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31 http://www.fcm.ca/Documents/reports/FcM/canadas_aging_population_the_municipal_role_in_canadas_demographic_shift_en.pdf <br />2 http://www.camacam.ca/en/conference/resources/2011-presentation-Karen-hall-Robert-carlyle.pdf <br />t.argeting.youth.aged.14.to.25,.the.Municipal.Youth.Engagement.Handbook.is.organized. <br />.into.three.different.aspects.of.youth.engagement.that.can.be.tailored.to.your.local.. <br />.situation,.available.resources,.and.objectives..The.handbook.offers.municipal.elected.. <br />officials.and.administrators.a.range.of.approaches.from.which.to.choose,.depending.on.. <br />resources,.staff.commitment,.and.desired.outcomes. <br />The.need.for.municipalities.to.encourage.active.citizenship.among.young.residents.is.. <br />clear.from.the.evolving.state.of.the.Canadian.workforce..According.to.a.2011.report.by.the.. <br />Federation.of.Canadian.Municipalities.(FCM).titled.Canada’s.Aging.Population:.The.Municipal. <br />Role.in.Canada’s.Demographic.Shift,.Canada.reached.a.significant.demographic.milestone. <br />when.the.first.of.its.‘Baby.Boomer’.generation.turned.65.years.of.age..According.to.Statistics. <br />Canada.estimates,.in.2011,.one.in.seven.Canadians.was.65.or.older,.and.this.ratio.is.expected.. <br />to.grow.to.one.in.four.by.2036.1. <br />While.more.and.more.Canadians.are.approaching.retirement.age,.the.number.of.young.. <br />Canadians.entering.the.workforce.is.not.keeping.pace..For.the.municipal.sector,.this.ongoing. <br />demographic.shift.represents.a.significant.threat.to.its.ability.to.provide.essential.services.. <br />to.citizens..In.fact,.according.to.the.Canadian.Association.of.Municipal.Administrators:.. <br />“Attracting.and.retaining.qualified.employees.ranks.2nd.only.to.the.economy.as.the.most.. <br />significant.threat”.to.municipal.organizations.today..Some.municipalities.expect.30-50%.. <br />of.their.municipal.employees.to.retire.within.the.next.five.to.ten.years,.the.bulk.of.which.. <br />are.anticipated.to.be.senior.experts.2.. <br />Because.so.many.municipal.employees.are.expected.to.retire.within.the.next.decade,.it.is.. <br />critical.for.municipal.leaders.to.make.recruitment.and.retention.of.new.municipal.staff.a.. <br />priority.now..Elected.municipal.leaders.and.administrators.must.engage.with.their.young.. <br />residents.to.demonstrate,.to.both.those.completing.a.post-secondary.education,.and.also. <br />equally.importantly,.those.entering.high.school,.that.careers.in.the.municipal.sector.can.be. <br />very.rewarding..This.will.be.critical.to.ensure.that.services.Canadians.rely.on.continue.to.. <br />operate.smoothly.and.sustainably. <br />Municipal.leaders.need.to.engage.their.youth.constituency.through.more.outlets.and.in.ways. <br />that.are.more.accessible.and.interactive.than.ever.before..Currently,.young.Canadians.do.not. <br />perceive.their.interests.to.be.represented.by.the.democratic.institutions.they.have.at.their. <br />disposal..This.is.clear.from.the.declining.youth.voter.turnout.that.communities.across.Canada. <br />have.experienced.at.all.levels.of.government..Many.young.Canadians.simply.do.not.envision. <br />themselves.working.for.institutions.in.which.they.perceive.do.not.represent.their.interests... <br />Municipal.leaders.have.the.tools,.resources,.and.the.responsibility.to.challenge.this.perception. <br />The.Municipal.Youth.Engagement.Handbook.offers.a.variety.of.initiatives.designed.to.. <br />encourage.young.people.in.your.community.to.become.active.and.engaged.citizens... <br />The.handbook.also.demonstrates.that.a.career.in.municipal.government.is.not.only.. <br />one.with.plenty.of.opportunities.but.is.personally.rewarding.as.well.. <br />1 http://www.fcm.ca/Documents/reports/FcM/canadas_aging_population_the_municipal_role_in_canadas_demographic_shift_en.pdf <br />2 http://www.camacam.ca/en/conference/resources/2011-presentation-Karen-hall-Robert-carlyle.pdf