Our youth advisory council (the Youth council) builds on the capacity of young people to improve child and youth mental health and addictions services across Ontario by speaking to, and acting on, issues that impact or are important to young people. The Youth council reflects our commitment to meaningful youth engagement; we rely on young people's perspectives as well as integral input, expertise and guidance to ensure our policies, approaches, initiatives and other work are responsive to the evolving needs of young people.

We’re recruiting! 

This summer, we are recruiting six new members for our youth advisory council – a space where the voices of young people are amplified through consultation and contributions on our work at the Knowledge Institute to improve the child and youth mental health and addictions sector in Ontario.

Apply now

Here at the Knowledge Institute, we recognize that when it comes to child and youth mental health, addictions, and substance use, young people bring varied perspectives, insights and valuable lived experiences. Our Youth Advisory Council is composed of approximately a dozen youth from the province of Ontario. Young people’s locations can vary from rural towns, Northern communities, and urban settings. Each member of our council is passionate about speaking up, collaborating and voicing the need for action on topics that resonate with them.

We are looking for young people ages 18 - 25 across Ontario who:
  • have lived or living experience with mental health or substance use and addictions challenges 

  • have experience navigating the mental health and substance use system within Ontario 

  • are interested in bridging their personal advocacy skills into system-level change 

  • are interested in developing leadership skills 

  • are ambassadors for system-level change in the child and youth mental health and substance use sector 

  • are interested in fostering a supportive environment where young people can share and amplify each other's voices 

Member responsibilities include:
  • attending monthly virtual meetings on the third Thursday of the month from 6-8pm  

  • attending one in-person meeting per year (costs covered, in Ottawa, over the weekend)

  • advising on Knowledge Institute projects, activities and co-developing resources within the child and youth mental health and substance use space

  • involvement in Knowledge Institute work external to the council (e.g. research projects, toolkits, conference presentations, evaluation methods, feedback mechanisms, reports, strategic planning)

Member will receive:
  • honoraria for each meeting, in recognition of their time and contributions 

  • a peer-support facilitation model where youth advisors aged 20-29 co-lead the council and support members 

  • a collective agreement on safe(r) space principles including the use of pronouns, boundary setting, transparent agendas, participation opt-outs, ongoing feedback opportunities and icebreakers 

  • clinical support via an on-call counsellor during meetings 

Application details:

  • TO APPLY: Please fill out this form with 12 multiple choice questions and 1 statement of interest.

  • Applications open on July 8th, 2025, and close at 5 p.m. on August 4th, 2025.

  • Youth Advisory Council term will begin September 2025. 

  • For any questions about the application process, please reach out to our Youth Engagement Specialist, Lilli Green.

Application tips and information:
  • A resume is not required. Instead, we request a brief statement of interest that summarizes your experience and interest in being a member of the Youth Advisory Council. 

  • All applications will be reviewed - we want to meet you!! It is highly likely that everyone who applies will receive an opportunity to interview.

  • All applicants will be notified when the application form closes and when the interview process begins.

Meet the Youth council

The Youth council consists of about a dozen diverse young people from across the province.

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Alisha Haseeb

Alisha is a Bachelor of Health Sciences candidate at McMaster University and a research assistant at the Oxford Centre for Child Studies. She is interested in understanding how contextual factors influence help-seeking behaviour and access to mental healthcare services for young people. As a member of the Youth council, Alisha aims to cultivate inclusive discourse on mental health and foster a culture of collaboration and shared learning. In her free time, she enjoys walking trails and exploring new areas of the city.

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Alissa Perez

Alissa is studying Health Sciences Queens University. With a keen understanding that mental health can’t be measured solely through numbers, she’s committed to using her own experiences and journey to help improve the medical and mental health systems for the next generation of young people, whether that means advocating for specific groups or discussing health disparities with policy makers. Alissa has also served as a youth advisor at CAMH. In her down time, she likes to go on walks with friends.

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Aly Auclair

Aly is from Whitby, now studying psychology at the University of Ottawa. She brings valuable insights into strengths and shortcomings from her own experiences navigating the mental health system in Ontario. Being both a person in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and neurodivergent, Aly is particularly passionate about enhancing the mental health system to better serve all people. They hope to contribute to shaping policies and programs that address the real needs of young people. Outside of this work, Aly enjoys curling up with a good book or going on a long walk.

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Camille Alary

Camille is studying Neuroscience and Mental Health at Carleton University and hopes to pursue further studies in medicine. Her own lived experiences with mental health sparked her interest in advocacy and desire to inspire positive changes for the challenges young people face during transitional years. Camille is also a Youth Facilitator with Youth Net, passionate about promoting coping strategies and fostering a safe environment for young people. In her free time, she enjoys spending time outside with her cats and family. 

Portrait of Hajar Seiyad

Hajar Seiyad

Hajar is completing a Master of Public Health degree at Brock University. She is an avid qualitative researcher involved in initiatives focused on subjective well-being, patient-centered practice and policy, health equity, and knowledge mobilization. Her interests lie at the intersection of mental health and youth advocacy. Hajar is dedicated to co-creating opportunities by young people and for young people, as well as recognizing lived experiences as a form of expertise.

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Kai Flicker

Kai is a psychology student at the University of Ottawa and previously worked as a support worker at an overnight shelter for the at-risk and unhoused and as the youth engagement facilitator for Children’s Mental Health of Leeds and Grenville. Kai leans on their lived experience as a Japanese and transmasculine person to advocate for young people experiencing a lack of cultural competency and to raise awareness for queer inclusion in mental health services. He also has a creative side – he used to teach origami classes at a daycare.

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Em Girard

Em is studying Health Psychology at Carleton University and hopes to become a clinical child psychologist. Their interests include pediatric psychopathology, neurodevelopmental disorders and 2SLGBTQIA+ psychology. Em currently works at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and volunteers for Girls Guides of Canada, as well as in pediatric emergency research at CHEO. Em is passionate about reducing barriers for marginalized communities to access psychological services and promoting pediatric psychological research. For fun, Em enjoys exploring local markets and going to concerts.

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Maryam Felfel

Maryam has been a member of the youth advisory council since 2022.

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Ozzy Amini

Ozzy has been a member of the youth advisory council since 2024.

Portrait of Robert Chin-See

Robert Chin-See

Robert completed a Bachelor of Health Science, an experience that gave him a vested interest in public health under an intersectional lens and a keen understanding of the social determinants of health. He believes that the voices of children and young people should be heard and prioritized in discussions of health and well-being. Based in Brampton, Robert now works as a community-based research coordinator for multiple projects. In his free time, he’s trying to write a sci-fi novel and develop a comic.

Portrait of Samarah Maqbool

Samarah Maqbool

Samarah is studying biochemistry at McMaster University. Her passion for youth mental health stems from the acknowledgement that all are impacted by mental health challenges on different levels and that her personal experiences are different from those of others. She is particularly cognizant of how solutions vary from community to community. In her down time, Samarah has recently gotten into sewing skirts and enjoys exploring new places.

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Sophia Chail-Teves

Sophia is currently pursuing her degree at the University of Western Ontario and is committed to supporting young people and creating inclusive spaces through her involvement in various committees and initiatives. She is a passionate advocate for mental health, community engagement, and inclusive leadership.  Sophia has a strong foundation in strategic communication and event coordination, and drives impactful change across education, health and community development, fostering meaningful connections and positive outcomes for diverse communities.

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Sabriya Haider

Sabriya is in the Honours Life Science program at McMaster University and has experience in the child and youth mental health sector ranging from advocacy to research to program facilitation. All of this has shaped her perspective on the need for accessible, evidence-based, youth-centered and trauma-informed approaches to care, as well as spaces where young people feel heard and supported. She values being one of many voices helping influence policy and sharing knowledge. Sabriya also has a deep love for painting and enjoys experimenting with different techniques in her free time.

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Tuba Buyuktepe
Tuba has been a member of the youth advisory council since 2024.