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“Many young people continue to report diverse experiences, such as tokenism, a lack of representation, and minimal influence in decision-making spaces meant to serve them.” 

In 2024, the YAC turned its attention to the state of youth engagement within Ontario’s child and youth mental health (CYMH) sector. This year’s committee was driven by a shared understanding that authentic youth engagement is not a symbolic exercise—it is a vital mechanism for building responsive, inclusive, and effective mental health systems. The topic emerged through months of discussion and reflection among YAC members, who drew on their lived experience within mental health services and their observations of broader systemic gaps across Ontario.

Youth Action CommitTee’s

vision

To move toward genuine youth engagement, the CYMH sector must go beyond symbolic inclusion and commit to structural change. This includes embedding compensation as a core standard of accessibility, ensuring diversity and representation at every level, and investing in adult allyship training rooted in anti-oppressive and trauma-informed practices. Creating safer spaces where youth feel a sense of belonging and mutual respect is not only essential, it’s necessary for effective, long-term change.

Every young person deserves to have their voice heard and reflected in the policies and services that shape their mental health care. Our recommendations provide a practical roadmap for embedding youth voice, strengthening accountability, and creating systems that enable young people to influence the decisions that shape their lives. Moreover, through the results and recommendations in this paper, we are helping to build the standards for youth and family engagement, as outlined in the activities of CMHO’s Provincial Health Equity Strategy.

Ultimately, meaningful youth engagement is not an optional addition to the mental health system; it is the foundation of an effective and inclusive one. By implementing the recommendations outlined in this paper, the CYMH sector can begin to close the gap between intention and impact.

ACCESS THE FULL REPORT IN ENGLISH 

ACCESS THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY IN ENGLISH 

“Listen to youth voices and value them so they continue giving you input, but don’t JUST listen to them. Also take action, take those words and put them into action. Because without action, words aren’t much.” – Survey Respondent

“when [their] agency hires more queer people, it’s like planting vibrant flowers in a garden. Allies are great to some degree, but with queer people, it’s seeing yourself feel reflected—someone who has lived experience, someone who knows what it feels like.” – Survey Respondent 

“The barrier to having youth paid for their voluntary work is that young people are at a transformative time between the ages of 17 and 23. They’re trying to get their life together, to be financially independent and responsible. Being part of something voluntary might be why some are less engaged, because they’re also trying to find stable employment.” – Survey Respondent

Fair compensation is not only an equity issue—it is a cornerstone of authentic engagement.

“Once you know what you can’t do, you can do everything you can do!” – Survey Respondent

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

 We extend our deepest gratitude to the 2025   YAC members for their insight, leadership, and   commitment to advancing meaningful youth     participation across Ontario.

    • Arwen Cooke, Co-Chair 
    • Tayyba Khattak, Co-Chair 
    • Madeleine Kubi, Member 
    • Arpit Sharma, Member 
    • Boluwatife Ogunniyi, Member 
    • Ravneet Kaur, Member 
    • Ray (Rayla) Prus, Member 
    • Dhara Chauhan, Member 
    • Saiorse Hargadon, Member

This policy paper was shaped and written by dedicated members of the 2025 YAC, a team of passionate youth advocates working in partnership with TNM and CMHO to strengthen youth engagement within Ontario’s child and youth mental health system.

We want to thank the adult allies and staff at TNM and CMHO, including Samara Brown, Ananya Gupta, and Caralyn Quan, for their invaluable support throughout this project. Their mentorship, guidance, and dedication to amplifying youth voices were instrumental in bringing this paper to life.

Finally, heartfelt appreciation goes to the 2024 YAC members and youth and adult participants who contributed their time, stories, and experiences through surveys, focus groups, and consultations. Their perspectives continue to inform and inspire the movement toward equitable and authentic youth engagement in mental health.

2020 YAC Members

Hodan Mohamud, Co-Chair
Lewis Han, Co-Chair
Victoria Kaulback
Victoria Corbett
Eric Hendrick
Nneoma Grace Achioso
Madison Suh
Gregory Doucet
Nourin Ali

2024 YAC MEMBERS

Aditya Thakur
Alisha Sharma
Crystal Ward