Youth Health Forum Co-Convenors Guidelines
These guidelines are to be read alongside the YHF
Speakers and Chairperson Guidelines
Purpose of YHF (YHF)
The YHF is an opportunity for hospital and communitybased workers who provide services to young people
and their families to meet, to update knowledge and
skills, to exchange information and to strengthen the
youth health network, in order to provide the best
possible service to our client groups.
YHF Planning meeting
The YHF Organising Committee meets monthly to define
the year’s theme, topics, objectives, target audience and
dates at the YHF planning meeting (normally takes place
at the end of each calendar year). At this meeting, two
co-convenors for each YHF are also appointed from the
Committee according to their area of expertise or
interest.
Occasionally the Committee invites a representative of
an organisation outside of the Committee to be a coconvenor working alongside a convenor appointed from
the Organising Committee. This organisation then
becomes an external co-convenor.
External co-convenor attends YHF Planning monthly
meetings to plan the program for the nominated topic.
Normally program decisions are made within three
meetings.
YHF Program (9am-12.30pm)
Catchy Title: Overarching title
Chairperson: To be nominated
Number of speakers varies (5-6 speakers)
Speaker 1: Introduction/setting the scene
(20mins + 5 mins Q&A)
Speaker 2: theories, policy (ditto)
Speaker 3: models/programs that work (ditto)
Speaker 4: models/programs that work (ditto)
Speaker 5: models/ programs that work (ditto)
Speaker 6: voice of young people (10-20 mins)
Panel discussion: joined by all speakers (30mins)
Co-convenors roles
The Organising Committee will work with the
two co-convenors of each Forum to determine
the focus/ theme of each Forum, identify
appropriate speakers and
an appropriate Chairperson (see YHF
chairperson guidelines for role of
chairperson)and then communicate with these
people as follows:
Co-convenors make initial contact to proposed
speakers and chairperson. Assistance from
other Committee members can be sought
when appropriate.
In the initial contact, co-convenors needs to:
 explain what is required from proposed
speakers and chairperson;
 confirm proposed speakers’ and
chairperson’s availabilities (including staying
for the panel discussion);
 inform the proposed speakers that the
Forum will be video recorded on the day
and a release form will be sent to them later
for their signature and that we require a
copy of any Powerpoint presentation they
may use to put up on NSW Kids and Families
website for people to access
Once availabilities are confirmed, the convenor
is required to:
 obtain and forward the following details
from confirmed speakers and chairperson
to the Youth Health and Wellbeing Team
(YHWT), NSW Kids and Families to finalise
the program for promotional purposes
eg.mailing out.
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Speakers’ title (Prof/Dr/Mr/Ms/Miss)
Full name with correct spelling
Position
Organisation name
Title of presentation (preferably a catchy
one)
 Email address and phone number
 The above information needs to be
confirmed and forwarded to YHWT by at
least 6 weeks prior to YHF).
Upon confirmation of program, YHWT will send a
confirmation email to the chairperson and all speakers
(copied to all co-convenors), this email will include
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Other things you may want to know
Payment to speakers
the program
speakers/chairperson guidelines detailing
information about the Forum format, time and
venue, video consent form, logistics, audio visual
arrangements, handouts, directions etc (see
YHF speakers’ and chairperson’s resources on
NSW Kids and Families website for more
information)
 Co-convenors are to make a courtesy call/ email to
chair and speakers one week prior to the Forum to
ensure that everything is under control.
 External co-convenor is to attend the YHF on the day.
 YHWT will be responsible for evaluating the Forum
and will send a thank you/feedback letter to all
speakers and to the Chairperson.
These guidelines are to be read alongside the YHF
Speakers’ and Chairperson’s Guidelines (on NSW Kids
and Families website).
 The Committee almost always doesn’t
pay for speakers’ time unless they are
young people in which case we always
pay them.
 The rate we pay for young people is
$104 per Forum (according to the
Premier and Cabinet office meeting
sitting fee)
 However, we do pay airfare and
transport cost for speakers from
interstate or rural and regional areas to
speak at the Forum. We only pay for
accommodations when one day travel is
not feasible for example: speakers from
Broken Hill.