Council
23 May, 2024
Councils join to form new youth strategy
MOYNE and Warrnambool councils have announced a new collaboration which aims to empower and engage young people within each community.
This collaborative effort aims to develop a new Youth Strategy for the region, and young people 16 to 25 years are invited to express their interest in being on the Youth Strategy Co-Design Panel.
The Youth Strategy will serve as a blueprint for enhancing youth involvement, services and opportunities throughout the region.
Moyne Shire Council mayor Ian Smith said the two councils will work together to create a strategy which reflects the voices and needs of the region’s young residents.
“We believe that involving young people in decision-making processes is crucial for building a brighter future for our communities,” he said.
“This collaboration with Warrnambool City Council underscores our commitment to empowering youth and ensuring their voices are heard.
“The Youth Strategy Co-Design Panel also creates and opportunity to nurture a new generation of leaders to help bring the Moyne 2040 Community Vision to fruition.”
Young people aged 16 to 25 are encouraged to participate in shaping the future of the region by joining the development of the new Youth Strategy.
Warrnambool City Council mayor Ben Blain said the input young people provide will be “invaluable in creating initiatives that address their unique needs and aspirations”.
“We’re embarking on the biggest, most comprehensive youth strategy we’ve ever done, and that’s why it’s really important that we work with our region’s young people to put this strategy together, as well as to deliver it,” he said.
“We want to hear from lots of different voices to help make this the best strategy it can be.
“A youth strategy should be led by the young people it aims to support, and we want to work together to give them the power to mould it in the way that they think will provide the most benefit.
“I believe that our region’s young people are our community’s most valuable resource. The aim of this strategy is to provide more of the opportunities that they want to get involved in, but also give them the freedom to shape their own future and the future of Warrnambool and Moyne.”
Research conducted for the Moyne Youth Plan 2020-2022 revealed 55 per cent of young people want more opportunities to be involved in council decision-making.
The research also found young people want to be heard and understood, want their thoughts, ideas, perspectives, and experiences to influence decision-making and inspire change, and young people want to be acknowledged as valuable citizens who are engaged and make a positive contribution to improve themselves and their community.
Panel members will participate in five independently-facilitated workshops (up to 15 hours) between June and November, and will be paid for their time and contribution.
Young people need to register their interest by Sunday, June 9 at the Youth Strategy Co-Design Panel at www.moyne.vic.gov.au/Our-Community/Youth/Youth-Strategy-Co-Design-Panel.
For more information, contact Bec Elmes at Moyne Shire on 1300 656 564.