group of youth lying down

Community Outreach Engagement (CO&E)

At YWHO, the CO&E team works with communities across Ontario to share the core components of our Integrated Youth Services (IYS) model and supports local efforts to explore, plan, or advance IYS. Every community is at a different stage, and our goal is to foster open communication, collaboration, and IYS readiness so that all young people can access welcoming, youth-centered services.

Our CO&E team has connected with more than 35 communities, meeting with youth-serving partners and local leaders to understand community needs and share resources about YWHO’s IYS model. Through these conversations, we support capacity-building, strengthen partnerships, and contribute to the growing provincial and pan-Canadian IYS movement.

YWHO is committed to increasing equitable access to evidence-informed, youth-centered wellness services through knowledge-sharing, resource development, and collaborative community partnerships.

Become a Connected Community

Communities interested in learning more about IYS or exploring their readiness to adopt the YWHO model can become a Connected Community. Connected Communities gain access to learning opportunities, resources, and ongoing CO&E support.

Get started by completing the IYS Community Engagement and Readiness Survey (IYS-CES):
IYS-CES Survey

Additional foundational resources:

Voices in Action Guide

The Voices in Action: A Community Guide to Early IYS Adoption guide is YWHO’s cornerstone resource for communities and partners working together to improve how young people access and experience services. It introduces the IYS approach, highlights lessons from YWHO Hub Networks across Ontario, and offers practical tools to help communities strengthen collaboration, youth engagement, and integrated service planning.

The guide provides:

  • Strategies for meaningful youth and family engagement
  • Guidance on partnership-building and shared/integrated governance
  • An overview of YWHO’s six core components of high-quality IYS
  • A phased, flexible approach to IYS adoption that reflects community readiness and YWHO values/guiding principles

At its core, the guide encourages communities to design services with youth and families, not just for them-creating a learning health system that is more accessible, equitable, and responsive.

Access the guide Here

Please note that this guide will be available in French in early 2026 and will be available here soon.

If you’re interested in beginning or advancing IYS in your community, please contact us at inquiries [at] ywho.ca (inquiries[at]ywho[dot]ca) and click here to stay connected