TAMRMS#: B06
8.1
REQUEST FOR DECISION
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Youth Advisory Committee Recommendation: Civic Agency Intake
Presented by: Councillor Joly
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RECOMMENDED MOTION(S)
recommendation
That the term for the Youth Advisory Committee members be changed from January to December, to September to August, with the recruitment and interviews conducted in the spring instead of the fall.
ADMINISTRATION’S RECOMMENDED MOTION
That Administration be directed to explore conducting a spring intake for all civic agencies instead of during the fall and return with an update to Standing Committee of the Whole in Q1 2025.
[See Alternative 1 below for further information].
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SUMMARY
The Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) proposes shifting its term for Committee members to September-August (instead of January-December) in order to align with the school year. This change addresses the challenges youth face with fluctuating schedules, especially when transitioning to post-secondary education in the fall, and/or managing multiple responsibilities. The feedback from the YAC is that they anticipate this shift would reduce disruptions, such as missed meetings, removals from the committee, lack of quorum, and maintain momentum for ongoing projects.
ALIGNMENT TO COUNCIL DIRECTION OR MANDATORY STATUTORY PROVISION
N/A
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
The Youth Advisory Committee is proposing a change to its current term structure, moving from a January-to-December schedule to one that aligns with the school year (September to August). This adjustment recognizes that youth schedules naturally revolve around the school year, encompassing responsibilities such as work, volunteering, education (both secondary and post-secondary), extracurricular activities, and personal commitments. By aligning the term with the school year, the YAC is of the opinion that youth volunteers can be better supported in balancing these obligations and maximizing their engagement with the YAC.
The January-to-December term poses significant challenges for YAC members. The transition to post-secondary education for most of our committee members in September often leaves some of them navigating increased responsibilities during the final months of their school term, diminishing their ability to participate fully. With December marking the end of the term, many volunteers face competing priorities, such as end-of-term projects and exams, which further impact attendance and contribution levels.
The timing of fall recruitment also adds to these challenges. Onboarding new members in the fall occurs during one of the busiest periods for youth, as they manage new-school-year commitments like extracurriculars and part-time jobs. This strain was evident in the 2024 recruitment cycle, which saw only four applicants. These factors result in reduced momentum and fewer opportunities for members to meaningfully contribute throughout their term.
Attendance trends for YAC members over the past two years highlight these challenges. Participation consistently drops during the final quarter of the calendar year, with increased resignations, removals due to unexcused absences, and frequent failures to meet quorum. Since September 2024, the YAC has failed to meet quorum once, received two resignations, and had one removal. Similar patterns were observed in 2023, when quorum was not met in both October and December. These disruptions undermine the committee’s ability to carry out projects effectively and maintain continuity.
Aligning the committee term with the school year offers a practical solution to these ongoing challenges. A September start provides a stable entry point, allowing members to integrate their roles as committee members into their schedules when responsibilities are more predictable. Youth often have clarity about their fall commitments in the late spring or early summer, making it easier to balance committee duties with other priorities.
This shift also mitigates attendance issues and ensures greater consistency. By aligning the term with the school year, the committee can maintain momentum and avoid disruptions due to poor attendance.
Adopting a school-year-aligned term is a thoughtful adjustment that prioritizes the needs of youth volunteers.
STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS OR ENGAGEMENT
N/A
IMPACTS OF RECOMMENDATION(S)
Financial:
None at this time.
Compliance & Legal:
None at this time.
Program or Service:
If intake for the Youth Advisory Committee is completed in the spring, and all else remains equal, this would require two separate intakes for civic agency recruitment: one in the spring for the Youth Advisory Committee, and another in the fall for all other Council Committees/Boards.
Organizational:
This process would impact various departments within the City, as the Civic Agency Intake has many different facets attached to it i.e.; advertising, reviewing applications to complete the matrices to prepare for Council interviews. Additionally, Council members would be required to be available for civic agency interviews in both spring and fall.
Risks
Operational - If Council chooses not to amend the YAC request, there is a risk that the committee will continue to fail to meet quorum, potentially leading to its dissolution due to insufficient participation.
ALIGNMENT TO PRIORITIES IN COUNCIL’S STRATEGIC PLAN
None at this time
ALIGNMENT TO SERVICE DELIVERY
I.3.2 Council Committees;
I.3.2.b Council Members Appointments;
I.3.2.c Recruitment of Public Members;
IMPACTS OF ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
ALTERNATIVE 1: Council could direct administration to explore conducting a spring intake for all civic agencies in the fall by bringing forward the following recommendation as stated above as “Administration’s Recommended Motion”:
That Administration be directed to explore conducting a spring intake for all civic agencies instead of during the fall, and return with an update to Standing Committee of the Whole in Q1 2025.
Financial:
None at this time.
Compliance & Legal:
None at this time.
Program or Service:
Following the receipt of the Youth Advisory Committee’s recommendation, Administration conducted a cursory review of impacts of implementing a spring intake, and changed committee membership terms with the staff liaisons of all council committees. It became clear that while a spring intake for all civic agencies may be possible, there may be impacts in terms of bylaw and policy changes, as well as changes to the workflow of some departments which facilitate workflows for council committees. Further analysis is required at this time in order to ensure that all impacts are understood and that the proper changes to bylaws or policies, if required, are able to be recommended.
Organizational:
None at this time.
Risks
None at this time.
ALTERNATIVE 2: Council could direct the Youth Advisory Committee to structure their meetings in alignment with members’ availability without any changes to the membership terms or intake process.
Financial:
None at this time.
Compliance & Legal:
None at this time.
Program or Service:
None at this time.
Organizational:
None at this time.
Risks
None at this time.
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Report Date: December 17, 2024
Author(s): Shannon Piller, Cheryle Wong
Department: Community Services, Legal, Legislative & Records Services
Department Director: Elizabeth Wilkie, Marta Caufield
Managing Director: Diane Enger
Chief Administrative Officer: Bill Fletcher