Published on Monday, 26 June 2023 at 1:35:52 PM
Giving young people a voice to advocate for a bright and promising future for their peers, siblings and the Hedland community are just some of the motivations for members of the newly formed Youth Advisory Council.
The Youth Advisory Council (YAC) has been developed by the Town of Port Hedland to work with young people by supporting their ideas, perspectives and skills to better inform the Council on youth-related matters.
To be eligible to join the YAC, members must be aged 15-24, living within the Town of Port Hedland and be involved in the local community such as sporting clubs, community groups, or volunteering. Members could self-nominate or be nominated by their teachers and peers.
For Felix, it’s about being a role model.
“I joined the YAC because I am youth myself, and I have lived in Hedland my whole life,” he said.
“I have younger siblings, and I want to make sure that the future of Hedland is the best for them, and a great way I can do that is by advocating for them and other young people, and by being a role model.”
Beau said it was important for him to use his position in the YAC to voice the opinions of his peers.
“I am passionate about making sure Hedland is a great place for young people in the community - now and into the future,” he said.
Meg sees a lot of potential in Hedland, however, believes there should be more for young people.
“Even though Hedland is known for being a transient town, there are a lot of people that stay here for their entire youth and long afterwards,” she said.
“It’s important we make the Town more liveable and make changes for the future.”
The YAC is still in the early stages with nine members recently introduced, and training commencing over the next few weeks to cover the purpose of the YAC, understand government terminology and establish how best to work as a collective group.
Troy Wood, Community Development Support Officer at the Town and a YAC member, said he had been involved in similar youth councils.
“They can be a great catalyst for change in communities, and I’m keen for discussions with other members to establish how YAC can bring ideas to life here in Hedland,” he said.
The Youth Advisory Council meets once a fortnight to contribute to the planning of youth activities, services and projects. Each member can serve for a maximum period of two years.
Youth Advisory Council
Pictured left to right: Troy Wood, Felix Lavaki, Meg Davis, Sienna Bennett, Beau Keller & Latiesha Tomcsanyi.
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