Ottawa Youth Engagement Committee (OYEC)
The Ottawa Youth Engagement Committee (OYEC) consists of youth working in partnership with the City of Ottawa to inform decisions and actions that help make our city a better, safer, and more equal place for all youth.
Making a one year commitment to be part of the committee, youth attend monthly meetings and work to form Yearly Action Plans (YAPs) based on consultations with hundreds of youth from Ottawa. The goal of this program is to assure that youth are valued stakeholders in our municipality and to amplify the voices of the diverse communities of youth in Ottawa, in action and through representation.
OYEC has consulted with dozens of City Departments, advocated for the lower-income bus pass and more racial/cultural sensitivity training for City Staff, and developed initiatives such a Mayor for a Day and Councillors in Civics Classes.
The three core mandates of the group consist of:
- Educating youth on municipal functions of government
- Bringing youth voices to municipal decision making
- Enabling sustainable youth engagement on issues that are important to young people
Watch our Intro Webinar!
Currently Recruiting New Members!
OYEC is currently looking for applications from youth (15-24) to join the committee as both;
1. Youth Leaders
Youth Leaders meet monthly to discuss various topics with community leaders and City officials. Applicants are selected for these positions, as there is limited space and a priority to ensure there is diverse representation within the group.
2. OYEC Network Members
Joining OYEC as a member of the Network means you will be connecting with thousands of Ottawa youth, learning about opportunities, providing your opinion through regularly polling, being invited to special events and invitations to contribute to specific subcommittees of OYEC.
Upcoming Events:
What has OYEC worked on
Here are just a few of OYEC’s accomplishments representing youth at the City level in recent years.
Affordable Transit:
OYEC organized meetings along with many other advocacy groups to encourage OC Transpo to implement a low-income bus pass (the EquiPass), which was passed by Council at half the cost of a regular monthly pass. It was implemented in 2017.
Youth & the Municipal Government:
In 2018, in collaboration with Mayor Watson's office, OYEC launched Mayor for a Day. Over 90 high school students submitted an application listing three changes they would make to the City of Ottawa, and two high school students won the opportunity to shadow Mayor Watson and his staff for a day.
Relationships:
OYEC has encouraged Councillor meetings with students regarding issues that matter to youth. In the fall/winter of 2018-2019, we'll be piloting our Councillors in Civics Program: a toolkit for teachers & Councillors to better facilitate and guide Councillor visits to Grade 10 Civics classes.
Environment:
At the request of the Environmental Services Department, OYEC consulted with over 50 students and teachers to understand issues with the Composting in Schools Program. Members compiled a report with recommendations, many of which were implemented in September 2018.
OYEC successfully negotiated with the City to pilot the inclusion of recycling bins in parks. Four parks across the city will have recycling bins in 2017, with more to come!
Communications:
The Youth Portal section of Ottawa.ca launched through input of OYEC. Corporate Communications consulted with OYEC to improve social media outreach to youth.
If you are between the ages of 15-25, want to gain experience and be involved in City Hall and are passionate about community involvement, politics and youth empowerment, then this is the opportunity for you.
For any questions, please contact the OYEC coordinator at [email protected]
OYEC in Action
The Ottawa Youth Engagement Committee was created in 2015 as a partnership between Youth Ottawa and the City of Ottawa to involve youth in the municipal government.
Discover more on how this group of 20 youth are working on a range of projects from; increasing consultations with city departments, launching the 2019 Mayor for a Day contest, developing Councillors in Civics classes lesson plans, and organizing a Sexual Health Education Summit for fall 2019. Click here to read more.
Successfully connected youth and municipal decision-makers launching and developing 2 new initiatives, Councillors in Civics classes, Mayor for a Day and youth consultations.
"OYEC was an amazing experience on many levels. It gave me a unique opportunity to meet with City staff and be involved in talks about major campaigns involving youth."
-Ottawa Youth Engagement Committee (OYEC)
"I enjoyed the opportunity to engage with a group of driven, principled youth from diverse backgrounds, as well as the face time with various City of Ottawa agents and liaisons."
-Ottawa Youth Engagement Committee (OYEC)
about community involvement, politics, and youth empowerment.
