The Youth Advisory Council (YAC) is a virtual, asynchronous, Discord-based council consisting of LGBTQ+ teens ages 13-18. The YAC started as a part of T3 to inform intervention development and program implementation, but has since expanded to inform all Teen Health Lab projects and beyond! Our goal in maintaining and expanding the YAC is to amplify LGBTQ+ teen voices in research! This population has historically been disregarded in research despite studies demonstrating the immense value that comes with collaborating with minority youth to inform research efforts meant to help them. YAC members answer weekly questions and complete other activities related to sexual health, mental health, recruitment methods, and so on, to inform LGBTQ+ youth research.
Soon, the YAC will also partake in a substudy led by Will Liem – this project aims to create a queer-affirming AI tool that provides accurate and inclusive sexual health information for and with LGBTQ+ teens. By co-designing the tool with the YAC, we will ensure that it reflects their lived experiences and values. Additionally, we will develop an AI literacy toolkit to help teens safely navigate AI-generated content and identify potential biases.
Interested in joining the YAC? Check out our Participate in a Study page to learn more!
