Youth Advisory Board Meetings

When:
Advisory Board meetings will occur after-school from 5:00 - 7:00 PM. The Advisory Board meets multiple times per year, generally in the Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer of each school year.

Where:
All Advisory Board meetings will take place at the Center's office at RAND in Santa Monica.

UCLA/RAND Prevention Research Center
1776 Main Street
Santa Monica, CA 90407

Food and refreshments will be provided at every meeting.

What:
What will happen during each Advisory Board meeting? Each meeting is made up of 2 main sections, (1) leadership skill development, and (2) a "real life" advisory case example. The Center will also sponsor one special event or fun activity per year for Advisory Board members to increase team-building efforts among members in a safe, entertaining setting. This event may take place at the end of a regularly scheduled meeting or on a weekend.

Leadership Skill Development

The leadership skill development section of Youth Advisory Board meetings is an opportunity for members to learn public presentation and interviewing skills, decision-making skills, organizing skills, community research and advocacy skills, through structured activities. Members will participate in activities to strengthen specific leadership skills. All members will be exposed to methods of strengthening these skills, however there will be groups or committees comprised of several Advisory Board members that will focus on learning in detail a specific content area (i.e., public presentation, advocacy skills, community research) throughout the year. Other possible activities include: learning to create a resume, exploring post-high school options, completing college applications, and using the Internet.

"Real Life" Advisory Example

Youth Advisory Board members are expected to use their newly developed skills and their own life experiences to contribute to a "real life" research issue. Teens will provide feedback on surveys, focus group protocols, interventions, and methodology (e.g., youth perspectives regarding the feasibility of procedures, recruitment and outreach strategies, etc). They will also advise us on numerous projects and activities and help us identify topics to be included in our research agenda.