Our Learning Community
Integrated Youth Services (IYS) in Canada has evolved because passionate leaders like service providers, youth, families and researchers have been working together to change the system.
Pan-Canadian Learning Health System
In Canada, IYS work like Learning Health Systems (LHS). This means that services keep getting better by using what is learned from research and lived experiences.
As an LHS, IYS combines the knowledge from research, data and the lived experiences of young people and service providers to create better ways to support youth.
Services in IYS — mental health, substance use health, physical and sexual health, peer and family support, work, education and social supports — are continuously improving. Everyone shares what they learn, and changes are guided by the voices and needs of youth.
The learning cycle
In an LHS, practice, data and knowledge keep connecting in a cycle.
Practice to data
Each IYS network gathers the same data like who is using the services, what kind of help they get, who's giving the help and how well it works.
Data to knowledge
This data helps us learn new things, like which groups are not finding support, how many staff are needed and which ways of helping youth are working best.
Knowledge to practice
We use the new things we learn to improve our services and give our staff more training. The improvements could include making access to services and outcomes more equitable and providing more culturally appropriate and culturally-specific services.
At the heart of IYS is a promise to keep getting better, by checking how we're doing and researching new ideas.
The LHS approach guides us as we work together to improve health for young people and their families across Canada.
Working together across Canada
Our goal in Canada is to build a team that includes all the IYS networks from each province and territory. By sharing information and the newest research, we'll make a better system for everyone.
As we all learn and improve together, we get closer to our dream of having connected, equitable, cost-effective and complete services for young people in our communities.
Projects and initiatives underway to shape IYS across Canada
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Practice locations
With IYS development happening all across Canada, there is an opportunity to work together and share knowledge.
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Data platform
Health Canada has generously supported the development of specifications and a prototype for a pan-Canadian IYS digital data platform.