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The Premier's Council on Youth Opportunities is a permanent, advisory body to government. This advisory council has a membership of 25 youth, young professionals and other community leaders from a variety of cultures, communities and backgrounds.

The council gives advice to the Premier of Ontario and the Minister of Children and Youth Services on issues affecting youth, including how the government can improve programs and services for youth. Council members also talk to youth in their home communities to help government initiatives better reflect the needs of all young people across the province.

“Improving outcomes for youth will only happen if we work together to address the challenges they face growing up in this province. As the council meets and engages with young people across Ontario, we are reminded of the importance of providing advice to shape how the government pursues its priorities. It’s a privilege to be part of this dialogue – I encourage others to take on this challenge too!”
- Muhammad Zaman, Member

“Having diverse young people advise policymaking ensures that we are moving from a place of "respecting diverse voices" - to a place of - " practising active inclusion of diverse voices." Improving outcomes for the most vulnerable youth is the clearest way to investing in a bright future for all Ontarians."
- Zakaria Abdulle, Chair

“It has been such a privilege to be a part of this council helping to amplify the voices of vulnerable, underrepresented youth and giving advice on how the government can more effectively invest in their futures.”
- Shalom Omollo, Member

Learn about council members here.

By joining the Premier’s Council on Youth Opportunities (PCYO), youth can make a difference in the lives of young people across the province.

Council members are involved in:

• providing advice to the Premier of Ontario and the Minister of Children and Youth Services on issues affecting youth
• providing input to the Ontario government on how to improve our programs and services for youth
• talking to youth in their home communities to bring even more voices into government decision-making

To apply to the PCYO, applications are submitted directly to the Public Appointments Secretariat (PAS). To submit an application, a candidate just needs to have their résumé ready and fill out the application form on the PAS website. Youth and young adults over the age of 16 are invited to apply for the PCYO.

Applications are accepted year round. Anyone interested in applying must submit an application by January 19, 2018, to be considered in time for the 2018-2019 PCYO. Applicants selected for interviews will be contacted in February. Only those selected for the Council will be contacted. The 2018-2019 PCYO will begin meeting in April 2018.

If you have any questions about the application process, or would like to contact the council, please email PCYO@ontario.ca.

Step 1: Contact information	Complete your contact information in this section.
Step 2: Selecting the PCYO application form	Find the "Premier’s Council on Youth Opportunities" under the "Agencies" list. Make sure you click "Add Selected Agency". A new box will pop up. In the “Position” drop-box, select "Member (Part-time)" and click "Next Step".
Step 3: Tell us about yourself	Pull out your résumé to help you fill out "Step 3" (two pages). This asks about your education, employment experience and community work. The PAS uses a standard form for all applications, so don’t worry if you don’t have experience in all of these areas. We encourage you to use the "Additional Information:" section to tell us more about yourself. You could tell us why you are interested in the PCYO, what you would bring to the Council, or what you are passionate about. This really helps us to learn more about you and how you might help to amplify the voices of youth in your community!
Step 4: Review and submit	Review your application summary. This is your chance to make any last edits. Once you have reviewed, you can click "Submit". Your application is now complete. You can also print a copy of the form.

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