Youth Health Ambassadors

A diverse group of youth from across BC who gather their peers' perspectives on important issues related to youth health and well-being.

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The Youth Health Ambassadors (YHA) is a group of Grade 7–12 students from communities across BC who are dedicated to ensuring that youth voices are heard on topics and decisions related to their health and well-being.

YHA members are trained to lead conversations with their peers to gather their perspectives on important youth health and well-being topics. In addition to facilitating conversations, YHA members work together to create reports and other resources to share their findings in engaging and creative ways.


As part of the YHA, youth build skills in leadership, teamwork, and working independently and with others. They are trained in facilitation (i.e., leading group discussions), including active listening, asking open-ended questions, and communicating clearly. YHA members also learn and practice notetaking and time management skills. 

The YHA team works on short-term projects, typically lasting 3–6 months. These projects are sometimes commissioned by community, health, or government agencies, who come to the YHA because they want to hear youth's perspectives on a specific topic, program, or policy.


For each project, youth receive all training, support, and materials needed to host their conversations. The team meets online once a month, but all other project work is done independently. During projects, YHA members work about 4-6 hours per month and earn $20 per hour.

JOIN THE YHA TEAM!

Are you a Grade 7-12 student in BC? Do you want to make sure youth have a voice in decisions that affect them?
We want you to join the Youth Health Ambassador team! Please email youth@mcs.bc.ca to learn more and to apply.

Youth Health Ambassador projects

The YHA have provided their peers an opportunity to share their perspectives on a variety of topics related to youth health and well-being in BC. The YHA have co-developed the following reports to share their findings.
Youth perspectives on climate change in the Vancouver Coastal Health region

This report shares the perspectives of over 100 youth in the VCH region about the impact of climate change on their mental health and well-being, and their suggestions for supporting young people who experience climate anxiety.

Beyond the plate: Youth perspectives on school food programs in BC

This report was produced for the Public Health Association of BC, and summarizes conversations with 256 Grade 7–12 students in BC. Youth shared examples of successful school food programs, and identified areas where improvements could be made. 

Youth mental health and the COVID-19 pandemic: Conversations with young people

This report shares the perspectives of over 200 youth in the VCH region about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their mental health, and their suggestions for better supporting youth well-being in their communities.