The Ministerial Youth Advisory Council (MYAC) is a consultative advisory body comprised of a diverse group of up to 11 young Western Australians aged 15 to 25 who use their voice to speak up on issues that are important to young people.
During their term members develop leadership skills and provide advice to the Minister for Youth on a range of Government initiatives to help improve outcomes for young people across the State.
Co-chairing this cohort, Alessia Maio (22) and Joshua Peckover (21) are passionate about advocating for their peers and believe bringing them into the conversation will have a positive impact on young peoples’ lives.
“Many young people feel as though they do not have a voice, so I am committed to ensuring that their needs and perspectives are heard and addressed effectively,” Alessia Maio said.
“I believe youth voices are crucial in shaping policies and initiatives that directly impact our lives,” she said.
Since MYAC’s 2017 inception, members have provided advice to the Government on topics such as youth unemployment, mental health, education, LGBTIQA+ rights, and more.
Previously, MYAC prepared a paper detailing how the State Government could strengthen support for young people who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer, Asexual, and other diverse sex, sexuality, and gender (LGBTIQA+).
The Government took on board their feedback and provided funding to the Youth Affairs Council of Western Australia (YACWA) to establish an advocacy body for LGBTIQA+ young people in WA. As a result, the Youth Pride Network was created to advocate for LGBTIQA+ young people being fully included, accepted, and celebrated by their communities.
MYAC plays an important role in representing young people across our State so that their thoughts, interests, and perspectives are included during government decision making.
We welcome the below cohort:
- Alessia Maio (Co-chair)
- Joshua Peckover (Co-chair)
- Amani Kariuki
- Henry Bird
- Isabella Choate
- Joshoa Zilani
- Lilijana Nicholls
- Nandini Gera
- Om Sharma
- Takunda Bere
- Kate Monaghan
MYAC members get appointed for a two-year term, with the opportunity for a third-year extension.
