History
The IWK Health Centre Youth Advisory Council (YAC) began in 2006 by a project team including youth, youth mentors and staff who had experience involving youth voice in care.
A diverse, passionate group of 13 youth, ages 14-19, were chosen via recruitment, interview and screening in fall 2007. Health care experiences range from Spina Bifida to Chrohn’s Disease to Mental Health. Within the year, IWK ‘YAC’ers’ were in big demand Health Centre-wide for their articulate, experienced youth voice.
Goal
The goal of the Council is to create an environment for youth at the IWK that is youth-centred. This is care that is based on the identified, unique needs of a youth while they are a patient -- with youth as active partners in their own care.
YAC is here to help staff engage youth by working together with staff (e.g. workshops on how to communicate with youth), improving quality of care and services for youth both on units and in clinics or the ER, and being messengers of youth voice in the health centre when it comes to decisions that affect youth.
“Nothing about us, without us!”