The Wingecarribee Youth Council has officially reconvened, bringing together young people from across the Shire to share ideas and help shape the future of their community.
The August Youth Council meeting was hosted by Oxley College and marked an exciting milestone following the success of the Youth Council pilot program. Oxley College’s Headmaster, Mark Case, welcomed members and spoke of the value of forums like this in identifying shared priorities and solutions.
Mayor, Jesse Fitzpatrick reflected on the journey from the pilot program to the establishment of a permanent Youth Council, describing it as a key step towards ensuring young people’s voices are genuinely included in Council decision-making and regional priorities.
Members also heard from Wingecarribee’s Young Citizen of the Year, Chloe Ward, a former Youth Council member who shared her experience advocating for climate action and youth leadership. She encouraged new Youth Council members to pursue the issues that matter most to them and use the meetings as a platform for real advocacy.
In an activity led by Chloe, members identified priority issues including climate action, youth mental health, cost of living, housing, transport, safety, social connection, volunteering, recreation, and technology and AI.
The meeting also gave members a chance to contribute to the NSW Government’s Draft Illawarra Shoalhaven Plan, which includes Wingecarribee Shire. The Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure representatives presented the plan and outlined the importance of long-term regional planning.
A workshop on Council’s Financial Sustainability outlined the scale of Council’s responsibilities, including managing more than 160,000 assets across the 2,700km² Shire. In a budgeting exercise, Youth Council members ranked roads and road maintenance as the top priority, followed by regulatory services, building maintenance and parks. Among discretionary services, community services, environmental programs and animal shelter services were ranked highest.
