About Us

CJOYC – Commission de la Jeunesse d’Ottawa Youth Commission -- provides a voice for youth in Ottawa. Acting as a link between youth in the city and City Council, we make sure that the opinions, concerns and suggestions of youth are heard on a variety of issues that affect our daily lives. We are always open to new ideas and we look forward to hearing from you on any concerns you may have.

Click HERE to download a CJOYC information sheet

Our Activities

We offer focus groups, workshops, and conferences and try and engage youth in the community. Feel free to contact us to hold a focus group at your school or community centre or simply fill out our online survey for YOUR voice to be heard. Through regular reports, updates, and our partnership with City Councilors, we are committed to voicing the collective opinion of young people in Ottawa.

Who We Are

We are a group of young people from different schools, communities and neighbourhoods trying to make a difference in the lives of young people across the city. Our Executive Members work with other young people who act as Community and School Partners to raise the youth voice. 

Our Youth Commission Executive Co-Chairs are:

Kaleigh Maclaren

Kaleigh is in her first year of Communications at the University of Ottawa and is excited to be taking on the challenge of being co-chair of the Ottawa Youth Commission executive this year. Within Child & Youth Friendly Ottawa, Kaleigh is also on the Board of Directors and co-chair of the promotion committee for the Spirit of the Capital Youth Awards. She also volunteers on Rogers TV productions and with other community organizations. Despite being constantly on the go (an email addict, and insanely organized) much to people’s amazement she does have time to relax and enjoys reading, scrapbooking, baking and spending lots of time with friends and family (and her dog!)

Ally Siebert

Ally Siebert is a grade eleven student who is really excited to being co-chairing the Ottawa Youth Commission this year! She is an executive member of her school's Student Council, and is also an active member of her community, speaking at conferences and leading workshops. Ally also works as a lifeguard and swim instructor, and is especially loving her work with children and youth with disabilities. In the summer time she practically lives at camp, and in her spare time she enjoys music and drama, public speaking, canoeing, baking (and eating...), and volunteering with several organizations across the city.

Our Youth Commission Mentor is:

Samira Ahmed

Samira has been with CAYFO as a volunteer for six years. She is one of the founding members and former Chair of the Ottawa Youth Commission, is the founder of For Youth By Youth (FYBY) News- a news outlet dedicated to youth in Ottawa and also sits on CAYFO's Board of Directors. An avid public speaker Samira has spoken at National Child's Day, Spirit of the Capital Youth Awards, and numerous other conferences. She has been a FLARE magazine Volunteer of the Year and a YMCA Young Woman of Distinction. Samira attends the University of Ottawa as a second year law student.

Our Youth Commission Executive Members are:

John Ryan

John Ryan is a grade eleven student at Lisgar Collegiate Institute who is delighted to be a part of the Ottawa Youth Commission. He is an executive on Lisgar's student council and enjoys being active in his community and working with children. John thinks that volunteering is a great way to get out and help your community, and he has volunteered at summer camps and (most recently) the arboretum at the Experimental Farm. After juggling his schoolwork with other committments, he spends his spare time hanging out with friends, reading, relaxing, hiking, playing guitar, and trying to change the world for the better.

Yiqi Yang

Yiqi Yang is a grade eleven student at Lisgar Collegiate Institute. She loves to swim, read, and listen to music. She loves languages and speaks English, French, and Mandarin fluently. Helping others is very important to her; she volunteers at many different places and with various clubs and organizations.

Ivy Xu

Ivy is a grade eleven student at Lisgar Collegiate Institute. She believes in living a full life - and one that takes every opportunity to experience everything. She is involved in art, is a Cappies theatre critic, is a member of the senior orchestra, and plays piano. She is also involved with sports such as badminton, volleyball and competitive figure skating, and volunteers with Skate Canada and coaches skating with the City of Ottawa. She strongly believes in youth voices and holds an executive position on Student Council and is a founding member of Children for One Another.

Sophie Crump

Sophie Crump is a grade 11 student at Lisgar Collegiate Institute. She is thrilled to be sharing the role of Executive of the Transportation and Environment Committee on the Ottawa Youth Council, as she believes that youth have an important role to play on a global scale, and that starts at home. She is an active member of both her school and local communities, participating in theatre productions, basketball and fencing teams, and is a member of her school's environmental club as well as many others. She was recently a participant on the Students on Ice Arctic Expedition 2009, and was a member of the Canadian Youth Delegation's Home Team for COP 15 in Copenhagen

Imaan Sandhu

Imaan Sandhu is a grade 11 student at Glebe Collegiate Institute. She was born in Toronto and has lived in cities all across Canada: Vancouver, Victoria and now, Ottawa. In her spare time, Imaan  plays bass in her reggae/rock band, "The Turning Point", she plays basketball and she volunteers in the community. Imaan is the executive in charge of the Awareness and Promotion committee of the Ottawa Youth  Commission.

Pegah Akbari

Pegah is a grave eleven student who attends Lisgar Colligate Institute. She tries to get involved with her community as best as she can by volunteering at community events and at elementary schools. She moved to Canada at a young age and is now fluent in both Persian and English. In her spare time she enjoys cycling, rowing, playing rugby and swimming; and she's always looking for a new challenge. This is Pegah's first year with the Ottawa Youth Commission and she hopes to make a positive change in our city in the interest of the youth and those who need it the most.

Jabir Sandhu

Jabir Sandhu is in grade 11 at Glebe Collegiate Institute. He was born in Vancouver BC, and moved to Ottawa when he was eight years old. He is involved in several activities at his school such as tennis, band, and Glebes original percussion group called offbeat. In his free time, Jabir plays drums in a ska band, who have played in several cafés and bars in Ottawa. Jabir joined the Ottawa Youth Commission this year and he is the executive in charge of recreation

Khadija Ahmed

Khadija is a grade Tweleve student at Glebe Collegiate Institute. She loves to read, cook and lend a lustending ear. She plans to study Women and Gender studies in University and languages and hopes to be able to speak French, arabic and Spanish fluently in four years. Being active in the community is a priority for her; she volunteers with various clubs and organizations.

Berylla Quainoo

Josee Oulette

Cameron Door-Morin

Yiqi Yang, Imaan Sandhu, Jabi Sandhu, Khadija Ahmed, Mayor Larry O'Brien, Ally Siebert, Josee Ouelette, Samira Ahmed

Absent: John Ryan, Sophie Crump, Kaleigh Maclaren, Pegah Akbari, Berylla Quainoo, Cameron Door-Morin