YHP CANADA – Young Canadians Roundtable On Health
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Location
National.
Timing
2013 onwards
The local context
The Young Canadians Roundtable on Health (YCRH) was created in 2013 in response to Reaching for the Top: A Report by the Advisor on Healthy Children & Youth.
YCRH objectives
To be Canada’s strong youth voice in issues relating to child and youth health.
To lead youth in creating independent initiatives and policy proposals in the areas of Injury Prevention, Mental Health, Growing Healthy Bodies, and the Environment.
To create opportunities to support and educate Canadian youth to improve youth health.
To develop new relationships with people and organisations involved in youth health issues.
To generate national awareness of youth health initiatives.
YCRH focus
To help the voice of youth (between the ages of 15-30) to be heard in policy discussions on health.
YCRH programme
The YCRH encourages young Canadians to call on their local MPs to support youth health rights on issues including the rights to privacy, to consent to treatment, and to access health care.
Recognising the significant confusion surrounding the health rights of Canadian young people, which vary by province, the YCRH commissioned research into the state of existing health rights across the country by the University of Toronto.
The YCRH held focus groups nationwide to gain a deeper understanding of youths’ knowledge of their rights and experiences in accessing health care in Canada.
YCRH achievements
Publication of Youth Perspectives on Adolescent Health Programming in Canada
In May 2017, the YCRH/University of Toronto’s Joint Centre for Bioethics review Youth Health Rights in Canada was published.
YCRH provides an online education and advocacy platform YouthHealthRights.ca to increase health advocacy by and for young Canadians.
Alicia’s story
‘At 13 I attempted suicide after battling serious bouts of anxiety and depression and growing up I felt so much sadness and pain. My move to university was a catalyst to seek help and to help others with mental health issues. It was my dream to empower young change-makers across Canada
The YHP helped me to grow as a young health advocacy professional, providing wonderful mentorship, guidance, meaningful empowerment and networking opportunities. It opened my eyes to how mental health issues affect societies and really helped shape what I want to pursue career-wise.’
YCRH partners
The Sandbox Project is a national charity working to improve the health and wellbeing of Canadian children and youth through collaboration, public education and evidence-based policy development.
