
– hosting and anchoring
– video editing, sound recording
– lighting and all aspects of production.
• Addition of a new set

34. Activity Centre
•Lounge
•Youth Café
•Art Room
•Gymnasium
•Skate Park

35. Lounge
• Open all centre hours, frequented by approx. 90% of youth
• Billiards, ping pong, pool, foozeball
• Satellite television
• 4 Gaming systems
– Playstation
– XBOX 360
– Nintendo Wii
– Game Cube
• Relaxed atmosphere for youth to hang out in

36. Youth Café
• Nutrition Program
• nutritious meals are offered daily to youth for $3.00
• staff and youth work together to create creative snacks
during the Snack Shack hour
• Menu planning, grocery lists, and cost breakdown are
some of the daily life skills youth learn in the cafe

37. Art Room
• Art Breaks/ Art Factory
• Approx. 8-10 youth participate twice weekly
• Painting, drawing, sketching
• Professional art teacher on
staff

38. Sports and Recreation
•Variety of sports offered – dodge ball, floor hockey, basketball, soccer, volleyball.
•Sportsmanship & leadership focused
•Promotes physical fitness & healthy living
•Positive peer interactions

39. Fitness Program
Fitness Program
•Approx. 15-20 youth participate twice weekly
•Bootcamp, kick boxing, circuit training, personal
fitness and welllness training are all offered.
•A professional fitness trainer facilitates classes
• Develop your personal fitness levels and awareness, and strive to do your best.

40. Outdoor Recreation & Skate Park
• In 2007 an outdoor skate park was constructed
• Approx. 60 bikers and skateboarders use the park nightly
•Host to two skate and bike competitions, 56 youth registered in the last
competition.
• Provides a safe, supervised and maintained area to ride in
•Skate park safety video – promotes safety and appropriate use of the park

41. Special Events
• Halloween Haunted House
•Thanksgiving Dinner – Youth cook a traditional Thanksgiving
•Christmas parade - Youth create and decorate a Christmas float
•Relay For Life – A team of 12 youth raised approximately $900.00.
•Toronto Blue Jays Game – many youth went to a game for the first time

42. Oxford County Entrepreneurial
Skills and Career Program
Development based on success of Youth
Entrepreneurial Partnership Program
• Collaboration between Fusion Youth Centre and
Community Employment Services, funded by
Ontario Trillium Foundation
• Access to the program at any of the CES’s
seven satellite locations

43. Benefits
• Access to a skills training program
designed to meet the needs of Oxford
County’s Labour market
• Youth from throughout the County will
have opportunity to sit on Youth Business
Advisory Committee

44. Deliverables
• Will reach over 17,000 youth throughout
the 4 year duration of the grant
• Between 50%-75% of youth who
participate in the program will have a
livelihood (i.e. employed or self-employed)
• Program will address initiatives of Oxford
County Labour Development Strategy

45. Social Enterprises at Fusion
• Food Services
– Safe food handling, knife skills and meal
preparation
• Multimedia Production
– Engage in our state-of-the-art facilities,
primarily the iMac Lab
• Digital Recording and Audio
– Learn the basics of music production and
recording
• Computer Skills
– Learn the components of a computer and
how to fix computers
– Provide computers and repairs to people in
our community
– Collect E-waste for recycling

46. Success!
One youth has already
started their own
Business at Fusion
Received funding from
Summer Company
Started Business
summer of 2010

47. Part 2.3- Engaging Youth
Engage youth In
• Recreation, sport and leisure
• creative expression through the arts
• skill development through technology
• life skills training
• leadership development and mentorship
• civic & community engagement and
volunteerism

48. Part 2.4- Program Outcomes
• Increased knowledge of personal abilities and future career options
• Life Style Changes- education, healthy & active lifestyle, positive
relationships, actively involved at community events
• Transferable skills
• Creative and critical thinking skills
• Gain leadership, interpersonal and communication skills with adults

50. CHECK IT OUT!
• Opened in February 2006
• Over 1300 members to date since opening
• Approximately 85-110 youth per night
• Open for programming:
– 2:30 to 9:30 p.m. Mon-Thurs
– 2:30-11pm Fri.
– 1:00-11p.m. Sat
• $5 one time membership fee
• Open to ages 12-18
• Staff of 18 (4 program coordinators, 1
Manager and 1 Admin staff) Along with 6
full time staff and 7 part time staff that work
on the floor

51. PART 3
Evaluate & Evolve the Idea

52. Part 3.1- Evaluate Impact & Outcomes
Youth Impact
•Confidence due to positive relationships with staff
•Sense of social responsibility and self accountability
•Employment Aptitude and exposure to the principles of business & work
•Sense of belonging, community integration, broader social base
•Higher-risk youth more likely to overcome addictions or mental problems
since the programs run from the building

53. Community Impact!
Community Impact
•Economic impacts (Conestoga College, A&W and so)
•Decrease in Drop out rate and increase in post-secondary education
•Skilled & knowledgeable youth workforce
•Lower crime rate, and 911 prank calls decreased by 75%
•Fewer teen pregnancies
•Less hospital emergency room visits from Youth
•Provincially recognized as Youth Friendly, socially excluded youth now
feel a sense of belonging in the community
•Youth are civically engaged, genuinely care about their community
•Changed perception of youth, mutually respectful relationship between
businesses & youth

54. Program Stats

55. Measuring Outcomes
•Setting benchmarks
•Reviewing and evaluation is key
•Developing an evaluation tool kit
•Creation of a mentoring tracking sheet

56. Part 3.2- Evolving change
•Started as a vision for a 2 room youth centre in a school
•Seeding funding was received & partnerships began
•Technology Centre added
•Increased staffing & addition of field experts
•Social enterprises and skill development
•Ongoing program development & youth engagement
•Leverage further funding opportunities
•Expanded services offered at Fusion through other groups

57. Part 3.3- Branding & Marketing

58. Branding & Marketing
•Brand recognition
•Trade mark
•Staff visibility

59. Research
• Formal partnership with University of Guelph the School of
Environmental Design & Rural Development
• Research Fusion as a social innovation model by tracking the
development process of the organization
• Impact assessment: youth, families and community

60. Research
• The development of an ongoing data collection system for
program evaluation and data collection analysis
• Evaluate the cost diversion, social return on investment and
human capital created through the Fusion Youth Centre model
• Develop a case for replicating this model across the province

61. Research
• Capacity Development: Provide educational opportunities to
encourage ongoing development of Fusion’s organizational
capacity
• Evaluation Methods: Developing appropriate data collections
systems and protocols for data analysis
• Ongoing Funding: Seek out opportunities for secure funding

62. Part 3.2- Sharing the Model
•NEW website launched- in 2011 resources to be made available
•Developing a 5 year strategic plan
•Best Practice Research- University Study
•5 year annual report
•Developing a Municipal tool kit
•Engage the entire community… Youth are the future
GET out there and be involved. This is a
Municipal Issue…. Don’t pass the buck

63. It must be meaningful & authentic
It should focus on what matters most to
your youth and your community
Create your own “home grown” model
Relationships should remain the core
Provincial Framework- Working with all levels of government
If you cut too many corners, you end up
going in circles – Chinese Proverb

64. For more information!
Online
Virtual Tour
www.FusionYouthCentre.ca