Holland Bloorview Kids' Rehabilitation Hospital Youth Advisory Council

We have come to know the importance and the power of having youth taking an active role in decision-making about their care. The Youth Advisory Council at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital in Toronto has been taking this to heart for three decades.

Since 1996, YAC has been run by youth, for youth. The first hospital-based youth advisory council in Canada brings together current and former Holland Bloorview clients aged 14 to 29, offering a formal and consistent way for them to partner with staff, learners, scientists, families, and leaders across the organization. Members meet regularly throughout the year and have the opportunity to build advocacy and leadership skills that extend far beyond the hospital.

Earlier this year, Holland Bloorview hosted the Youth Summit: Pathways to Partnership. The summit brought together current and former YAC members and staff working in youth engagement in celebration of the 30-year anniversary of the council. Through round table discussions facilitated by YAC leaders, the summit produced an eight-page submission to the National Housing Council's review panel, which was addressing the lack of accessible housing in Canada.

The 30th Anniversary celebrations have produced countless projects to help build community at the hospital. YAC is publishing This is Our Hill, a four-issue zine, each with a different theme, filled with creative visual and written work from current and former clients. For those who like to get their hands dirty, YAC worked with local partners Bowery Project to create a community garden on the roof of one of the hospital’s outdoor terraces. Using 128 milk crates as containers, YAC members put in the soil, planted seeds, watered plants, even decorated the containers, and harvested more than 25 pounds for fresh fruits and vegetables which were given to clients and families. YAC created a recipe book and one of the zines features poems and drawings specifically about the garden.

The collaboration and mutual respect between the organization and YAC is central to the hospital being able to demonstrate its values and fulfil its mission. One recent example is space redesign. YAC was invited to bring in clients to test a proposed new space. Though the space was designed by experts, it’s the youth who are going to use it. YAC members tried out everything from light switches to tables to doorknobs, and made recommendations about the space’s layout and features that incorporated into the final design.

The youth that are so closely tied with the hospital: they're the only ones that have the experience that we are looking for to improve services, programs, research, and decision making at the hospital. – Dolly Menna-Dack, clinical bioethicist at Holland Bloorview and Youth Engagement Strategy Lead.

The YAC further helps at an individual level, both in advocacy and mentorship for hospital clients. And because membership is open to any current or former client, it's an excellent opportunity to build transferable skills for the future. Youth self-select if they’re interested in joining. YAC brings diverse viewpoints and experiences that inform the full reality of being part of the Holland Bloorview community.

I'm only able to be here because of the work that the previous chairs and all the executive and all the members have done to create an inclusive organization and a group of people that are able to self-sustain year over year...You know, it can delay the process or it might mean that, especially for research, doing extra iterations that can take a lot of extra time. The advice we're giving can be big asks, and when people who are willing and receptive, that means a lot to the end user. It means we're creating spaces and systems that will be more accessible for people to come.

I stand on the shoulders of giants. Those that have come before me have paved the way for me to be able to do this work and for me to be able to be an effective advocate, and learn how to be a good leader. I will always be grateful for opportunities like this one, where I get to share the work that we do. – Zoe Gargouzi, Chair, Holland Bloorview Youth Advisory Council