About the Youth Advisory Council
The Youth Advisory Council (YAC) started in 2010 to place youth voices at the center of the U Choose campaign, dedicated to improving youth sexual health and evidence-based programs promoting youth health and wellness, as a part of the B’more for Healthy Babies initiative. Since its creation, YAC members have met regularly to provide young people’s insights to inform BCHD programs, serve as peer health educators and advocates for their communities, and engage other youth and youth advisory groups to promote the health and wellbeing of Baltimore City’s youth and young adults.
As a part of YAC, members receive professional development trainings and resources, including skills in facilitation and public speaking, and education on healthy relationships and sexual health. In addition to getting paid for their role, members have opportunities to serve as mentors and receive mentorship from their peers, and form lasting relationships with community health leaders in Baltimore City.
Eligibility
To join YAC, members must be:
- A Baltimore City resident
- Between 14-20 years old
- Have permission from a parent/guardian to participate (if under 18 years old)
- Available to attend meetings on every other Thursday from 4:30-5:30 pm during the school year
- Able to attend the YAC Orientation series in January 2022
Term
Minimum of 1 year of service.
Selection Process
A Selection Committee comprised of a current YAC member and the YAC Coordinator and Manager will schedule individual virtual interviews with each applicant. Selection of new members will be determined by the interview and submitted application or nomination form. Final decisions of new member selections will be made no later than December 31, 2021.
How to Apply
To be considered a candidate in the selection process, applicants must either submit a completed application or have a nominator submit the nomination form by the listed deadline. A completed online form or hard copy submitted to the Baltimore City Health Department will be accepted.
For nominations, the nominator can be a peer, teacher, mentor, or parent of the prospective member who knows the candidate well enough to answer the questions in the nomination form. Nominating prospective youth members by someone other than the prospective member can serve as a recommendation but also as a way to identify young people in the community doing great work who might not necessarily think of themselves as leaders, or know about YAC. Middle/high school students generally have not gone through the process of applying for jobs or developing their resumes, so they may be a bit shy when talking about their strengths. Nominators can talk in greater detail about their nominee’s accomplishments and their impact on the community.