VAC Youth Network - Réseau des Jeunes Fonctionnaires d'ACC

Veterans Affairs Canada / Ancien Combattants Canada

Veterans Affairs Canada Youth Network – Home

Purpose:

The purpose of the Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) Youth Network is to provide members with a forum to discuss VAC initiatives, promote career development opportunities, and to provide a youthful perspective on issues that affect VAC.

Mandate:

The mandate of the VAC Youth Network is founded on the following principles that demonstrate VAC values:

• engage employees
• collaborate with all branches in order to contribute to the development of VAC as a whole
• support members by promoting and organizing learning opportunities, as well as personal and career development opportunities
• show care, compassion and respect to all veterans and members

Objectives:

In order to fulfill its purpose, the VAC Youth Network should:

1. communicate and engage with SMC and employees on key policies and directives regarding youth initiatives;
2. support the Department’s current and future young leaders;
3. connect with other departmental youth networks in the public service;
4. promote the recruitment and retention of young people in the public service; and
5. reinforce VAC as a Workplace of Choice in the federal government.

5 Pillars

Recruitment/ Retention/ Career Development	Leadership	Mental Health	Sustainability	Diversity/ Inclusivity

Membership and structure:

The VAC Youth Network is for young professionals, those who are in the early stages of their career, and those who are young at heart. Network members receive curated information about upcoming opportunities and events, as well as the first chance to participate in the Network activities and initiatives.

The VAC Youth Committee is comprised of a champion, three co-champions, representing Charlottetown, Ottawa, the field and members from each Assistant Deputy Minister Office. The committee should encourage inclusion of employees from all VAC offices.  Specific roles are voluntary.

Committee members are chosen through application at the start of the new fiscal year. Those that want to be a member of the committee will send in an application and the champion and co-champions will select new members.

Events and initiatives are planned each year communicated through a forward agenda. The Committee also allows for organic events to be planned through separate working groups comprised of committee members. Ambassadors have the opportunity to plan social and professional events with Committee members across VAC.

Roles and Responsibilities:

We encourage our committee members to talk to their managers about including their Youth Network responsibilities and activities in their performance agreements.

Co-champions have two‑year terms beginning in April and overlapping in the last 6 months of their term for knowledge transfer with the employee that will be replacing them. This length of term may be impossible for administrative or other reasons, in which case they should be replaced for the remainder of their term.

We encourage all committee members to take their turn on a rotating schedule leading meetings and preparing agendas.  

How to join the VAC Youth Network:

The VAC Youth Network is open to all young, and young-at-heart employees who work at Veterans Affairs Canada. You must have your manager's approval prior to joining the VAC Youth Network. As noted above, all specific roles are voluntary, so please keep this in mind when you are looking to volunteer, as your substantive work is the main priority. To learn more about becoming a committee member, please send an email to vacyouthnetwork-reseaudesjeunesfonctionnairesdacc@veterans.gc.ca .