On November 13, 2024, Governor Maura Healey hosted the first-ever Youth Advisory Council Summit to engage young leaders on key priority areas established by members of the Council, including education, mental health, youth violence and health care. The Governor plans to hold this Summit annually.

“Since swearing the Council in, these young people have been hard at work. They’ve showed incredible leadership, and they’ve made it a priority to engage with each other about the issues that matter most to them,” said Governor Healey. “Each of them recognize that the decisions we make today will have a significant impact on their futures, and our administration is committed to working with them to address their concerns. While we work to ensure Massachusetts remains a state they can grow and thrive in, we’re excited to welcome these young people to the State House and open the door to conversations about their futures.”

“This generation is facing unprecedented and unique challenges, but today we saw young people gather together to make sure their voices are heard as we work to tackle those issues,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “This Summit has brought a fresh perspective to our administration, and we’re thrilled to welcome them to the State House.”

Since its establishment through an Executive Order in March, the Council has held three virtual listening session and collected hundreds of surveys to hear from about members’ issues of concern and how the Healey-Driscoll Administration could support their needs. The Summit invites youth from across the state to share their ideas.

The Council is made up of 60 young people who advise the Governor, Lieutenant Governor and the entire administration on critical issues impacting Massachusetts, such as civic engagement, education, climate, housing, mental health and youth violence. All members are appointed for a two-year term. The Youth Advisory Council has geographic, racial and gender diversity, and includes members of the LGBTQ+ community. In total, members speak 14 different languages.