What is Youth @ The Kids?

Youth @ the Kids (Y@K) is the place for youth involvement and patient participation at the Royal Children's Hospital (RCH). Youth @ the Kids is an opportunity for patients to get involved, have their say, and make a difference at the RCH.

If you're aged between 12 and 25 all you need to do is join our email list which will keep you up to date with events, consults with staff and any surveys or polls you might like to complete. We'll send you an email with an opportunity to get involved, all you need to do is the getting involved part.

We're always working on several projects and constantly need young people who are willing to give us some help. Some of the opportunities are for you to be here in person, some for you to complete a survey online, either way, we want you to be able to have your say. Sign up to be involved when you're interested, and give the opportunity a miss if you can't commit; it's having your say, your way.

You can feel pretty confident that your opinion is worth something, members of our Youth Advisory Council (see below) will share what you say with some of the most important staff members here at the RCH; sometimes the CEO or specific members of the Executive and maybe a Head of Department or two. We're sharing it with some significant people because we think what you have to say is important.

There are plenty of opportunities for you to get involved, so get in touch and start telling us what you think.

What is the Youth Advisory Council?

The Youth Advisory Council (YAC) of the Royal Children's Hospital (RCH) are a group of young people who come together to talk about their experiences of the hospital, and to have their say on how the RCH could be more adolescent friendly. It's not only the job of a YAC member to share their own opinion, but to ensure that young people's opinions across the RCH are heard. They do this by consulting with Youth @ the Kids; young people who sign up to receive invitations.

Each year there is room for twenty young people to become members of the YAC. YAC members come from a diverse range of RCH experiences; whether as a current or past patient, a sibling of a patient or even just being interested in having their say at the RCH. Anyone is welcome, so long as they can confidently comment on ways to make the RCH a better place. Some of our members presented to Emergency once, some of them used to tag along with their sibling to appointments, others have a parent who works here; but they all have one thing in common, a willingness to make the RCH a better place for all patients.

Alongside attending approximately nine YAC meetings a year, YAC members are also invited along as guests to events, representatives on working groups and steering committees, consults with staff members, and as youth representatives on the Great Care Rounds. There are plenty of opportunities for YAC members to get involved and represent youth voice at the RCH.

Want to learn more about the YAC? Have a read of the Terms of Reference

YAK resources for young people

Caught the youth engagement bug and want more? Want to know more about volunteering, peer support or having your say?

Then check out the resources for young people, hand selected by members of our Youth Advisory Council.