On the Road Again: Visits with BC Friendship Centre
Youth Councils
By Rachel Mason

Hiiye'yu Lelum Youth Council in Duncan		Rachel and Theresa

This past fall, I have been lucky to have the opportunity to hit the road again and visit the Friendship Centres in BC. On my visits, I meet with youth councils and youth workers to discuss their goals and inform them about PAYC. Last fall I visited 19 centres, and this fall it will be 21 by the time I'm done! These visits are so much fun, because I get to meet with youth who are leaders in their communities and learn about their youth councils.

Did you know that all the youth councils across BC are really different? Some have as few as 3 members, and others as many as 35. Some have members ages 12-14, and others have members aged 18-22, while still others are in between or a mix of all ages. Some have specific elected positions, while others accept anyone who volunteers. Some are entirely youth led, and others have more guidance from youth workers. The variety is endless.

But there are also some commonalities-all over the province Friendship Centre youth councils work to give youth a voice in their community. It is inspiring to me to see all the things that youth councils are organizing-from Christmas wrapping fundraisers to youth leadership workshops to cross-Canada exchange trips.

Some of the highlights of my visits have included:

Humor
I have so much fun with the youth. When we do the conflict resolution workshop, or even simple warm-up games, the youth role-plays are hilarious. Youth know how to have fun even while talking about serious issues.

Fresh Starts
Over the past couple of years I've been privileged to be with a few youth councils on their first meetings, and to help them get started. While I certainly won't take any credit for getting youth councils going-after all it is the youth who put in all the hard work-it has been great to be involved in these first meetings. All it takes to start a youth council are a few dedicated youth who come together and decide how they want to organize their council. There are no strict guidelines, so the decision is really up to youth. And then it's just a matter of setting up a regular meeting time and planning some projects. But a simple start can lead to some amazing leadership experiences for youth!

New Youth Council Tips
Wherever I travel I gather tips from youth councils and youth workers about what makes youth councils work well. In BC, we've had a youth council structure in place for 7 years, and an average of 15 Friendship Centres every year have had a youth council. So I figure that means we have over 100 years of collective experience with running youth councils! Each youth council has some really good creative ideas and techniques, and I like to see this knowledge shared between youth councils. To find out some of what I've learned about youth councils, download our brochures on youth council development at www.bc-payc.com .

Friendship
When I am on the road, it sometimes can feel lonely being in a different place every night. But the thing that keeps me going is the kindness and hospitality of the Friendship Centre communities. It is nice this year to see some familiar faces now that I am back for a second time. And in many cases youth councils have included me in some of their special activities, which is really fun. Thank you to all the youth councils and youth workers at every BC Friendship Centre for the warm welcome you have given me!

RESPECT Youth Council in Terrace