Integrated Youth Services (IYS) is a safe place for youth to get support for mental health issues, addictions, and other needs.
You can apply to be a member of the Provincial Youth Advisory Committee at the bottom of this page.
Youth engagement is a key part of Integrated Youth Services
In IYS, "youth engagement" means:
- Involving youth in designing IYS spaces, services, and programs.
- Seeking out youth input in various ways - and listening to what youth say.
- Reserving youth spots on IYS committees, and/or having entire committees made up of youth; and
- Supporting youth leadership development.
The IYS-NS provincial Youth Advisory Committee is one form of youth engagement!
What's the purpose of the Committee?
The Committee will help ensure that we develop and implement IYS-NS with input from people who have “been there” – Nova Scotia residents, ages 12 to 25, who have lived experience with mental health and/or substance use issues.
Provincial Youth Advisory Committee members will:
- Provide important input on IYS-NS. Examples: be involved in naming IYS-NS (we need a “brand”) and give input on things like policies, publicity, and staff roles.
- Get involved in specific IYS-NS projects and activities that interest you. Two examples: the IYS Site Selection Committee, and mentoring local IYS Youth Advisory Committees when they get up and running.
- Have opportunities to develop your leadership abilities.
Required time commitment:
- Taking part in 6 to 8 virtual meetings each year (likely a couple of hours per meeting).
- Going to in-person meetings (likely 1 or 2 a year).
- Reading any information that is sent out between meetings – emails, background info, etc.
- Additional time for specific projects that interest you (time commitment will vary).
We’re looking for Youth Advisory Committee members!
We are seeking a diverse group of people, ages 12 to 25, who:
- Live in Nova Scotia, full-time or part-time.
- Are passionate about youth mental health and well-being.
- Want to work with others to help shape Integrated Youth Services in Nova Scotia.
- Have personal experience with mental health or substance use challenges; and
- Have accessed, or tried to access, mental health and/or substance use services in Nova Scotia; or
- Have thought about accessing mental health and/or substance use services but have decided against it
If you can check at least 5 of these boxes, keep reading – we have a great opportunity for you!
Also, here’s what’s not required to be on the Advisory Committee:
- Previous experience on a committee.
- A way to get to meetings (most meetings will be virtual, and we can help with transportation costs for the in-person meetings).
- Child care (we can support some of those costs).
All youth & young adult voices matter.
Together, the Youth Advisory Committee members should represent all Nova Scotia youth. We’re looking for members from diverse cultural, racial, religious and language backgrounds. We want members who have a disability, are 2SLGBTQIA, live in a rural area, or left school early. We want members of all ages, from junior high students to people in their 20’s.
Can you bring a not-so-common perspective or life experience to the Advisory Committee? If so, we really want to hear from you!
Still interested? Great! There are 3 more things you need to know:
- When you click on the “Apply here” link/button below, it will take you to the application. After you start filling in your information, you won’t be able to save your work and finish the application later. You have to complete the application all in one session.
- When you apply, you’ll need to give us the name, email, and phone number of someone who knows you and thinks you will be a good Committee member (this is called “providing a reference”). This person could be a school staff member, youth worker, faith leader, neighbour, or someone who has supervised you as a volunteer or an employee. It could also be someone who worked with you on a community project or initiative. Please don’t list a family member. Make sure this person has agreed that we can contact them.
- We want to learn as much about you as possible. If completing application forms is new for you, or if you need help for any reason, please get help from someone you trust.
Thank you / Merci / Wela’lin!
Apply to be a member of the Provincial IYS Youth Advisory Committee