Ministerial Youth Advisory Council - FAQs

The Ministerial Youth Advisory Council (MYAC) - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
Last updated:

FAQs

What is the MYAC?

MYAC stands for Ministerial Youth Advisory Council. It is made up of a group of diverse young Western Australians, aged 15 to 25, who are passionate about speaking up for young people, and want to have their say on Government policies and current events.

There are 12 members of MYAC, including two co-chairs who take turns to run the meetings.

MYAC meets four to six times a year with the Minister for Youth to talk about issues that are important to young people and to provide feedback on Government policies and plans that impact young people in the State. MYAC is a way that young people can speak directly to the Minister about their experiences and thoughts, and provides an opportunity for the State Government to test ideas with young people and get their feedback.

MYAC is supported by the MYAC Secretariat, who is part of the Department of Communities’ Youth Team. The Secretariat’s role is to provide administrative support to the Minister and MYAC members including by organising meetings and agendas, providing general administration services, and working with the co-chairs to ensure they are supported in their role and that the MYAC can function efficiently.

What do MYAC members do?

MYAC members’ job is to give advice to the Minister on topics that are important to them as young people, or about policies and plans that the State Government is working on.

This advice is based on each members own experiences and their unique perspective as young people.

If you become a MYAC member, you’ll be responsible for:

  • Attending and contributing to meetings, including providing advice, feedback, and perspectives about your lived experience.
  • Making sure you’re prepared for the meetings – there will be some information you’ll need to read or prepare before each meeting.
  • Answering emails from the Department of Communities – sometimes the Department of Communities will email you to get quick feedback on an idea, to plan for a meeting, or to ask for some information.

What do the co-chairs do?

The co-chairs have more responsibility than other MYAC members.

As well as doing what the other MYAC members do, the co-chairs are responsible for:

  • Taking turns to lead each MYAC meeting.
  • Participating in extra planning meetings with the Department of Communities and sometimes with the Minister.
  • Helping to make arrangements or coordinate logistics for MYAC matters, including gathering collective member feedback and views.

What level of communications skills (reading/writing/speaking) is required to be a member? Can I still apply if I have any factors that impact my abilities in these areas? E.g. if English isn’t my first language or if I have a disability or mental illness

MYAC members will need to be fluent enough in English to understand the materials provided for meetings.

As the MYAC is an advisory group, members must be able to participate in meetings and communicate their feedback in some way to the other members, the Minister, and the Secretariat. However, it is important that the MYAC represents the diversity of young people in Western Australia, so we strongly encourage applications from people from different backgrounds and with diverse identities (including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people culturally and linguistically diverse young people; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer/questioning and (LGBTIQA+) young people; young people with a disability, and people from regional areas).

As part of supporting MYAC members, the Secretariat may be able to assist by providing accommodations for members, including providing materials in different formats or offering alternate ways of providing feedback. Members may also be allowed to bring a support person to MYAC meetings if required. Please speak to the Secretariat for more information if you would need a support person to participate, or if you have any other questions about accessibility.

When and where are the meetings held?

There are usually four to six standard meetings of the MYAC each year.

This means, MYAC meetings usually take place every 2 to 3 months, and are generally held on a weeknight, from 5:30 - 7:00pm at Dumas House in West Perth.

If you live outside of Perth, you can also attend meetings online.

Do I need to attend every meeting? And if I miss a meeting, can I provide feedback on the topics some other way?

MYAC members are expected to make every attempt to attend the meetings as part of their role. This is a key aspect of your participation as a MYAC member.

However, we understand that it may not always be possible for members to attend. If you are unable to attend a meeting either in person or online, you will need to advise the MYAC Secretariat as soon as possible.  

If you would like to provide your feedback or thoughts on a meeting topic, but are unable to attend that specific meeting, you can get in touch with the Secretariat or the co-chairs to determine the best way to do this. As the topics and types of feedback needed change each meeting, there is not one set process for providing feedback out of session. However, we strongly encourage members to get in touch to figure out the best plan for providing their feedback if they are unavailable for a meeting.  

If you are unable to attend consecutive meetings or on an ongoing basis, we would discuss with you further to check that you have the capacity and time available to continue on in your role.

Is there a dress code for meetings?

There is no formal dress code for MYAC meetings, however as MYAC is a State Government council, members are required to comply with the public sector Code of Conduct, which states that you must dress neatly and appropriately for the nature of your work and workplace.

If you have any concerns about what is or is not appropriate, you can reach out to the Secretariat.

How long can I be a MYAC member for?

MYAC members get appointed for a two-year period.

After this, members who are still between the ages of 15 and 25, and who want to continue, can be extended for another year. This means you could be a MYAC member for up to three years in total.

If I’m under 25 at the start of my term, but will turn 26 within the two-years, am I allowed to join? Or do I have to be 25 or younger for the whole term?

All members of MYAC must be between the ages of 15 and 25 during their term.

You are allowed to apply and join the MYAC if you are between these ages at the start of your term, however if you turn 26 during your term, you will need to resign from MYAC.

What happens if I need to leave before my two year term is up?

While we hope MYAC members will stay for their full term, we understand that situations change, and members may need to leave before their term is up.

If you find that you are no longer in a position to be a member, can no longer devote the required amount of time to the MYAC, or your circumstances change so that you are ineligible (e.g., if you move away from Western Australia, or if you turn 26), you can resign from the MYAC before your term is over.

Do members get paid?

Yes, MYAC members receive payment (sitting fees) for attendance at up to six general MYAC meetings annually.

The current payment rates are:

Chair: $385 per part day meeting of less than four hours; and $593 per full day meeting of four hours or more.

Member: $251 per part day meeting of less than four hours; and $385 per full day meeting of four hours or more.

These payments are for member attendance at general meetings and include recognition of the member’s out-of-session contributions. For example, out-of-session contributions may include undertaking research, reading MYAC agendas/papers, communicating with the MYAC Secretariat and attending other MYAC related meetings.

Who can apply to be on the MYAC?

There are three main requirements for MYAC applicants, you need to be:
  • Aged between 15 and 25 years old (as of 1 July 2024, when your term would commence)
  • Live in Western Australia
  • Passionate about representing young people, be interested in making a difference and want to make your voice heard!

What happens when I apply?

There is a group of people (known as a selection panel) who will review the applications and choose young people to progress to interviews.

If you are chosen for an interview, the Department of Communities will get in touch and let you know the interview date and time. At the interviews, the selection panel will ask some questions to get to know you a bit more. They’ll also ask if you’re interested in being one of the co-chairs or a regular member.

After interviews, the selection panel will choose 12 young people to recommend to the Minister to be appointed as MYAC members and will choose some young people to be appointed to the reserve list. Young people on the reserve list will be on standby for three years in case a position becomes available on the MYAC. The Minister and Government will then consider these recommendations and then make a decision on membership.

Government processes can take time, so it will be a while between applications closing and new MYAC members officially being appointed.

Unsuccessful applicants will be notified by the Department of Communities as soon as is possible. Please reach out if you need any assistance with applying or need any accommodations during the interview and selection process.

See also

Ministerial Youth Advisory Council main page