The Kwinana Youth Advisory Council (KYAC) planned and delivered the City’s first Youth Forum at Koorliny Arts Centre, bringing 130 students from four schools together to develop their leadership skills, pitch their ideas to City staff, and share their design for Kwinana’s future.
The high schools involved included Gilmore College, Peter Carnley Anglican Community School, The King’s College, and SMYL Community College.
Each participant engaged in two workshops each, across four topics including environment, teamwork, inclusion and placemaking.
Youth Development Officer Nikki Chatham said highlights included twin Adam Popham and his brother Ben Popham, a Paralympic gold medalist, quickly opened the floor to questions about inclusion, disability, resilience, and leadership.
“The Youth Forum was an event that empowered young people in meaningful ways, and we are already looking at reengaging youth for various projects across the City as a result,” Miss Chatham said.
“Each workshop provided us with a report including youth concerns and proposed solutions to hot topics, and in the environment workshop participants could directly pitch their ideas to City staff.
“This included having lower rents for shops to encourage a better diversity of localised shopping options, including shops relevant to young people to pursue their hobbies and interests and space to hang out.
“Joe Ring, from last year’s LYRiK Scholarship program, ran teambuilding workshops using his military experience, and Inclusion Solutions discussed what inclusive leadership means for young people, while the Town Team Movement shared how youth can get involved in placemaking,” she said.
The forum put the upcoming Council Plan to young people for their input.
Participants were also encouraged to develop their skills further by joining the KYAC as the youth voice to Council, or having their achievements recognised through the City’s Leadership, Youth and Respect in Kwinana (LYRiK) Awards program which is open until May for applications.
Visit the LYRiK Awards program for more information.