Youth between the ages of 10 and 18 years represent the largest population base in our Shire and we are committed to partnering with our young people to ensure we meet their current and future needs.
Shire of Harvey President Paul Gillett said there was a 7 per cent growth rate of youth in our Shire which was higher than the average in regional WA.
He said after extensive consultation with young people and to ensure we meet the needs of this growing population the Shire’s first Youth Strategy – Voices of Youth had been developed and adopted by Council.
Cr Gillett said there were five priority projects that would be actioned in the next five years aimed at listening to, engaging, empowering and supporting our young people.
“The young people of our shire are the future, they are at critical points in their lives and it is our responsibility to manage our resources to create vibrant, liveable places where young people can actively contribute to our community.
“To hear firsthand from the youth about what they value and respect in our community has meant that we can develop a robust framework to strategically deliver and advocate for services and facilities for our young people.
“Through adopting the Youth Strategy, Council has committed to partnering with young people to be responsive to their needs and ensure they play a vital part in our community, now and into the future.”
The five key priority projects are:
- Establish a Youth Advisory Council (YAC)
- Develop and implement an annual youth survey
- Provide opportunities for apprenticeships and traineeships in Shire operations
- Activate strategic locations in the Shire to positively engage youth
- Develop an iconic Youth Week festival at Ridley Place Foreshore
In addition to these priority projects the strategy sets out four key goals to guide the outcomes and actions for the next five years.
Goal 1: Listen, engage and acknowledge - our young people are valued contributors and members of community
- Develop and deliver opportunities for our youth to have a voice
- Develop and deliver opportunities for our youth to be engaged in decision making
- Celebrate the achievements of our young people
Goal 2: Belong and connect - our young people are connected to community
- Foster a sense of belonging by supporting our young people to connect with community
- Support and advocate to connect our youth to services
- Develop and deliver engagement that enables the Shire to connect with youth and primary caregivers
Goal 3: Opportunities to thrive - our young people are supported to reach their full potential
- Support and advocate for education opportunities for our youth
- Support and advocate for employment opportunities for our youth
- Develop and deliver opportunities for our youth to build leadership skills
- Develop and deliver opportunities for young people to build life skills
- Advocate for innovative solutions to known barriers
Goal 4: Active and inspired - our youth have the opportunity to be social, active and creative
- Support places that promote fun, inclusion and growth
- Provide opportunities for our youth to be active and healthy
- Develop and deliver opportunities for our youth to be social and creative
For further information, please contact Community Development Officer Andre Morris on 9729 0339 or email.