HEALYAC 2025-2025: Meeting #7

• Post by: Luis Patricio
• 10:22AM Feb 05, 2026
• No Comment

At our most recent HEALYAC meeting, we recorded Episode 2 of the HEALYAC podcast, focusing on social media and phone use in our everyday lives. Sophia and Elie served as co-hosts, guiding the conversation with YAC members who participated as speakers. YAC members shared honest reflections on screen time, online versus in-person connections, and how being on our phones affects our routines and relationships. We were also joined by special guest Dr. Emma Duerden from the Faculty of Education, who brought really valuable insight from a neuroscience perspective and helped connect our experiences to how the brain develops and functions.

We also talked about the importance of “third spaces,” like parks, libraries, and community centres, and how having access to these spaces can make it easier for youth to unplug and connect in real life. To wrap up the meeting, we broke into small groups to continue planning for the upcoming YAC–YAC conference, where we reviewed and refined questions for other Youth Advisory Councils and went over participation details.

Notes by HEALYAC member Sophia.