A new Youth Council has formed in Tamworth, welcoming 16 fresh faces, and honouring 4 incumbents continuing their journey in implementing change locally.
The 20 Youth Councillors are set to be involved in a number of Council operations through various committees and focus groups, in a bid to offer a critical youth perspective in local government decision making.
Tamworth Regional Councillors have recognised and emphasised the need for greater youth presence within the local government organisation and are keen to for further engagement.
Councillor, Charles Impey said that it is great to see so many young and ambitious people interested in their community.
“Having 20 Youth Councillors shows how strongly young people are interested in their community and contributing to making it better. Previous Youth Councils have done a great job and must be commended on their efforts, now in its fourth term it is great to see that it is growing, and their involvement continues to increase. The Youth Council is a great initiative which benefits young people and the broader regional community.”
Tamworth Regional Council decided at their most recent ordinary meeting to establish a few changes to the way in which the Youth Council is managed.
The term in which young councillors should run has extended from 1 to 2 years, in an attempt to give the Youth Council more time to see projects and objectives through.
Incumbent Youth Councillor, Calli Nagle said that she is happy to be on board for another term.
“I’m really glad to be on the Youth Council for another term so I can continue to represent young people and ensure that the perspectives and issues of young people are heard by Council.”
New Youth Councillor, Jack Lyon said that he is looking forward to increasing community connectivity to help with issues such as mental health.
“Mental health is a big issue for young people and I’m looking forward to working with the Council to bring youth issues to their attention when implementing services and projects.”
On the priority list for the Youth Council are mental health, inclusion, improving access, celebrating indigenous culture and regional issues.