The Red Deer non-profit organization Youth HQ says parental involvement, financial problems, mental health and access to transportation are four key challenges that young people in central Alberta face.

These four areas came out of a needs assessment conducted by the group to find out what challenges exist and what to do about them.

Youth HQ board chair Kris Fleckenstein said it's up to the entire community to fill those gaps, but it will likely be youth-serving agencies to carry out some of the report's recommendations.

Those include greater agency collbaoration, providing a central location to find information on programs and services; improving access to transportation, financial suport, addiction services; and providing opportunities for youth to learn life skills.

"If we can help address some of those needs for the youth, I think we're building a better future for tomorrow," Fleckenstein said.

Youth HQ is creating its own master plan, which will incorporate findings from the needs assessment to determine the organization's priorities for the next five to 10 years.