Bringing children and young people into the advisor role

[Carolyn Canfield]

Hi PAN people!

Here is a really interesting 20-page report "top tips and key issues" from the UK on how to involve children and young people in research as advisors, not subjects.

Not much here that I'd delete in dealing with older folk! This is worth a good read and sharing in your own networks, I think. Also putting into practice. Much can be adapted to non-research partnerships, as well.

Best wishes to all in this amazing work we are doing.

Cheers, Carolyn

[Kathy Smith]

Thanks Carolyn. These tips are universally helpful. It seems we can learn a lot about engagement from the U.K.

[JoAnne Mosel]

Thank you for this Carolyn. I've approached our CEPPP and University to pitch a project with the objective of providing training to kids. Hoping it will come to fruition at some point.

[Maxime Lê]

Thanks for sharing this Carolyn!

As a relatively young person myself (I am 23), it is rare that I find fellow patient advisors in my age range.

Healthcare is for everyone - and everyone needs to have a say in their care.

[Kathy Smith]

Agree completely Maxime. Thank you for stepping into that role and making patient advisor activities a priority. Everyone certainly does need to have a voice in bettering healthcare. As you may well appreciate, it can be a juggling act for available time. Full time jobs and studies and families leave little room for other commitments for many in your age bracket. Perhaps you can devise better ways to capture more young voices - online chat room connecting? Keep up the good work. Going forward with the training tools for young advisors is a good idea.too.

[Amy Ma]

Holland Bloorview has had success with their Youth Advisory group, and even a sibling advisory group!

It takes leadership who is willing to champion this, and resources (staff support) to make this happen.

Alberta Health Services runs a Youth Advisory Council that is province-wide. They meet on Saturdays, using videoconferencing. I don't know the frequency, but their youth advisory council does receive mandates to co-design public-facing materials for mental health and other issues, where the intended audience is youth.

[Kathy Smith]

Spot on Amy! It takes a strong buy-in and support from the leaders down. Alberta has a lot of innovative healthcare projects. Young ideas are very important, unique and valuable.

[Maxime Lê]

Hi Kathy!

From my work experience, I had the chance to do some actual youth engagement via the RCMP. They have an informal Facebook group of their youth advisors, and they ask them weekly questions about different RCMP-related topics.

I like the idea of having a youth advisory council like Alberta Health Services has... Here in Ontario, I don't know if a similar thing exists.

Local public health units definitely do, but I am not sure if these things are done provincially... I will look into this. Thanks for the insights folks!

[Kathy Smith]

Hi Maxine. Your RCMP youth engagement sounds very interesting. Best of luck ramping up youth advisory interest/action in healthcare in Ontario. I do know of one good youth healthcare advisories. It is run by Princess Margaret Hospital to address the unique needs and circumstances young people with cancer must deal with.