Youth as Architects of Change: CMHO’s YAC Launches Policy Paper

We’re excited to share CMHO’s Provincial Youth Action Committee (YAC) policy paper: “Build with Us: Youth as Architects of Change – Effective Youth Engagement in the Child and Youth Mental Health Sector.”

This paper is the result of a collaborative journey that began in 2024, bringing together passionate youth advocates, adult allies, and partners across Ontario to tackle the complex challenges facing youth in mental health. Through surveys, focus groups, consultations, and strategic planning, YAC has built a roadmap for authentic youth engagement in the sector.

At a time when youth engagement is widely endorsed but too often inconsistently implemented, this policy paper offers timely, evidence-informed guidance for the sector. It highlights the gap between the intention to engage youth and the lived reality of tokenism, uneven representation, and structural barriers that limit meaningful participation. The findings offer clear, practical direction for agencies looking to strengthen youth-adult collaboration, improve equity in engagement spaces, and ensure that services reflect the voices and experiences of the young people they support.

This policy paper is more than a document; it’s a call to action. Together, we can ensure youth voices are not only heard but embedded in decision-making, shaping a mental health system that truly works for them.

In addition to the policy paper, the YAC will also be releasing an accompanying youth-focused toolkit. This resource is designed to support young people directly by helping them understand their rights as youth leaders, build confidence in engagement spaces, and take on leadership roles within their communities and organizations. The toolkit complements the policy recommendations by ensuring youth have the knowledge the tools they need to participate meaningfully. The toolkit will be released in April, ahead of the CMHO Conference.

This policy paper was written by members of the YAC, a team of passionate youth advocates working in partnership with TNM and CMHO. For their insight, leadership, and commitment to advancing meaningful youth participation across Ontario, we extend our deepest gratitude to the 2025 committee: Arwen Cooke (Co-Chair), Tayyba Khattak (Co-Chair), Dhara Chauhan, Saiorse Hargadon, Ravneet Kaur, Madeleine Kubi, Boluwatife Ogunniyi, Ray (Rayla) Prus, and Arpit Sharma. We would also like to acknowledge the members of the 2024 YAC for their leadership in initiating this topic and shaping this project.

Read the full policy paper [here] and join us in building a future where youth are architects of change.