Table of contents

Overview

Students are important partners in our education system and Alberta's government believes student voices should play a role in shaping it.

The Minister's Youth Council gives students opportunities to share input and perspectives on provincial programs and initiatives.

Student engagement initiatives:

  • empower students as leaders of their learning
  • provide opportunities to build positive working relationships with education partners
  • engage students as leaders of change in their communities
  • support leadership development for students at school and community levels
  • honour the capability and capacity of students to engage as authentic education partners

  • Benefits for students

    • Practice and acquire skills for a successful future.
    • Ownership and sense of responsibility for learning and learning environment.
    • Understanding of diverse opinions.
    • Dialogue and negotiation skills.
    • Greater understanding of governance within Alberta’s education system.
    • Increased leadership ability.
    • Role in driving change.
    • New relationships with a diverse group of students and adults.
    • Improved critical thinking, knowledge application and problem solving skills.
    • Develop the skills to become effective participating citizens.

  • Benefits for schools

    • Improved relationships between students, teachers, parents, school leaders and education system leaders.
    • Programming and policies informed by student input.
    • Students take responsibility and ownership of their learning and school community.
    • Supports and promotes a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environment.

  • Benefits to system and province

    • Collaborative relationships with education partners.
    • Access to valuable input provided by students with a diversity of opinions, ideas and lived experiences.
    • Improved decision making with a better understanding of students’ varied needs.
    • A more responsible education system that reflects greater diversity and inclusiveness.

Minister’s Youth Council

The Minister’s Youth Council consists of about 40 junior and senior high students with diverse interests, identities, backgrounds and perspectives from all regions of Alberta. Students on the council provide their perspectives on a number of education topics.

Students are members of the Minister’s Youth Council for a 10-month term that aligns with the school year. During the school year, the council attends three meetings.

Recruitment

Recruitment for the 2022/23 council is now complete.

Each council contains a minimum of 32 new members and a maximum of 8 returning members.

Eligibility

Students in Alberta are able to apply if they meet the following criteria:

  • Junior or senior high school student between the ages of 14 and 19 as of September 1 of that year
  • Able to commit to 3 weekend meetings during the school year in the fall, winter and spring

Factsheet

Minister's Youth Council Fact Sheet

2022/23 Members

Abby Shaver
Chinook’s Edge School Division

Addrita Yousuf
Calgary School Division

Alex Dudek
Edmonton School Division

Amaan Arif
Westmount Charter School Society

Amy McCabe
East Central Alberta Catholic School Division

Amy Xia
Webber Academy Foundation

Anastacia Raniuk
Calgary Roman Catholic School Division

Anna Campmans
Holy Spirit Roman Catholic School Division

Aska Undhad
Fort McMurray School Division

Ava Herbert
Buffalo Trail School Division

Avalina Zenari
Greater St. Albert Roman Catholic Separate School Division

Chantelle Desjardins
Evergreen Catholic Separate School Division

Chase Fredlund
Peace Wapiti School Division

Daisy Hagens
Christ the Redeemer Catholic Separate School Division

Dominique Malenfant Clavel
Southern Francophone Education Region

Eda Kamal
Foundations for the Future Charter Academy

Elliot Savin
Calgary French & International School Society

Hannah Abdo
Edmonton Islamic School Society

Haleema Malik
Fort McMurray School Division

Inayat Kang
STEM Innovation Academy Society

Isaac Mork
West Island College Society of Alberta

Isabel Rennie
Northern Gateway School Division

Jason Derock
Edmonton Catholic Separate School Division

Jeanne Lin
Calgary School Division

Jersey Magtangob
Chinook’s Edge School Division

Jiya Jakher
Calgary School Division

Kaiden Nott
Medicine Hat Roman Catholic Separate School Division

Lakshmi Peddi
Edmonton School Division

Liam Cadieux
Elk Island School Division

Lu Fraser-Suarez
Edmonton School Division

Margaret Wideman-Lyon
Battle River School Division

Mariam Harran
Palliser School Division

Marley Eden Neufeld
Rocky View School Division

Molly Ellis
Christ the Redeemer Catholic Separate School Division

Peter Chao
Calgary School Division

Savannah Mowat
Red Deer School Division

Tetyana Shelevach
Tempo School

Valerie Lehar
Calgary Roman Catholic Separate School Division

Yahvi Gupta
Rundle College Society

Zain Adatia
Calgary School Division

District-level councils

Some school authorities have district-level student councils. These are teams of students who represent the student population from elementary to high school. Usually, the councils work with their school authority leadership and board trustees on educational issues and topics that impact students.

Not only is a district-level student council another opportunity for student engagement, the councils provide meaningful input to school authorities and schools.

District-level councils play different roles depending on the level of engagement students have with system leadership, and on desired outcomes. Councils can:

  • serve an advisory role offering advice to school boards or senior leadership on policies or initiatives
  • help create policy or lead design projects at their schools
  • play a collaborative role with their school authorities by participating in decision-making processes

Regardless of the model or role, the intent is that students are able to provide input on initiatives that impact their educational experiences.

Setting up a council is a collaborative effort requiring support from school authority leaders, school leaders, teachers, parents and students.

Contact

Connect with the Student Engagement Team:

Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Email: [email protected]

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