This year, the members of the UCSD Youth Advisory Council are working to engage and inspire youth at this year’s 9th Annual Childhood Obesity Conference here in San Diego. Our members believe that having a strong youth presence at the conference is important so that their voices are heard in discussions on health issues that directly affect them and their communities. Part of this conference planning process has included developing a Statewide Youth Advisory Board so that youth from both San Diego and throughout the rest of California can contribute their ideas and experiences and shape the conference into a positive and productive experience for all.
The YAC and Statewide Youth Advisory Board worked to incorporate several different youth elements at this conference, including live poetry, poster presentations, a youth lounge, panel and roundtable discussions, and other events and performances throughout the conference. See the conference’s website to read more about YAC and statewide work in this endeavor.
In addition to conference planning, our youth have promoted the Childhood Obesity Conference and their reasons for attending it through social media posts on Facebook, twitter, and Instagram, using the hashtag #COC17. Preparing for the conference has provided a valuable learning experience in terms of advocacy, leadership, organization, and teamwork to all the youth involved and we expect that the results of their hard work will pay off for the conference in late May.
