Winkler youth and community leaders gathered Thursday to explore the issues facing young people.

Organized by the Winkler Community Foundation in partnership with RBC's Future Launch Community Challenge, the forum was aimed at brainstorming ideas to make Winkler more attractive to youth in areas of mental health supports, transportation, housing, and post-secondary education.

Grade 12 student Caleb Vallelly

Grade 12 student Caleb Vallelly explains it was encouraging to be given a voice on these important topics.

"Being taken seriously is definitely something students struggle with," Vallelly says. "We are looked at as kids... students want change but it's hard with the barriers we're hit with."

Connor Wiebe from Access Credit Union also took part in the event and says the idea of providing affordable housing for youth stuck out to him.

"One of the constraints we've seen is the cost of housing," he says, adding they imagined a dormitory-style apartment complex with communal living spaces.

"I think there's a lot of people that would flock to it," he says.

Wiebe explains as the community grows it's important to maintain youth representation in community decisions.

The ideas and conversations will be saved and used to guide future granting priorities for the Winkler Community Foundation.