Child-Friendly New Westminster

Abstract

The City of New Westminster, in British Columbia, Canada, is committed to enriching the lives of children and youth in the community. As such, the City has decided to create a Child and Youth Friendly Community Strategy in partnership with the Society for Children and Youth of BC. In developing the strategy, it was important to understand the opinions of children, youth, and parents. In early 2014, 320 parents, 228 youth, and 156 children were surveyed. This paper provides a comparison of their views on child and youth friendliness in New Westminster and discusses the benefit of asking young stakeholders for their input.