The Batshaw Youth and Family Centres’ Youth Advisory Council was launched on November 14, 2023. Its role is to give young people who are or have received services from the institution a say and bring a real culture of change to the youth program and youth protection services. This initiative is based on recommendations by the Special Commission on Children’s Rights and Youth Protection (Laurent Commission). The Youth Advisory Council makes recommendations on services and policies of the Batshaw Youth and Family Centres that have an impact on the clients.
The council is composed on eight youth people who receive services from the Batshaw Youth and Family Centres. They come from group homes, foster families, the community, the Aspire supervised living project, and Teen Haven. There are also two former clients and two external partners. A former client has also been hired to act as the liaison officer. She will guide and support the council’s members by attending their meetings and steering discussions on important topics.
This council has been created thanks to the active participation of clinical activities specialists Laurie-Ann Meyer and Sam Barile, along with unwavering support from both Youth Program Director Katherine Moxness and Director of Youth Protection Linda See.
Over 50 people attended the launch, including Laurent Commission Vice-President André Lebon, who is now the vice-president and consultant in charge of the reorganization of youth services and cultural adaptation of services for youth in difficulty at the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services. Our CIUSSS was represented by Associate President and CEO Najia Hachimi-Idrissiand Judy Martin, a member of the Board of Directors and former president of the Batshaw Youth and Family Centres.
- Linda See, Director of Youth Protection and Katherine Moxness, Director of the Youth Program
- Jasmine Ramcharitar-Brown, Youth Advisory Council liaison officer and former client
- André Lebon, Laurent Commission Vice-President
- Najia Hachimi-Idrissi, Associate President and CEO, Linda See, and Katherine Moxness
- Judy Martin, member of the Board of Directors
- Clinical Activities Specialists Laurie-Ann Meyer and Sam Barile
- Refreshments by Jasen, caterer and former client