The Joint Action on Preventing NCDs officially launched its Youth Advisory Group (YAG) in February 2025, marking a significant step in involving young people in public health initiatives across Europe. Following a soft launch of the preliminary group in September 2024 and the following call for applications, the YAG now comprises 32 youth representatives aged 18 to 35 from over 25 European countries.
The YAG is designed to bring diverse perspectives to JA PreventNCD's efforts in reducing the burden of cancer and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs), as well as tackling different risk factors and determinants of health. Members of YAG come from various backgrounds—academic, cultural, linguistic, and social—ensuring a comprehensive approach to health policy development and implementation. Their primary roles include providing youth insights to the work of the project, facilitating connections across work packages, supporting the coordination of the Youth Chapter of JA PreventNCD, and aiding dissemination efforts within their respective youth networks
This initiative underscores JA PreventNCD's commitment to empowering younger generations and integrating their voices into the decision-making processes that shape NCD prevention strategies in Europe. By establishing the YAG, the project aims to foster long-term collaboration, enabling youth to contribute meaningfully to public health policies and interventions.
Meaningfully engaging youth will also foster opportunities for the intergenerational dialogue, improve collaboration between youth and institutions, and ensure the project helps address the needs and wants of young people. JA PreventNCD believes that the sustainability of measures and policies can be increased by taking into account the youth context and, thus, provide a reality-check to the project’s efforts.
The creation of the YAG represents a milestone in JA PreventNCD's mission to address social inequalities and promote health literacy among European populations. By actively involving youth, the organization seeks to ensure that future health policies are inclusive, equitable, and reflective of the diverse needs of communities across Europe.
Please meet our 2025 cohort of the Youth Advisory Group and stay tuned for more to come!
