Healthy Community-Healthy Youth Flamborough has rebranded as the Healthy Youth Network.
The organization, which was co-founded by Penny Deathe and Lynda Wigood, launched under its new name this year — and officially unveiled the rebrand March 5 at Harry Howell Arena.
Deathe said as part of the rebrand, a senior leadership team was put in place and formal agreements or memorandums of understanding were signed with partner agencies.
“We needed to step back and put in place a proper governance structure,” she said. “We wanted to make sure that there’s sustainability so that if I leave, it just doesn’t disappear.”
She said the leadership group considered relaunching as nonprofit, but decided against it.
“We decided that our strength as Healthy Community-Healthy Youth was always the partnerships that we had,” she said, adding the organization has always worked closely with Rotary, Public Health, the John Howard Society, the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board, and the City of Hamilton. “Instead of us becoming a separate nonprofit and us doing the work, we want to engage our partners.”
Deathe said the organization hopes to create a collaborative environment with their partners where they are working to achieve the same goals.
She said the goal of the rebrand was to answer questions and connect with partners they’ve worked in the past — and potential new partners.
Deathe added the organization will also be doing a community launch at some point in the coming months.
Zobia Jawed, the Healthy Youth Network’s co-chair and equity and diversity lead, said the launch event was meant to bring key partners together to break their silos and help them work together.
She added HYN wants to grow resources in the community so youth are able to stay within the community and get the support they require.
Jawed said in her role as equity and diversity lead, she wants to increase the acceptance of different cultures within the community.
Mike Caudle, the employment services program co-ordinator at the YMCA, said the organization connects resources that exist in Flamborough all in one place.
“So a parent or a kid — they can go to one spot, Healthy Youth Network,” he said. “Then they know where to go next.”
Caudle said the rebranded organization is focused on getting all the different programs and partners working together.
“I think there is a need,” he said. “A lot of people think Waterdown is an affluent place and there’s no problems — which is not the case.
“A lot of the resources are in downtown Hamilton, which makes it hard to kids here.”
Meanwhile, Youth Impact Team member Holly McCann said the relaunch is an opportunity for the organization to remake its name in the community.
“So people know what Healthy Youth Network is and just have a better understanding of what we do and what we want to do.”
She said the Youth Impact Team works on both the Flamborough Paint Challenge and What’s Your Path. A member of the HYN senior leadership team, McCann said it is important to have youth at the table in a youth-focused organization.
“I’ve been on other youth teams and a lot of times you just get paraded around,” she said. “But (here) we’re really included in everything.”
Healthy Community-Healthy Youth Flamborough has rebranded as the Healthy Youth Network.
The organization, which was co-founded by Penny Deathe and Lynda Wigood, launched under its new name this year — and officially unveiled the rebrand March 5 at Harry Howell Arena.
Deathe said as part of the rebrand, a senior leadership team was put in place and formal agreements or memorandums of understanding were signed with partner agencies.
“We needed to step back and put in place a proper governance structure,” she said. “We wanted to make sure that there’s sustainability so that if I leave, it just doesn’t disappear.”
She said the leadership group considered relaunching as nonprofit, but decided against it.
“We decided that our strength as Healthy Community-Healthy Youth was always the partnerships that we had,” she said, adding the organization has always worked closely with Rotary, Public Health, the John Howard Society, the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board, and the City of Hamilton. “Instead of us becoming a separate nonprofit and us doing the work, we want to engage our partners.”
Deathe said the organization hopes to create a collaborative environment with their partners where they are working to achieve the same goals.
She said the goal of the rebrand was to answer questions and connect with partners they’ve worked in the past — and potential new partners.
Deathe added the organization will also be doing a community launch at some point in the coming months.
Zobia Jawed, the Healthy Youth Network’s co-chair and equity and diversity lead, said the launch event was meant to bring key partners together to break their silos and help them work together.
She added HYN wants to grow resources in the community so youth are able to stay within the community and get the support they require.
Jawed said in her role as equity and diversity lead, she wants to increase the acceptance of different cultures within the community.
Mike Caudle, the employment services program co-ordinator at the YMCA, said the organization connects resources that exist in Flamborough all in one place.
“So a parent or a kid — they can go to one spot, Healthy Youth Network,” he said. “Then they know where to go next.”
Caudle said the rebranded organization is focused on getting all the different programs and partners working together.
“I think there is a need,” he said. “A lot of people think Waterdown is an affluent place and there’s no problems — which is not the case.
“A lot of the resources are in downtown Hamilton, which makes it hard to kids here.”
Meanwhile, Youth Impact Team member Holly McCann said the relaunch is an opportunity for the organization to remake its name in the community.
“So people know what Healthy Youth Network is and just have a better understanding of what we do and what we want to do.”
She said the Youth Impact Team works on both the Flamborough Paint Challenge and What’s Your Path. A member of the HYN senior leadership team, McCann said it is important to have youth at the table in a youth-focused organization.
“I’ve been on other youth teams and a lot of times you just get paraded around,” she said. “But (here) we’re really included in everything.”
Healthy Community-Healthy Youth Flamborough has rebranded as the Healthy Youth Network.
The organization, which was co-founded by Penny Deathe and Lynda Wigood, launched under its new name this year — and officially unveiled the rebrand March 5 at Harry Howell Arena.
Deathe said as part of the rebrand, a senior leadership team was put in place and formal agreements or memorandums of understanding were signed with partner agencies.
“We needed to step back and put in place a proper governance structure,” she said. “We wanted to make sure that there’s sustainability so that if I leave, it just doesn’t disappear.”
She said the leadership group considered relaunching as nonprofit, but decided against it.
“We decided that our strength as Healthy Community-Healthy Youth was always the partnerships that we had,” she said, adding the organization has always worked closely with Rotary, Public Health, the John Howard Society, the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board, and the City of Hamilton. “Instead of us becoming a separate nonprofit and us doing the work, we want to engage our partners.”
Deathe said the organization hopes to create a collaborative environment with their partners where they are working to achieve the same goals.
She said the goal of the rebrand was to answer questions and connect with partners they’ve worked in the past — and potential new partners.
Deathe added the organization will also be doing a community launch at some point in the coming months.
Zobia Jawed, the Healthy Youth Network’s co-chair and equity and diversity lead, said the launch event was meant to bring key partners together to break their silos and help them work together.
She added HYN wants to grow resources in the community so youth are able to stay within the community and get the support they require.
Jawed said in her role as equity and diversity lead, she wants to increase the acceptance of different cultures within the community.
Mike Caudle, the employment services program co-ordinator at the YMCA, said the organization connects resources that exist in Flamborough all in one place.
“So a parent or a kid — they can go to one spot, Healthy Youth Network,” he said. “Then they know where to go next.”
Caudle said the rebranded organization is focused on getting all the different programs and partners working together.
“I think there is a need,” he said. “A lot of people think Waterdown is an affluent place and there’s no problems — which is not the case.
“A lot of the resources are in downtown Hamilton, which makes it hard to kids here.”
Meanwhile, Youth Impact Team member Holly McCann said the relaunch is an opportunity for the organization to remake its name in the community.
“So people know what Healthy Youth Network is and just have a better understanding of what we do and what we want to do.”
She said the Youth Impact Team works on both the Flamborough Paint Challenge and What’s Your Path. A member of the HYN senior leadership team, McCann said it is important to have youth at the table in a youth-focused organization.
“I’ve been on other youth teams and a lot of times you just get paraded around,” she said. “But (here) we’re really included in everything.”