The 2021 Youth Council has made its first recommendations to the Greater Geelong Council to establish three more dedicated youth spaces for young people in the region.

In his second report to the Council Junior Mayor Elliot Nicholas highlighted the need to increase social opportunities for young people as they recover from poor mental health and isolation during the pandemic.

Prior to the current COVID-19 restrictions members of the Youth Council visited ThefOrT a youth dedicated space in Corio and the Armstrong Creek East CommunityHub’s youth drop-in facility.

Young people at The fOrT reported enjoying the sense of community as well as the shared meals and activities on offer with more than half indicating that their favourite thing was the staff at these safe spaces.

Aligned with the goals of the Social Infrastructure Plan the Youth Council has called for:

• Three more fOrT-like youth spaces to be established in the Brownbill Kardinia and Bellarine wards with priority given to a new hub in Central Geelong that’s easily accessible by public transport;
• Mental health services to be co-located with the hubs; and
• Young people to be involved in the design process of these facilities.

The Youth Council believes young people from all backgrounds would benefit from connecting in a supervised and safe environment in Central Geelong rather than gathering on the street.

In March youth members participated in the Councillor Connect Mentoring Program for the first time.

They received advice from their ward councillors and offered feedback around the importance of increasing the number of dedicated youth spaces and incorporating green spaces into the design of infrastructure.

The report also thanked Minnie Dacres-Mannings for her contributions to the Youth Council following her resignation as Junior Deputy Mayor to focus on her tertiary studies and part-time work.

Shelby Stephenson replaces Dacres-Mannings in the Brownbill Ward and Mackenzie Sinclair has been elected to the Deputy Junior Mayor role.
Greater Geelong Mayor Stephanie Asher thanked the Youth Council for its second report.

It was a rewarding experience meeting with the members of the Youth Council for our first mentoring session and hearing about their key priority areas.

Council will seriously consider their recommendations about more dedicated and safe spaces for young people in the region which are in line with the Social Infrastructure Plan’s strategic focus areas.

Councillor Sarah Mansfield Chair of the Diversity Inclusion and LGBTIQ+ portfolio said the Council was always open to ideas on how to further support the region’s youth.

The Social Infrastructure Plan found there is a need in the community for more spaces for our young people to ensure they’re engaged healthy and feel safe.

The Youth Council’s recommendations reflect this demand and we look forward to working with them to progress the development of dedicated spaces for young people in Geelong.

Twelve young people aged between 12 and 17 were elected to the region’s third Youth Council this year serving as the official ‘youth voice’ to the Council.