The Whakatāne District’s new Youth Council kicked off its term with the first meeting of the year on 29 March 2017. Youth Council members Sophie Butler, Georgia Mellsop, Courtenay Wilson, Anna Manning, Hannah van der Horst, Romy van der Boom, Taylor John, Blake Fortune, William Burke, Jack Haines and Oliver Dobbin jointly aim to provide a youth perspective to the Whakatāne District Council’s activities, as well as discuss youth issues and work on projects specifically targeting young people.
Councillor Nándor Tánczos, who will be the Council representative on the Youth Council and will act as a mentor, says they have a vital role to play in getting young people involved in local government.
“The Youth Council is not just about organising cool events for young people – like the Glow Rush and Colour Rush. It is also about making sure that young people’s views are represented in Council decision-making. The world is changing rapidly, and if we don’t pay attention to what young people are seeing and saying, we will miss the boat. The Youth Council is in a unique and important position to make sure that happens.”
One of the first things the new Youth Council will be involved in is the Whakatāne Ki Mua community vision project. This project seeks to enhance collaboration and community involvement in the future direction of our towns and communities and is being driven by a broad range of community groups and organisations.
“Whakatāne Ki Mua is about making sure that the whole community gets a say in where we are heading as a District – including those voices that don’t usually get heard by Council. This is an opportunity for everyone to be part of a shared vision for our communities and District. It’s an exciting thing to be part of, and the Youth Council has a critical role in getting the word out to young people.”