What is YAC?

The committee consists of 12 to 16 youth who represent the diverse youth population of Chilliwack. The youth on the committee represent youth voices whose purpose is to advocate on behalf of youth through identifying, improving, and increasing services and programs for youth in Chilliwack. YAC is involved in volunteer opportunities in the community. They plan, develop, implement, and evaluate large and small community-wide events focused on bringing youth together to connect, learn, and grow. YAC works with the Mayor and City Council to ensure youth voices are being incorporated into city-wide initiatives, similar to how other advisory committees function. YAC supports the coordination, awareness, and communication of existing and new youth resources and services in our community to all youth.

What is the commitment?

YAC meets every other Monday starting in October every school year. Meetings alternate between psycho-educational lessons and conversation, and more practical planning and implementation activities. Attendance to these meetings is mandatory for committee members. Members are offered other opportunities to represent the program on a non-compulsory basis.

External goals include participation in the annual Youth Week and developing increased awareness around youth mental health. Internally, youth will be asked to develop a personal project to implement within their own communities in an effort to use their webbed capacity to directly serve and represent the largest possible number of youth in Chilliwack.

Want to get involved?

Canvassing for youth candidates for YAC is fully inclusive. CCS contacts local agencies in collaboration with the CYC to identify youth from public and private secondary schools. Youth identified are encouraged to apply before mid September annually. Candidates selected will be interviewed.