Composition
The composition of the Youth Advisory Committee shall consist of 14 voting members, as outlined below:

• 2-3 youth participating in Parks and Recreation Youth Services programs.
• 2-3 representatives from the youth population (15 – 18 years) attending schools within our City. (e.g. Terry Fox, Riverside, Archbishop Carney, Ecole Des Pionniers, British Columbia Christian Academy)
• 4-5 service providers from (but not limited to) the following categories:  Youth Pastors, Crime Prevention-RCMP, Fraser Health, Education, Social Services, BIA (business/employment), School Board, Share Family and Community Services
• 2 adult members at large
• 2 youth members at large

Membership Selection and Committee Composition
All, members at large, shall be residents of the City of Port Coquitlam.  Selected Service providers will bring their expertise and act in the best interests of the City of Port Coquitlam.

Having a full range of relevant perspectives through broad community representation on the committee will bring credibility, resources and profile to the group. 

Care will be taken in formulating the Committee composition to ensure participation by a range of diversity in the area of gender, ethnicity, abilities and interest.

Appointment and Term
The City shall recruit, members at large, through an application process.   Service members will be solicited to the YAC.  Parks and Recreation Department staff shall review applicants and submit recommendations to the Parks and Recreation Committee.  The Parks and Recreation Committee shall determine and endorse final Advisory Committee membership to be forwarded to the Mayor for appointment as part of the Annual Inaugural Appointment process.

Timing of the selection process, of members, shall coincide with the annual Committee appointments by the Mayor and shall be effective beginning in January of each year; for two years.

Unassigned or vacant seats can be filled throughout the year.  The person appointed to fill a seat shall retain the seat for the remainder of the term and seats shall be filled as per the above outlined selection process and term of appointment as indicated below.   The Parks and Recreation Committee shall have the authority to approve mid-term appointments.

Members shall elect from among their ranks a Chair. The term of this position shall be one year and be held by a youth member.  A Chair shall serve no more than two consecutive one-year terms in that capacity.

In the event of the Chair’s absence at any given meeting an Acting Chair (youth or adult) shall assume this role through a pre-set schedule of monthly rotations as determined by the Committee.

Members may stand for re-appointment at the conclusion of their term and may serve for a maximum of two consecutive terms.

However, after at least one year off the Committee, a past member may reapply for consideration for re-appointment.

Duties and Responsibilities
The Youth Advisory Committee (referred to as YAC) shall be an on-going advisory committee of the City, reporting to the Parks and Recreation Committee.  It shall function in an advisory, rather than an operational capacity.

The YAC shall consist of a cross section of youth and adults with a genuine interest in youth issues relating to recreation, and will represent the diversity and diverse interests of youth of middle and high school age (15 -18 years).

• Help to create local leadership for youth.
• Build upon the community development philosophy by assisting in the creation of a Parks and Recreation Youth Services Strategy that will assist the Parks and Recreation Department in its efforts to fill its mandate.
• Advise on community issues and projects.

Context
The Parks and Recreation Youth Services Strategy will provide the context for the work of the YAC. 

The Parks and Recreation Youth Services Strategy will focus on using recreation as a tool to work with youth to be positive contributors to our society, playing a significant role in the ongoing development of our city.

• To assist the City with a consistent and meaningful application of the Parks and Recreation Youth Services Strategy, as well as with other relevant City business as may arise.
• To ensure full communication and cooperation with other related groups.
• To encourage collaboration among stakeholders within the community.
• To ensure that a broad range of choices, options or solutions is considered.
• To increase public awareness and understanding of the vision and guiding principles as outlined in the Parks and Recreation Youth Services Strategy.

• Participate in setting annual objectives as they pertain to the Parks and Recreation Youth Services Strategy.
• ssist in monitoring the implementation and impact of the Parks and Recreation Youth Services Strategy.
• Participate in the regular review and analysis of the Parks and Recreation Youth Services Strategy.
• Provide input on specific matters referred to the YAC.
• To provide a formal linkage, through joint membership to other community groups as identified in discussion with the City.
• Facilitate on-going dialogue with and among stakeholders through such vehicles as public forums.
• Provide input on community driven program development and partnerships.
• Promote local youth initiatives.
• Support initiatives designed to further an awareness of the Parks and Recreation Youth Services Strategy in the City.
• Assist in identifying gaps or overlaps in City sponsored programs and services that relate to youth.
• Inform the City of relevant concerns, issues, trends, or opportunities, which they consider valuable for the City.

Although projects/items arising from the Parks and Recreation Youth Services Strategy shall be a major area for advisory work, directives will not be limited to this.

Work will be assigned to the YAC by the Parks and Recreation Committee or City Council through the Parks and Recreation Department.  The YAC will also have the opportunity to identify relevant issues for consideration during the course of City planning and developmental procedures.

Procedures

Conflict of Interest
Once appointed Committee members serve the interests of the City and not those of any particular group of which they may be affiliated.

• A Committee member is a director, member or employee of an organization seeking a benefit from the City upon which the Committee will make a recommendation;
• The Committee member has a direct or indirect pecuniary interest in the outcome of Committee deliberations.

• The pecuniary interest of the Committee member is a pecuniary interest in common with members of the municipality in general; or
• The pecuniary interest is so remote or insignificant that it cannot reasonably be regarded as likely to influence the member in relation to the matter.

• Are not entitled to participate in the discussion of the matter or to vote on a question in respect of the matter.
• Must declare to the Committee that a conflict exists and the nature of the conflict; and
• Must be absent themselves from the meeting during consideration of the issue, which the conflict relates.

The member’s declaration of a conflict and their exit from and return to the meeting shall be noted in the minutes.

Members shall maintain at an arms-length position with respect to City funded programs or projects.  To this end, any presentations to the Advisory Committee shall be done through City staff.

Code of Conduct
In the course undertaking Committee business members shall be mindful of the need to conduct themselves with appropriate decorum and in a manner that is neither confrontational nor disruptive in nature. 

The City is committed to providing a safe, healthy and rewarding Committee business environment, one in which all persons are treated with dignity and respect.  Any form of discrimination and harassment prohibited by the BC Human Rights Code will not be tolerated.

Unless otherwise authorized by Council, members shall not represent the City or act as a spokesperson for the City in public generally and specifically to the media.

Committee members shall adhere to City by-laws, policies and operational procedures in conducting Committee business.

Meeting Procedures
The Chair shall set a regular monthly meeting schedule agreed to by the YAC members and may also call additional special meetings on an as required basis.  The YAC can also be called to meet by request of the Parks and Recreation Committee or Department.

No regular meetings of the YAC will be scheduled in the months of August or December.

All meetings will be held in open session and in a location accessible to the public.

Unless otherwise authorized by the Committee, the public shall only address the Committee when they are a scheduled delegation on the Committee agenda.

A quorum of one-half plus one member shall be required for the transaction of business and will follow the protocol of Robert Rules of Order.

The order of business is to be set out in an agenda to be provided to the Committee members in advance of the meeting date.  Minutes shall be recorded in accordance with the City of Port Coquitlam’s procedures and guidelines.  Signed copies will be forwarded to the Parks and Recreation Committee, City Administration, and Office of the Mayor.

Duties of The Chair
The Chair shall preside at all meetings of the Committee and provide instructions to all Sub-Committee Task Force Chairs.  The Chair shall set meeting agendas in consultation with the Parks and Recreation Committee and Department through an ex-officio staff member of the Committee. 

The Chair, or designate, shall act as the duly appointed YAC Advisor to the Parks and Recreation Committee and be responsible for reporting to the Parks and Recreation Committee on behalf of the YAC.

Task Forces
The Committee may create such Task Forces as the business of the Committee may require on an as-need basis, each of which shall exist for such period of time and perform such duties as the Committee may determine.

The Chair of a Task Force shall be a member of the Committee and at least one other Committee member is required to sit on each Task Force.  Recruitment and selection of additional Task Force members is at the discretion of the Committee.

Orientation/Training
New members shall receive an orientation to the business practices of the Committee, facilitated by an ex-officio City staff member.   Each member shall receive a manual consisting of the YAC Terms of Reference, past year Committee minutes, Parks and Recreation Youth Services Strategy.

Compensation
Membership on the YAC is voluntary.  Members shall serve without compensation.  However, members shall be reimbursed for expenses incurred in carrying out the duties of the Committee provided that such expenditures have received pre-approval at the discretion of the City staff ex-officio Committee member.  Such expenses shall be funded through the Parks and Recreation Department budget.

Termination
At any time the Parks and Recreation Committee may remove any member of the YAC.  A majority of the YAC may also request that any member be removed by the Parks and Recreation Committee at any time.

Any YAC member who is absent from three (3) consecutive regular meetings without leave of absence from the YAC or without reason satisfactory to the YAC shall forthwith cease to be a member of the YAC and the Parks and Recreation Committee shall be advised.

Advisory Committee members may resign at any time with one month’s written notice submitted to the Parks and Recreation Committee, copied to the Chair of the YAC, the staff ex-officio, and the City Clerk.

Decision Making
The objective is to reach a consensual position if feasible.  Following full discussion in an effort to reach consensus members of the Committee shall verify their positions through a voting process.

Each Committee member shall be entitled to one vote, with the exception of non-voting ex-officio members.  Approval of any matter requires an affirmative vote from the majority of the members present.

In the event that a consensus cannot be achieved the names of dissenters will be recorded.

Decisions and recommendations of the Committee must be adopted by Committee resolution prior to presentation to the Parks and Recreation Committee.

Staff Support
The City shall provide staff support to the Committee as follows: 

• The ex-officio City staff member(s) of the Committee will facilitate the exchange of information and ideas, functioning as a liaison to the Committee.
• Administrative functions will be limited to:
  • preparing agendas in conjunction with the Committee Chair and staff ex-officio member
  • forwarding agenda to City Clerk’s office for posting as a public notice
  • recording and preparing meeting minutes
  • distributing agendas and minutes 
  • receiving and preparing correspondence for the Committee
  • preparing reports on behalf of the Committee in conjunction with the Committee Chair and staff ex-officio member
  • managing the files of the Committee
  • maintaining a list of outstanding issues for Committee action
  • securing a rooms/space for Committee meetings

The Committee shall not have the authority to assign tasks to designated City staff, however staff committee member(s) will work cooperatively with the Committee and assume related duties as directed by the Parks and Recreation Department or Committee.

Amendment of Terms of Reference
These terms of reference shall be reviewed by the Committee as necessary and may be amended at any time by the YAC with the endorsement of the Parks and Recreation Committee provided that the amendments are limited to implementation process or clarification of intent. 

If, however, changes fundamental to the purpose or direction of the YAC are required, approval of City Council is required.