How can I get involved?

1. Like our Facebook Fan Page. By liking our Facebook fan page you are doing a couple of very important things. One, you are showing your support for youth voice and the importance of including young people in decision-making. Two, you are helping spread the word about YDM - the more "likes" the more the word gets out there. Three, you are keeping up to date on YDM events, news, conferences and weekly meetings.
2. Sign up on our website to be part of the YDM Network. The YDM network is a group of young people from across the country who want to use their ideas and voice to affect change. As a member of the network, you will be kept up to date on YDM events and asked to give your opinion on issues affecting young people. These updates and consultations will primarily take place over e-mail. For example, if we were trying to find out what young people think would improve bullying in schools, we might send out a survey or a couple questions to the YDM network to see what ideas and experience youth across Canada have related to this issue.
3. Join our weekly YDM Conference Calls. A small group of YDM members meet each week by phone and video conference to talk about issues affecting youth in their communities; to give youth input on the work of the Students Commission; and to plan national consultations and events.

What happens on the YDM calls?

1. On the 1st call of the month - we decide what current Students Commission project we'd like to focus on. The projects are issues that are meaningful to YDM members and youth across the country (gender-based violence, tobacco awareness, racism, sexuality...). Through a decision making process, the group will choose a theme (SC project) to explore during the calls, and create tools to engage and consult young people in their communities. These tools might be surveys, discussion questions, or workshops. These tools will be used over the next 2 weeks to collect young people's opinions on the issue and get them interested in joining the YDM Network. All results and discussion will be shared on the 3rd call of the month.
2. On the 2nd call of the month - we give input on overall Students Commission programming. During this call, staff from the organization join the call to ask for young people's ideas and feedback on anything from workshops, to posters, to conferences, to program development. In other words, the YDM group operates as a youth advisory counsel for The Students Commission.
3. On the 3rd call of the month - we talk about our monthly theme (SC project) and discuss the ideas that members collected from young people in their communities and from surveys online. During this call we often invite many new young people interested in the theme (SC project) to join the call and our discussion.
4. On the 4th call of the month - we decide how we want to share the information from our theme (SC project) call (write an article for the website, send out recommendations, create a video or message...). We discuss any other issues that YDM members are interested in talking about on the call.

What are the current opportunities to voice my opinion?

1. Top Left: Check out the Top Left project website, and send us feedback on the project, input for our upcoming conference, etc.