IT MATTERS TO ME: INFORMING YOUTH SERVICES DELIVERY 18 young people (Shaw, Brady, McGrath, Brennan, & Dolan, 2014), and enhanced service plan outcomes (Carlson, 2006). Researchers have recommended several strategies to encourage youth and family engagement. Some of these strategies include: 1. Engaging young people and their families in service design and implementation to encourage services effectiveness. This includes the implementation of creative and innovative outside-the-box strategies in planning for the future (Ziemann, 2019). 2. Including young people and their families in decision making by incorporating them in all levels of the governance structure while creating safe place polices that do not incur harm. This would be achieved through sufficient mentorship and training that enhances inclusion (Shaw et al., 2014). 3. Engaging young people in participatory research that is ethically sound increases validity and relevancy (Zinck et al., 2013). 4. Creating partnership opportunities that promote equality between youth and adults who have a shared vision strengthens group dynamics (Carlson, 2006). Surrey youth have expressed that having a safe, barrier-free, welcoming site that includes quick response to services that support mental health, physical health, and spiritual health, delivered by caring professionals, is what Surrey youth require (City of Surrey, in press). These youth advocates further expressed that the design of this space should promote diversity, include outdoor spaces for gathering and sports activities, have quiet places that may include a waterfall, aromatherapy, and relaxing music to help young people destress. These sites must support young people with life skills and housing services to set them up for successful outcomes. In addition, youth shared that this space should welcome free training for parents to help support family
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