Young voices needed to help shape new facilities
MEDIA RELEASE
YOUNG VOICES NEEDED TO HELP SHAPE NEW FACILIITES FOR KAROONDA EAST MURRAY
Do your kids want new places to play, new community events or a dedicated place for youth activities? Then we want to hear from them!
Nominations are open for young people aged 12-21 who are keen to join the District Council of Karoonda East Murray’s new Youth Action Committee (YAC).
The YAC will play a key role in advising Council on local projects and issues that affect the district’s young people – with the first order of business to help design the new Mallee Playground Trail. The project will create new and improved play spaces in Karoonda, Wanbi and Wynarka, in partnership with Council and Forpark SA.
The YAC will also have input into the creation of a youth activity space at the Karoonda Institute, and create a community music event for the district for later in 2020. They’ll also assist in the development of a Youth Services Action Plan to improve services for the district’s youth into the future.
Mayor Caroline Phillips said the new YAC would give the district’s young people a real chance to shape their town’s facilities, events and programs.
“We want to give young people in our district access to new and improved playgrounds, their own activity space and a new community music event – but we want then to tell us exactly how they want those things to look,” Mayor Phillips says.
“It isn’t every day that young people get to directly influence projects around them, but we want to create facilities they’ll be excited about using – and that’s why we need them to help drive the planning and design stages of these projects.
“Our young people are the future of our district, and we want to create vibrant, fun towns where they can enjoy their childhood and youth, and build a community that supports and encourages their input and values their perspectives. Who knows – this process might encourage some of these YAC members to go on to stand for Council in the future – and we would welcome that!
“We know there are some great young minds in our district and we want them involved.”
The establishment of the YAC follows Council’s engagement with students at the Karoonda Area School back in November last year. During these workshops, students helped decide how to spend $300,000 of the $1M Federal Government Drought Communities Program Extension grant – with the priority being three new local playgrounds.
The YAC will continue the development of those playgrounds, and ensure young people continue to be engaged through the planning process, via its input into the Mallee Playground Trail.
Nominees should be aged 12-21, reside (or have immediate family) within the district and have their parents’ permission to join the YAC (if under 18). They’ll also need to have access to Zoom for online meetings and be committed to volunteering their time to work on community initiatives and projects.
Nominations can be made by completing the form available on the Council website by midnight on Friday, 1 May. Council will then appoint members to the YAC from the nominations received and members must be available for the first meeting via Zoom on Tuesday, 5 May from 4-6pm.
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Media contacts:
District Council of Karoonda East Murray CEO Matthew Morgan
P: (08) 8578 1004 | E: council@dckem.sa.gov.au