Kids in Delta, Surrey and Langley are more likely than those in the rest of B.C. to live in multi-generational homes, according to the latest BC Adolescent Health survey done by the McCreary Centre Society.
According to the survey, which was done in 2023, about 21 percent of kids in the three cities and considered by the survey to be the Fraser South region, are living in multi-generational households, compared to 14 percent provincewide.
And kids in Fraser South are more likely (83 percent) to feel proud or quite proud of their background than kids in the rest of the province, (76 percent), said a news release from McCreary.
As well, youth in the Fraser South area are more likely (20 percent) to join in on weekly cultural activities than the rest of the province, (13 per cent) while also more likely to have eaten traditional food the day before the survey, (56 versus 42 percent).
“We know that connection to culture and be huge protective factors for young people, so it is encouraging to see youth feeling like part of their community and engaging in local cultural activities,” said Annie Smith, society executive-director.
But she added that local youth are less likely to feel that they have an adult who cares about them, “which is definitely something adults can be aware of and work on,” she said.
Despite the good news, there has been a province-wide decline in youth reporting positive mental health.
For instance, in Fraser South, in 2023, only 63 percent of kids rated their mental health as good or excellent, while a decade earlier, that number was 84 percent.
Students in Delta, Surrey and Langley school districts participated in the survey, which also asked about educational plans, sexual practices, sleeping habits, work and swimming abilities with 15 percent of local youth saying they can’t swim while province wide, the number was nine percent.
During last school year, about 23 percent of students in the Fraser South district worked at a paid job compared to the provincial rate of 32 percent, while 81 percent planned to go to college or university, compared to a provincial rate of 77 percent.
Of the youth who were working, 18 percent in Fraser South were working to support the family income, compared to only 12 percent province-wide.
In addition, kids in the Fraser South region are less likely to have vaped (19 percent versus 26 percent) or smoked tobacco, (eight percent versus 15 percent) tried alcohol (27 percent versus 38 percent) or used pot (14 per cent versus 22 percent).
The survey is given to students in grades 7 to 12 across the province, every five years.
About 38,500 students in 59 of the province’s 60 school districts participated.
