Youngsters make their voices heard
MEET OUR FIRST YOUTH COUNCIL: THE REGION is set to get an official youth voice, with 12 local youngsters elected to the new Greater Geelong Youth Council.
Aged between 12 and 16, the youth councillors represent a wide spread of local towns and suburbs, with three representatives from each of the four council wards — Bellarine, Brownbill, Kardinia and Windermere.
As the region’s voice of the youth, the young councillors will gather later this month to elect Greater Geelong’s first junior mayor, before being introduced to the community during the council meeting at City Hall on February 26.
City of Greater Geelong mayor Bruce Harwood said the youth council would help “tap into” the issues that were most important to young people in the community.
“The 12 youth councillors are an impressive group and represent a great mix of backgrounds, and they’ll each bring their own thoughts and ideas,” he said.
“We’re looking forward to receiving their recommenda- tions, which will influence the decisions we make as a council.”
Mr Harwood said he hoped the experience would give the youth councillors a great sense of public leadership and inspire them to continue being leaders in their communities in the future.
Elected by members of youth advisory groups from within their council wards, the 12 youth councillors were chosen from a pool of 49 nominees.
The Youth Council will meet once a month at City Hall and the junior mayor will then present the group’s findings and recommendations to the council on a quarterly basis.
Initial priorities will include social and community connections, mental health and wellbeing, and capability, such as skill development, education and employment.
The Youth Council will also be responsible for organising an annual youth summit.
Introduction of a Youth Council was one of the recommendations of the Citizens’ Jury in January 2017.
It was then endorsed by the State Government.