Youth Advisory Councils in Action—Real Stories

At a glance

  • Read real stories of Youth Advisory Councils (YACs) in action around the country: For educators and school and district leaders.
  • Youth Advisory Councils (YACs) or boards are a common youth engagement strategy that has local impact.
A diverse set of young people with outstretched arms, holding hands.

UChoose

Overview

The UChoose Youth Advisory Council (YAC) helps improve Baltimore City Health Department programs.

Young people between 14 and 20 years of age. Council members live in Baltimore, Maryland.

Activities

Their activities include:

  • Meet every other week.
  • Learn about health topics that affect teens.
  • Provide feedback on health campaign messages.
  • Plan and develop activities for youth in Baltimore.
  • Members receive training to develop their leadership skills.
  • YAC members receive a stipend, or payment, for participation.

OCFS Youth Advisory Board (YAB)

Overview

The Office of Children and Family Services Youth Advisory Board in New York has up to 15 young people between 18 and 24 years of age. The members live throughout the state.

Activities

Their activities include:

  • Attending meetings every 3 months.
  • Completing monthly assignments about ways to help foster youth become successful adults.
  • Representing the voices of these young people in their state.

Giving feedback on issues like:

  • Licensing of foster homes.
  • Creating guides for people working with foster youth.
  • Helping decide what to consider when matching foster children with foster parents.

Michigan Organization on Adolescent Sexual Health’s

Overview

The Michigan Organization on Adolescent Sexual Health's (MOASH's) Youth Advisory Council Collective is a group of four YACs promoting adolescent sexual health in Michigan. Each of the groups makes important decisions for the state.

Members

Members must be between 13 and 24 years of age and live in Michigan.

  • All four YACs focus on youth voice and youth access to sexual health education and services.
  • Two YACs also promote the voices of transgender youth.
  • One YAC is working to help students with disabilities receive access to sexual health education in school.

Activities

  • Took part in an online meeting about helping youth with disabilities feel included.
  • Developed a Disability in Sex Education toolkit for teachers.
  • Worked with government leaders to increase access to sexual health education in schools that have individualized education programs.

These programs are written plans to meet a student's educational needs.

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Content Source:
Division of Adolescent and School Health; National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion