Schools + Parents
Youth Advisory Council

Beach Cities Health District's (BCHD) Youth Advisory Council is comprised of more than 50 middle and high school students (grades 8-12) from Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach schools. The Youth Advisory Council is a youth-led committee focusing on the health and well-being of their Beach Cities peers.

The Youth Advisory Council has two representatives from Hermosa Valley School, one from Manhattan Beach Middle School, three from Parras Middle School, 23 from Mira Costa High School, 20 from Redondo Union High School and four more from additional surrounding schools including Chadwick High School and Vistamar High School.
 
Grade # of members
8th Grade  7
9th Grade  7
10th Grade  11
11th Grade  17
12th Grade  11
Total 53

Youth Advisory Council members:

  • Act as ambassadors of health by connecting peers with resources, events and information.
  • Raise awareness of and offer recommendations on health issues affecting Beach Cities youth including alcohol and other drug use, smoking, vaping, marijuana, stress, anxiety, depression, suicide, social justice, race, healthy equity and sexual identity to discuss prevalent trends and solutions.
  • Develop programming for activation on topics including student mental health and substance use.
  • Have opportunities to advocate for and implement solutions to address youth health issues through public speaking opportunities and supporting media content including videos, photoshoots, flyers and presentations.
  • Serve a term of one year, attend 8 council meetings, complete volunteer orientation, follow ground rules, communicate schedule conflicts in advance, gain community service hours for time on the Youth Advisory Council during meetings and additional activities and be recognized by BCHD’s publicly elected Board of Directors. Additional office hours and brainstorming sessions with staff may also be available.
  • Students applying for leadership positions will go through a virtual interview process. Students selected for a leadership position will attend Leadership Orientation prior to the start of the Youth Advisory Council and attend 3 additional leadership meetings throughout the school year.

In order to apply, the following documents must be completed and submitted:

Youth Advisory Council applications for the 2022-23 school year are now closed.

Youth Advisory Council meetings will be held in person from 6:00-7:30 p.m.

Meetings for the 2022-23 school year are scheduled on the following dates:

  • Oct. 18, 2022
  • Nov. 15, 2022
  • Dec. 13, 2022
  • Jan. 17, 2023
  • Feb. 28, 2023
  • Mar. 21, 2023
  • Apr. 18, 2023
  • May 23, 2023

*If schools return to in-person learning we may resume in-person meetings guided by all CDC protocol.

For questions, please contact Emory Chen, Youth Services Manager, at emory.chen@bchd.org and Cindy Carcamo, Youth Services Associate, at cindy.carcamo@bchd.org.

For more opportunities to get involved at BCHD, please browse our current volunteer service opportunities and complete an application. For additional information, please email volunteers@bchd.org or call 310-374-3426 ext. 8246.

    Watch the Youth Advisory Council give advice to parents
    Watch the winning video from Mental Health Awareness Week at Mira Costa High School
    Learn about the Youth Advisory Council's Substance Use Campaigns #EscapeTheVape and Don’t Drink, Rethink

     

    COVID-19 Health & Safety Posters created by students from BCHD’s Youth Advisory Council

    COVID-19 Health & Guidance Videos created by students from BCHD's Youth Advisory Council