This first official meeting is where you will lay the foundation for an inclusive, productive, and sustainable Young Adult Advisory Board. The first meeting should be geared around orienting members, learning objectives, shared values, and expectations. There are a few things your first meeting needs to include:

• Introductions: Introduce yourself and the organization to the members of the YAB and allow each YAB member to introduce themselves.
• Ice breaker: This is a fun way to get people talking and engaged, without putting pressure on anyone.
• Creating a Comfort Clause or Group Guidelines: This allows the group a chance to build a community together.
• Goal Setting: As a group, you should work together to define what your YAB’s goals are (e.g., provide feedback on research and services, and create a space where young adults feel comfortable sharing their perspectives).

Example Ice Breaker

Example Comfort Clause

Your group guidelines should include rules for virtual meeting participation.

For Example: 

Our YAB members are expected to turn their cameras on (whenever possible) and to mute their microphones when not talking. YAB members use the Zoom “Raise Hand” function to indicate when they would like to speak or have a question. They can also use the meeting chat to write questions or provide feedback.

Download our Top Tips for running a Virtual Advisory Board Tip Sheet