At a glance
- Students have the opportunity to provide valuable input to their school and community through Youth Advisory Councils (YACs).
- YACs typically focus on specific issues for an organization or a community.
- A YAC should represent the diverse population of the school.
- There are basic guidelines to build a YAC.
Structure of a Youth Advisory Council
There is no one set structure for Youth Advisory Councils (YACs), but some outline basic structures and roles for their members.
Youth Advisory Councils that represent high schools within a school district should be diverse and include students who:
- Are from both rural and urban areas.
- Have succeeded in school as well as those who have struggled.
- Represent various age ranges or grade levels.
- Represent different genders, religious or spiritual affiliations, sexual orientations, races/ethnicities, and socioeconomic status.
Example structure
President:
Leads meetings and serves as a point of contact for the YAC’s work with the school and other community organizations.
Treasurer:
Records the group’s budget and expenses.
Secretary:
Maintains important documents and shares key messages with the group.
Media Chair:
Shares meeting and other content about the group on social media and other communication channels.
Recruitment Chair:
Takes the lead on creating materials, activities, and events to recruit new members.
Energizer:
Helps keep meetings fun and productive.
