Youth Advisory Councils Structure

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.

A group of high school students standing in front of school building with a teacher.
Youth Advisory Councils (YACs) should have about 15 young people, but the exact size, focus, role, and structure vary.

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.

Learn more