OCYA Youth Council: Member Spotlight
The OCYA Youth Council is a group of 10 driven leaders, ages 14 to 24, from across Alberta who use their lived experience to shape advocacy and policy.
We’ve previously explored how we create space for youth voices and what our work looks like in action, this post is about some of the individuals who make that work possible by turning their personal journeys into collective change.
Youth Voice: Their Own Words
This post is about some of the individuals who make that work possible by turning their personal journeys into collective change
Shay (she/her)
Bio / Background
Shay is a mother, student, and advocate. She is passionate about youth rights and social justice and is currently pursuing her BA in Political Science. Shay is also a public speaker and the co-founder of You 2 Know (Y2K) and is proud of having released the “Rights Rights Baby” music video.
Tiara (she/her)
Bio / Background
Tiara is an Edmonton born artist, author, and action-oriented advocate. She is deeply empathetic and cares about advocating for the rights of all kinds of people. She loves creative hobbies, is always making something new, and is currently working on publishing a book. Tiara is proud to have joined youth council earlier this year and looks forward to taking meaningful action for herself and those around her.
Jacob (he/him)
Bio / Background
Jacob is a youth council member who is passionate about systems reform and making sure young people are meaningfully involved in the decisions that shape their lives. He values the chance to hear different perspectives from youth across the province and gained confidence in group settings and built advocacy skills through the council.
What has your experience on our council been like so far?
“Being part of youth council has been really rewarding and honestly reassuring. For most of my life, I’ve felt like I’ve had to fight a system that says it’s ‘on my side’ but often works against me. The youth council has given me a team, a safe space to share my experiences, and real tools for advocacy that I didn’t even know existed.” – Jacob
“It’s been very welcoming, the OCYA really opened up a new space to me. A space with other youth who have been through hard things yet persevered and came through it stronger and wiser. We have experienced culture through sweat lodges and ribbon hoodie making. We have had hard conversations but for learning and development in programs and in the system. We have eaten good food and laughed lots. Every single person I have met on youth council is incredibly unique.” – Tiara
“The council itself holds a special place in my heart. My last 3 years on the council have been amazing! I’ve had a lot of amazing opportunities and made lifelong connections with great people who have shared similar experiences and goals that I wouldn’t have if I never submitted that application.” – Shay
What does the Youth Council mean to you?
“Youth Council means a space where youth can express themselves and their struggles growing up in the system. Where professionals/OCYA staff can back us and help make sure our words are heard in spaces where youth voices can be present and change things that directly impact us. The council means that I’m not stuck in a system where my screams and struggles will never be heard.”
– Tiara
“To me, youth council is a group where you learn and expand on micro and macro levels of advocacy. Beyond advocacy, Youth Council taught me community, built my confidence, and guided my growth with my personal well-being and values. After youth council, I was able to stay involved and be included as a peer mentor which meant a lot to me. I’ve been able to share my experiences and help guide new members in their journey.”
– Shay
“Youth Council means I have a real voice in conversations about what needs to change. It’s a space where youth can share what it’s actually like to grow up in the system and where OCYA staff and other professionals can help make sure our words are heard in rooms we wouldn’t normally have access to. It reminds me that I deserve a seat at the table, not because I ‘earned it,’ but because I have the right to be there.”
– Jacob
What parts feel most important or memorable?
“The most important part of youth council to me is of course the advocating but what’s more than that is the community it brings. The stories and youth who bring different perspectives and wisdom into light. It means a lot to me to be able to get to know all the beautifully unique souls and what they’ve been through and to know that ended here with me so that we could meet and make change together.”
– Tiara
“When we all sit around in a big group and you get to hear other people’s perspectives on things. Opportunities like public speaking and talking to people in the field who may not know the full picture.”
– Jacob
“Having big conversations in rooms that would be harder to get into if I wasn’t on the council. Sharing meals, laughs, banter, and horrible singing with many new amazing friendships.”
– Shay
Is there anything you want people to understand about youth voice, advocacy, or being part of this group?
“Youth councils are more than just a group of young people. They are spaces where we’re able to learn, grow, and actually make a difference. It’s a lifelong community where the connections you make don’t just stop at the end of your term.”
– Shay
“I just want people to know that we are not just numbers in a system. Especially people who work with youth, I know it can even be hard for you sometimes and you can become desensitized to our paths and lives. But please remember we haven’t had things easy for us to end up here, so please respect us and give us room to speak and heal. And the decency to be considered.”
– Tiara
“Youth voice isn’t a ‘nice-to-have’; it’s the most important part of systems reform, because decisions are being made about young people every day. If organizations want to do this work well, they have to involve youth in decision-making. We live the impact of these policies 24/7, so we need to be meaningfully heard, not as numbers in a system, but as people.”
– Jacob
Closing
As Shay, Jacob, and Tiara have said, being part of this group offers much more than a seat at the table.
The OCYA Youth Council centres their unique identities, cultures, and lived experiences at the heart of advocacy and policy work.
Whether they’re reviewing system language or sharing a meal and a laugh, these members belong to a community where they are recognized as partners rather than just participants.
