Addressing Youth Isolation from a Community Perspective
Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic
Executive Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of social interaction for the well-being of youth. Throughout lockdown measures and other public health restrictions, children have become increasingly isolated. As public health measures are lifted, lessons learned about isolation should not be forgotten and social connection and strengthening our local communities should remain a priority.
To reduce youth isolation and loneliness, we propose a McMaster Student Union (MSU) club called LET'S PLAY Hamilton which will facilitate various recreation activities for elementary school children. The club will employ student fundraising campaigns to finance operations, recruit responsible and mature high school students to volunteer running events, and will partner with organizations including Hamilton recreation and Hamilton school boards to acquire event spaces including parks, rec centres, and event halls. Events will happen throughout Hamilton, be free of charge for participants, will not rely on parent or teacher volunteers, and will focus on creating social networks between elementary school students while strengthening community relationships between elementary, high school, and university students.
Mission Statement
Our mission is to apply our diverse knowledge and skills to novel real-world challenges to benefit our community. Our team is passionate about solving problems most impactful to our community and is eager to develop new skills and acquire new knowledge as we go.
The Problem
How might we engage community partners and volunteers to reduce loneliness and improve social connection of elementary school children?
Research Findings
Alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
Research Findings Following Consultation with Community Partners:
Re-Framing the Problem
Original How Might We Question
How might we support children's (ages 5-10) mental health due to the effects of increased isolation?
Our Approach
This original question is extremely broad and involves complex relationships and potential solutions presently and in the future. We decided we wanted to develop a solution that takes lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic but is not necessarily intended for or limited to its application during the pandemic. We also wanted to ensure that our solution was targeted enough that it did not necessitate involvement of high levels of government or unrealistic large scale changes that may take years of research and debate to see materialized. For this reason we focused our question on a community level with the focus of strengthening community partnerships and creating sustainable change.
Our Revised How Might We Question
How might we engage community partners and volunteers to reduce loneliness and improve social connection of elementary school children?
Final Solution
LET'S PLAY Hamilton is a McMaster student run organization structured as a McMaster Student Union Club which facilitates recreation activities for elementary school children facing. The goal of this organization is to reduce the isolation of local youth due to pandemic restrictions and an increasingly virtual world.
LET'S PLAY's goal is to form and use partnerships with high school volunteers to help run events and mentor younger youth. Partnerships with community organizations including Hamilton Recreation, HWDSB and HWCDSB will be formed to provide physical and virtual environments for recreation events.
The organization will be advertised through social media and partner organizations (school boards, faith groups, and municipal recreation centers).
The organization and the events it runs will not require volunteer efforts from teachers or parents unlike other after school programs.
Working together between university and high school students will strengthen connections within the community and create a sustainable organization model. Specifically, past participants may return as high school volunteers resulting in a cycle of new volunteers annually. Additionally, operations can be funded without dependence on grants as MSU clubs and McMaster students have a proven record of being effective and financially responsible fundraisers.
