Impacts of Youth Out-Migration: City of Kawartha Lakes, City and County of Peterborough, and Northumberland and Haliburton Counties

Impacts of Youth Out-Migration: City of Kawartha Lakes, City and County of Peterborough, and Northumberland and Haliburton Counties

Ricard, Alyson; Miller, Amy; Taylor, Jason;  Walker, Andrew; Tetreault, Nicole; Mokedanz, Julia; Arens, Lisa; Boyd, Heather

Workforce Development Board
Host contact: Evans, Gord

Tufts, Steven
Department: Geography

TP-547

2006

U-Links Office and online

Northumberland, Haliburton, Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes

Understanding and preventing youth out-migration

Research and gather information and data related to the correlation of the outward migration of youth and the decline in employment in entry level positions in four counties. Create information-sharing opportunities to focus on the challenges that face our youth both in education and employment opportunities. Promote/create co-op/entrepreneurship opportunities for students that provide life experience and value for future employment opportunities. Promote the development of community skills and expertise that entices higher income employment to the area.

The counties of Northumberland, Haliburton, Peterborough and Kawartha Lakes have expressed concerns about youth out migration. Each of the four counties had major regional differences with Haliburton being an exception in most cases. The causes of youth out migration were linked to factors such as lack of employment, post secondary education, and the relationship between the youth and their community. It was found that there was an abundance of services available to the youth that were being underutilized. When analyzing what entices youth to return to their community four common trends was found: attachment to family and community, availability of jobs in the community, financial situation and relationships. These findings are useful when creating strategies in sustaining and increasing the community’s population.

Trent University