Supporting Diverse Youth: Culture, Identity, and Belonging for Youth Workers in Calgary and Edmonton

Supporting diverse youth means building relationships where young people feel safe being who they are, whatever their culture, language, faith, gender identity, sexual orientation, or the subcultures they choose. In Calgary and Edmonton, that's an everyday part of youth work.

This guide uses current Canadian data to show who youth workers support, why belonging matters, and what respectful support looks like day to day.

Who Are Diverse Youth in Calgary and Edmonton?

Diverse youth is a broad term for young people of different cultures, languages, faiths, gender identities, sexual orientations, abilities, and life experiences. In both cities, that describes a large share of the young people a youth worker meets. Here's what the data shows:

In practice, this means many teens you'll support are bicultural. A young person may speak one language at home and another at school, and balance family expectations with what their friends value. That's not a problem to fix. It's part of who they are, and it can be a source of strength.

Why Belonging Matters for Young People

Belonging is the feeling that you fit in and matter where you live, and many young Canadians report feeling less of it than older adults. Statistics Canada's Canadian Social Survey, collected from August 2021 to June 2022, found:

• Youth: 44% of people aged 15 to 24 reported a strong sense of belonging to their local community, compared with 47% of adults aged 35 to 64.
• 2SLGBTQI+ youth: Among people aged 15 to 24, 32% of LGBTQ2+ respondents reported a strong sense of belonging, compared with 46% of non-LGBTQ2+ respondents.
• Newcomers: Across all ages, 50% of recent immigrants reported a strong sense of belonging, compared with 46% of people born in Canada.
• Racialized groups: Results ranged from 24% to 59%, depending on the group.

Here's what that means for youth work. A label doesn't tell you how a young person feels. A newcomer teen may feel deeply connected to their community, while a teen born in Calgary may feel shut out. Your job is to find out, one relationship at a time.

Culture, Identity, and Subculture in Everyday Youth Work

According to ALIS, child and youth care workers build trusting one-to-one relationships, help young people and families identify strengths, and plan recreational and social activities. Here's how those duties can apply across different parts of a young person's identity:

Subcultures deserve special attention. A teen's music, sport, or style often says more about what they value than any form can. In practice, a conversation about a favourite artist or skate spot can open the door to a relationship that a formal intake meeting can't.

Practical Ways to Support Diverse Youth

Supporting diverse youth comes down to a few consistent habits:

• Ask, don't assume: Let young people tell you how they describe their culture, family, faith, and identity.
• Check your own lens: Notice the assumptions you bring, especially about families whose values differ from yours.
• Know the local supports: Families new to Canada may benefit from settlement services, and Calgary's settlement agencies run newcomer youth programs, including support for first- and second-generation youth.
• Build belonging through activity: Group activities give young people low-pressure ways to connect with peers.
• Use current terms: Language changes, and using current terms shows respect.

Use Current, Respectful Terms

Terms you'll see in older materials may no longer be appropriate. These are the terms Government of Canada sources use today:

Library and Archives Canada notes that "Aboriginal" is now used mostly in a legal context. Women and Gender Equality Canada notes that terminology "is continuously evolving," so the best guide is often how a young person describes themselves.

How Reeves College Helps You Prepare

Reeves College's Child and Youth Services Worker Diploma Program in Edmonton and Calgary is designed to prepare community services workers who specialize in youth issues, and diversity runs through several courses:

Program details at a glance:

• Length: 44 weeks and 880 hours
• Final 100 hours: A practicum at a youth services workplace or a capstone project
• Certificates: First Aid/CPR-C, suicide intervention skills training, and non-violent crisis intervention
• Career focus: Entry-level positions in community services agencies and facilities, working under the supervision of professional counsellors
• Delivery and campuses: On campus, online, or combined, with campuses in Calgary City Centre, Calgary South, Edmonton North, and Edmonton South

To see where this work happens, read what a child and youth care worker does in Alberta, and for the full pathway, see our guide on becoming a child and youth care worker in Alberta.

Final Thoughts

In Calgary and Edmonton, supporting diverse youth isn't a specialty; it's the work. The young people you meet will bring different cultures, languages, identities, and interests, and the data shows that belonging can't be assumed for any of them. Curiosity, current language, and steady relationships are where good support begins.

Request more information about Reeves College's Child and Youth Services Worker program, admission requirements, financial options, and start dates.