SHARE Youth Advisory Council
About: YAC
The Youth Advisory Council, or YAC, is a selected group of young people, ages 16-24, who advise on the implementation of the SHARE program at WV FREE. The purpose of the YAC is to ensure that SHARE is informed by the real, lived experiences of young people in West Virginia, while allowing them to grow as young leaders and advocates for health equity in our state.
The YAC meets every other week on Saturdays. All meetings are virtual and are 1-2 hours in length. During these meetings, YAC members learn about sexual health, provide feedback on the SHARE program curricula and work collaboratively to address the sexual health disparities faced by young people living in West Virginia. In exchange for their work, YAC members receive a stipend of $20/hr and are eligible to apply to serve as a Youth Peer Coordinator in future program years.
Eligible applicants include all individuals between the ages of 16 and 24 who currently reside in the state of West Virginia.
Applications for the ’26-’27 cohort will open in May 2026!
YAC Project 2024-2025
During the first year of WV FREE’s Youth Advisory Council, members chose to form a community hub for youth in West Virginia using Discord.
This Discord server is meant to be a space for youth to gain resources, speak to peers, and talk about current happenings in the state.
If you’d like to join the YAC’s Discord server, click here.
YAC Project 2025-2026
For their 2025-2026 project, the YAC chose to create a youth-centered newsletter discussing current relevant topics and providing resources.
The first YAC newsletter is shown on the left! If you would like to sign up to receive the newsletter directly to your email, click here to sign up for our email alerts!
Hunter Knight - Youth Co-Facilitator
Hunter (They/Them) is a native to Wheeling, WV and they are excited to see their home town blossom as they ride the waves of life. They attended West Liberty University graduating with a Bachelors of Arts in Community Education with a focus in disability services and advocacy. While in school, they passionately supported programs that focused on advocacy for education, the LGBTQ+ community, and individuals with disabilities. They became involved with organizations such as the ACLU of WV and Fariness WV as an intern throughout their time working on their BA. They are currently working on their National Interpreter Certification for ASL, as well as dedicating their time to help better the community’s understanding of safer sex education along with their fellow YAC members.
In their free time they enjoy hiking, crocheting, and going to music festivals.
Allyda Smith - YAC Member
Allyda Smith (Any pronouns) is a student and artist based in Kanawha County, West Virginia. They are a member of WVFREE’s Youth Advisory Council, and are working to strengthen their advocacy and organizing skills. Allyda is passionate about intersectional feminism, racial equality, LGBTQ+ rights, disability advocacy, and media analysis. In her free time, Allyda enjoys playing instruments, writing and performing original music, expressing herself through decora fashion, reading tarot, and creating visual artwork.
Layla Williamson - YAC Member
Layla Williamson (She/Her) is a student at West Virginia University studying Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics with a minor in sociology. Layla is a YAC member and is working with the YAC to help advocate within their state! She is passionate about women’s healthcare, LGBTQ healthcare, and rural healthcare access. Layla is from Middlebourne WV, and it is extremely rural. She hopes to take her education from the YAC and WVU to help within the community she was raised in! Outside of the YAC and school, Layla enjoys music, theater, and traveling!
Kyleigh Edwards - YAC Member
Born and raised in Beckley, WV, Kyleigh (she/her) attends West Virginia University studying International Studies with an emphasis on security & diplomacy and minors in Africana Studies and sociology. Kyleigh is a part of the NAACP chapter at WVU and the Peace Corps Prep Program. She plans to get higher education in a Master of Social Work with a macro-level focus. Kyleigh states that being a part of the Youth Advisory Council helps her gain experience in macro level elements such as focusing on policy for reproductive rights, advocacy, and community organizing. Kyleigh states that the YAC has been such a wonderful experience and recommends anyone who cares about creating a more equitable society to join!