Youth Advisory Group
Young people with cancer are at the heart of Teenage Cancer Trust. Their voices and experiences inform all our key decisions.
You are viewing: What is YAG
We launched our first ever Youth Advisory Group in 2018 so that we could learn from the expertise and experience of young people diagnosed with cancer aged 13-24, to help make sure we’re giving them the best support we can.
Since then we have had two more cohorts of the Youth Advisory Group who have played a key part in helping the charity to adapt and develop its work at a time when new ways of working were required.
The third Youth Advisory Group are coming to the end of their time on the group and we will be recruiting for the next cohort from 4 November 2026. This group will start working together in January 2027 and will be part of the group until December 2028. You can apply by filling out the form at the bottom of this page.
What is the Youth Advisory Group?
The group is made up of approximately 30 young people who have been diagnosed with cancer, or had cancer treatment. They all joined because they wanted to make a difference for young people like themselves.
It is vital to listen, learn and be advised by experts who know what it is like to be a young person dealing cancer and cancer treatment. They don’t just tell us what they think – they directly shape the support we provide to young people.
These young people are involved in critical activities, such as helping recruit members of our Senior Leadership Team, creating our strategy and shaping our policy work. And that’s on top of things like helping us engage with more young people, develop peer support projects and helping to make our services even better across the UK.
In pictures: Youth Advisory Group
Members at our 2026 residential in Manchester
Youth Advisory Group members attending the Cancer52 conference
Photo booth pictures from Ultimate Meet & Greet 2026
Open letter hand in at Parliament
Youth Advisory Group panel event at Teenage Cancer Trust's Staff Day
Redesign of the resource 'Your Diagnosis' by Youth Advisory Group members
YAG has been so instrumental in shaping me after cancer. Being part of the group has given me more of a voice and has grown my confidence after feeling as though cancer took a lot of that away from me.
Membership of Youth Advisory Group also provides opportunities for developing new skills and confidence as part of a supportive group of young people who can use their similarities and different experiences to advise the charity and ensure that we are being as inclusive as possible.
In addition, being part of the Youth Advisory Group means young people get to develop their teamwork, communication and creative skills by coming up with ideas, giving feedback and working alongside different people from Teenage Cancer Trust including our Chief Executive, Senior Leadership Team and colleagues from across the charity.
Who can be a Youth Advisory Group member?
We’re looking for young people who:
- were diagnosed with cancer or had cancer treatment between the ages of 13-24 years old*
- have finished treatment within the last 2 years (not including maintenance treatment) by November 2026
- are well enough to engage with meetings - mainly online with some in-person opportunities which are not compulsory
*If you are under 18 you will need consent from a parent or guardian to take part in this group, and they will need to accompany you to any in-person events.
What will I be doing as a member?
The role lasts for two years – from January 2027 to December 2028.
There will be lots of different things you can get involved with during your time on YAG, including:
- opportunities to meet online monthly to contribute to projects from different teams across the organisation
- a minimum of one in-person residential meeting during your two-year membership of the group*
- working with senior members of staff to give your ideas, insights and feedback on the work we’re doing and how we can better support young people with cancer. For example, attending Senior Leadership and Board of Trustees meetings
- using your lived experience to help design resources and projects, and influencing decisions about the future of Teenage Cancer Trust and how we support young people with cancer
- you will also have the opportunity to get a close insight of the inner workings of the organisation and we will provide training to make sure you can maximise these opportunities
*Teenage Cancer Trust will always pay for any travel and accommodation needed to make sure these opportunities are equally available to all members
We can’t predict exactly what tasks, topics and opportunities the group will have during their time together, but previous projects have included:
- Influencing Teenage Cancer Trust’s strategy and organisational priorities
- Involvement in the recruitment of senior staff at Teenage Cancer Trust
- Short term project work in small groups with external partners
- Shaping our Faster Diagnosis campaign and Brand Strategy
- Presentations at our Staff Days
- Feedback to our Board of Trustees
- Being a supportive member of a motivated and inclusive group who achieve great things
Over the past two years, I’ve seen how powerful the group can be when young people feel supported, confident and able to influence decisions.
Applications open: Wednesday 4 November
Applications close: Sunday 22 November
We will get back to you with more information on your application before 27 November.
Some information which may provide some further background: