Council representatives will help provide consumer/patient and community advice on our health services with the West Moreton Board and Executive.   Council would also advise on West Moreton Health’s strategic priorities, as set in our Strategic Plan 2021-2025, our Children and Young Persons Framework 2021 and work in partnership to deliver on strategic plan priorities.  

This partnership between young people and the West Moreton Health leadership team is key to ensuring the health services we provide meet the needs of our community. The Council will also have the opportunity to actively collaborate with WMH on initiatives and provide a link between the health service and other young people in the community. 

The Youth Advisory Council will consist of 10 members, a Chair and an engagement support person (WMH Senior Engagement Officer). The Chair of the Council will be appointed through a voting process by the Council members. 

The first full Council will sit for two years. About half of the first-term members will retire at the end of the second year, and the rest of the first-term members will retire at the end of the third year. A staged recruitment process will ensure the Council retains experienced members to mentor new members. Thereafter, each new council member will serve a two-year term. 

The Council will meet every two months (bi-monthly) with meeting dates set one year in advance. It is expected that Council members will attend each meeting. West Moreton Health will provide administrative support, including the management of the agenda and minutes for each meeting. 

The Council will meet with two West Moreton Health Executives and two Board members for a health service update at the beginning of each meeting. This session will also be an opportunity for members to give feedback to leaders on priorities, opportunities, and challenges faced by young people in the community. 

The second half of each meeting will be dedicated to collaborative action on strategic priorities. This session may be attended by a guest representative from various areas across the organisation. 

Members will have the opportunity to engage at various levels of the engagement spectrum. This may include the most basic form of engagement (to be provided with information) through to the most empowering form of engagement (co-design and patient/community led).   

Members are expected to participate in each bi-monthly meeting. Meetings will be held face-to-face, providing it is safe to do so in a COVID-19 environment. Meeting locations will be decided at the first council meeting.

Between meetings, they will connect with other Council members via a Microsoft Teams portal, which will be the main platform for discussion and information sharing. 

West Moreton Health has many channels of engagement with staff and the community. Council members may be required to participate in media opportunities, promotional activities, virtual staff forums and newsletters. 

Council members will be paid $80 per meeting ($40 per hour), in accordance with the West Moreton Health Remuneration Procedure. It is expected that this remuneration would cover collaboration outside designated bi-monthly meetings as well as additional expenses, such as transport to meetings. 

As a member of the Council, you will have the opportunity to collaborate with other like-minded young people and help drive real change for young people in our community. Benefits of being part of the Council include: 

• Helping to make a real difference to the health of young people in the region.
• Connect with other like-minded young people in the West Moreton community.
• Help others in your networks have a voice in planning for future healthcare services.
• Receive mentoring and networking opportunities with some of the State’s finest professionals in areas such as medicine, project management and planning, information technology and other areas.

We strongly encourage people aged 15 to 25 years from a broad range of health interests and cultural, social and geographic backgrounds to express interest. 

Council members will be selected through an open expression of interest process. Expressions of interest will be assessed based on the following criteria: 

• Experience of health services (at West Moreton or other hospital services) as a patient/consumer, a carer, or a support person (of for example a family member accessing services), is preferred.
• Representatives must live in the West Moreton Health region or have a strong connection to the region.
• Representatives must be interested in public health.
• Representatives should be able to show their awareness of health priorities and health issues in the community.
• Connection with other patients/consumers and community networks would be beneficial but is not a requirement.

If you are interested in becoming a member of the Youth Advisory Council, you can:

• read the position description (PDF).
• complete this online form.