Youth Advisory Committee of Cuyahoga County

Youth Advisory Committee of Cuyahoga County
Abbreviation YAC
Motto What do YOUth have to say?
Formation January 1, 2009 (2009-01-01)
Type 4-H
Legal status Association
Purpose Educational/ Community
Headquarters Cleveland, Ohio
Location
  • 9127 Miles Avenue Cleveland, Ohio 44105
Coordinates N41° 26.7178', W081° 37.348'
Region served
Cuyahoga County, Ohio
Membership
Residents of Cuyahoga County, ages 13-19
Program Coordinator
 Robin Stone
Key people
 Tiffany Walker
Parent organization
 4-H
Affiliations The Ohio State University, MyCom
Staff
14
Volunteers
30+
Website http://www.empower-youth.org

The Youth Advisory Committee of Cuyahoga County, (also known as YAC or Youth Advisory Committee) began in 2005, as a joint collaboration between the Cuyahoga County Family and Children First Council and the Cuyahoga County Board of Health. The objectives of the Youth Advisory Committee are to provide youth with opportunities to discuss issues important to them, solicit opinions of peers, serve as youth representatives, and promote youth development. Through participation on Youth Advisory Committee, young people work in partnership with adults to become leaders on issues that matter to them and develop skills that will be useful for the rest of their lives. YAC members are also 4-H members.

History

The YAC begin in 2005. YAC is a diverse group of youth from Cuyahoga County that help to transform existing forums of decision making traditionally reserved for adults. The YAC is committed to creating excellent opportunities for youth to have a strong impact in their county where their voices are encouraged, welcomed, and definitely celebrated.has teams focused on topics important to youth and their communities, which help young people build skills and create positive change. The YAC has completed several community service projects, and taken youth on several trips since beginning in 2005. YAC members took part in a 24-hour camp retreat that focused on key skills such as leadership, team building, and communication. YAC youth traveled to Washington D.C. and had the opportunity to explore, develop, and refine their civic engagement skills to be outstanding leaders on the local, state, and national level. Members participated in a service learning project at Edgewater Park for Global youth Service Day helping to clean up the western end of the park. Youth from YAC participated in a career tour to Ohio State University and explored college life and the unique disciplines of study the university offers. Members rallied the Columbus Statehouse to advocate for key funds needed for youth development in Cuyahoga County. YAC youth attended a Capital Hill briefing in Washington D.C. and urged their respective legislators to support a bill for the creation of a national youth council. YAC youth traveled to North Carolina for a week-long leadership retreat in 2011.

Leadership Teams

YAC currently has six leadership teams, all of which are led by one or two Youth Facilitators and one Adult Facilitator. The Facilitators leads the group and guides other YAC members with current service-learning projects and events that the YAC is planning. Adult Facilitators assist the Youth Facilitators with anything they made need to assure their leadership team is a success. - Health & Fitness - Multimedia - Education - Service Learning

Leadership Team Youth Facilitator(s) Adult Facilitator
Advocacy Angel Poole Tiffany Walker
Events/ Activities/ Fundraising DaVonti Haynes Tayanna Blanchard
Health & Fitness Tim West Matthew Gee
Multimedia & The Arts Matt Hribar Matthew Gee
Service Learning & Education Storm Blanchard Tayanna Blanchard
Level One Annaliese Hribar Robin Stone
Peer Mentor Danielle Eafford Robin Stone and Tiffany Walker
Administration Jahnijia Simpson Robin Stone and Tiffany Walker

Youth Summit

In 2009 the YAC sponsored their first annual Youth Summit entitled "We're Taking Over", at Cleveland State University. The summit had an audience of over 300 youth from within Cuyahoga County. In October 2010, YAC sponsored their second annual Youth Summit, which seen increase in youth participation. In October 2011, YAC sponsored its third annual youth summit at Cleveland State University, entitles "Lending A Helping Hand". Over 400 youth attended the summit, which reached out to youth with disabilities.

During the Youth Summit, YAC members present workshops to fellow peers about topics and problems teens are facing today. Workshops topics includes: Love is Not Black and Blue, Sex One on One, LGBTQ, I Am Not What I Wear and various other topics.

Special Guest at the YAC Summit has included: Congresswoman Nina Turner, Invisible Children and Johanna Orozco.

Diversity

YAC is known for prompting diversity. It is currently represented by youth and adults of:

It is currently represented by youth and adults from the following cities (and many more):

It is currently represented by youth from the following schools (and many more):

Sponsors/ Partnership

The YAC is currently sponsored by:

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