Young people help shape draft Nillumbik Youth Strategy
Published on 30 September 2021
News release
30 September 2021
The ideas of hundreds of young people from across the Shire have helped shape Nillumbik’s draft Youth Strategy 2022-2026, which has been released for community feedback today.
Nillumbik’s first Youth Council has played a key role in the development of the strategy, informed by the Young Minds: Your Voice, Our Future engagement project earlier this year.
The strategy sets out a four-year strategic commitment to how Council will support and respond to the needs of young people aged 12-25 who live, work, study, volunteer or play in Nillumbik. Young people make up 20 per cent of the Nillumbik population.
Central to the draft strategy is the vision that “young people in Nillumbik feel heard, empowered and equipped to thrive in a community where they are healthy, safe and welcomed”.
Mayor Peter Perkins said the process of developing the strategy had given Nillumbik’s young people a meaningful voice in the decision-making of Council.
“It’s important our young people are given opportunities to get involved and make a difference, not only on the issues that affect them, but the wider community,” Cr Perkins said.
Youth Mayor Fieke van der Kamp said the Youth Strategy would provide opportunities for young people to find and pursue their passions.
“This strategy will be essential in guiding Council on how to best listen to and implement young people’s ideas and views.”
The draft Youth Strategy identifies five priorities, each with their own focus areas:
- Healthy and well
- Empowered and engaged
- Access to safe spaces and places
- Equipped and employed
- Welcomed and connected
Key findings of the Young Minds: Your Voice, Our Future engagement shows the top three most important issues for young people were mental health, climate change and discrimination while the biggest challenges were body image/eating disorders/disordered eating, anxiety and school stress.
The draft Youth Strategy is now available for feedback at Participate Nillumbik until 11.59pm, Thursday 21 October.
Following the consideration of submissions, the strategy will be presented to Council for adoption in December.