At a glance
- Youth Advisory Councils (YACs) provide ongoing advice and support to school districts on policies and practices that affect students.
- YACs are formal groups working with adults, blending points of view to have a positive influence on others.
Overview
YACs—sometimes called youth advisory boards—offer opportunities for youth and adults to work together.
The councils can blend points of view and experiences of both youth and adults to build strong partnerships.
Terms to know
Youth Advisory Councils (YACs) are formal groups that:
- Make decisions.
- Advise others.
- Act to improve the schools and communities they serve.
Focus and goals
Youth and adults work together in YACs to decide on their focus and goals. Prevention and improvement are two examples.
Prevention
- Drug abuse.
- Sexual health risks.
To decrease students' sexual health risks, YACs could support education programs on counseling, testing, or treatment services for students.
Improvement
- Student mental health.
- Safety for all students.
To increase safety and sense of belonging for all students, YACs should include students in developing solutions for the issues that affect them.
Youth voices can make a difference
Working together
- Youth work with supportive adults to make important decisions together.
- YACs have a positive influence on others
- YACs have the opportunity to improve schools and communities.
Learn more
Youth Advisory Councils can vary in structure. There are basic guidelines and roles for members.
Youth Advisory Councils can use data about schools and students to guide their work.
Action plans identify issues, goals, and steps to solve issues and reach goals.