The BC Consortium for Youth Health was launched earlier this year, creating a promising new format for research and action on adolescent health issues. The Consortium membership includes about two dozen individuals representing the province’s four universities, the provincial ministries of Health and Children & Family Development, plus the Children’s Commission, the Provincial Medical Health Officer, and The McCreary Centre Society. Roger Tonkin, Chair of the Board of McCreary, serves as the group’s Chair.
Key objectives of the Consortium include:Bringing together individuals from a variety of perspectives is intended to promote new opportunities for research, improved professional training, and more effective policies and services for adolescents. The consortium will fill a critical gap between academic study and service delivery. It also will position BC institutions to take advantage of new funding opportunities, to influence future developments and to emerge as a national leader in youth health.
The consortium’s work is supported by contributions from Children’s Hospital Foundation, Ministry of Children & Family Development, Canadian Institute for Health Research, Canadian Rural Partnership, Youth in Society Project, and inkind support from University of Victoria, The McCreary Centre Society, and Simon Fraser University.
The Consortium has established four initial areas of focus: research, training, innovation, and youth participation. This November, the Consortium is convening an invitational forum on youth health in BC to discuss these focus areas and plan for future development. Titled “Youth on the Agenda,” the forum will be attended by about 100 people from across the province. The forum is designed to help the group set priorities and establish an action plan for ensuring a proper place for youth in policy, legislation and service delivery.
McCreary Centre Society