WSLHD Youth Health Annual Report

This year we said farewell to some of our Youth Council members. Thank you to the following departing Youth Council members for your enthusiasm, contributions and advocacy in 2021:

Youth Council

WSLHD places high value on youth participation to involve young people as active members of the decision-making processes for issues that affect their healthcare. The WSLHD Youth Council is made up of young people aged 16-25 years. Its role is to provide information and local perspectives to improve the quality and safety of healthcare, the provision of patient-centred and youth-friendly healthcare and improve the health of young people in western Sydney. The WSLHD Youth Council is supported by many people and roles both internal and external to the LHD. We would like to acknowledge the enormous support of the Integrated and Community Health directorate, in particular Youth Health. The Youth Council acknowledges the many opportunities and ongoing support provided by Youth Health which is integral to the success of the Council’s work. We are very thankful to the WSLHD executive team and our key partners, who work to embed consumer participation in the LHD. Above all, the Youth Council would not exist if not for the young people committed to working towards better health outcomes for other young people in western Sydney. The passion, insights and advocacy provided by this group of young leaders has led to innovative outcomes. The Council’s work illustrates the power of young people when they are supported to raise their voice.

Monique Van Acquoy

Bec Copping

Kasin Ahmet

Amar Hamed

A warmwelcome to our incoming Youth Council Members for 2022:

Diane Otim

Gauri Sharma

Goween Abdalla

Imaaz Ahmad

Haiwad Rashtia

Rebecca Yu

Ruth Wigley

In 2021, the Youth Council met virtually due to COVID-19 restrictions. The meetings provided the Council an opportunity to work on several projects to support the health of young people in western Sydney in the midst of the pandemic, including: Youth Action consulted the Youth Council on a health literacy project involving the development The Youth Council created a #NoFilterTalkBox Podcast series with our Youth Health Doctor, answering a number of health-related questions submitted by anonymous young people in western Sydney. These were posted on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/YouthHealthWSLHD. The Youth Council provided consultation to a range of clinical services within Western Sydney, including the development of the WSLHD Young People’s Health Strategy, development of a Youth Health Virtual Group, WSLHD Youth Mental Health services and with WSLHD Corporate Communications around youth-friendly COVID vaccination efforts and Stay at Home promotion. of online health promotion and education resources targeting several health issues affecting young people.