The City of Greater Bendigo has welcomed ten new, and seven returning councillors to the Greater Bendigo Youth Council for 2024.
The new youth councillors - Aidan Sanders, Alyssa Beaton, Amelia Westbrook, Bailey Dolan, Ella Lindrea, Hamish Knight, Levity Camilleri, Luke Troy, Moon Vincent and Rohan Tyler will join returning Youth Councillors Abby Patten, Augustine Leung, Jemima Kreutzer, Lilly Correll, Remus Brasier, Sean Cox, Sharlee Dunolly-Lee.
Lilly Correll has been elected as the 2024 Youth Mayor and Abby Patten and Sean Cox are
joint Deputy Youth Mayors.
The Youth Council commenced 2024 by meeting last night at the Capital to elect the 2024 Youth Council leadership team. The meeting was officiated by Greater Bendigo Mayor Cr Andrea Metcalf and attended by Councillors, senior management, family, and friends.
Greater Bendigo Mayor Cr Andrea Metcalf said she welcomed both new and returning Youth Councillors and congratulated new Youth Mayor Lilly Correll and Deputy Mayors Abby Patten and Sean Cox.
"The Youth Council is an initiative to engage with local young people in the City's decision-making process for the future and I look forward to working with them in 2024," Cr Metcalf said.
"The Youth Council represents the views of young people on City plans and programs that impact them and represents young people at civic events and activities such as the National Volunteer Week Morning Tea and the IDAHOBIT Flag raising ceremony. It also fulfils a key goal of the City's Council Plan 2021-2025 to ensure young people are supported to explore, engage and be empowered to shape the world they live in."
Youth Mayor Lilly Correll said she was thrilled to be elected the Youth Mayor for 2024.
"It fills me with pride to be given the trust and honour of leading the Youth Council and representing the voice of young people in Greater Bendigo," Youth Mayor Correll said.
"As the youngest Youth Mayor in our City's history, I take great inspiration from past Youth Mayors Victoria Tangey and Ryan Peterson, and I am delighted to be working with two extremely capable Deputies Abby Patten and Sean Cox."
"The Youth Council provides an avenue for young people to be inspired, heard, and valued, and fosters inclusion and equity in our community.
I thank the Mayor Cr Andrea Metcalf, and Councillors for their ongoing support and belief in young people having a voice. I look forward to working with Youth Councillors, Councillors and City staff in 2024."
The first five years of the Youth Council have been very successful with Youth Councillors providing input into approximately 50 City plans, strategies, policies, and projects. This includes the Council Plan 2021-2025, Healthy Greater Bendigo 2021-2025, the Social Justice Framework 2022-2032, the Zero Emissions Roadmap, the Biodiversity Strategy and LGBTIQA+ Inclusion Action Plan. Youth Councillors also oversaw the development of the Youth Action Plan 2023-2024 and are overseeing its implementation.
Youth Councillors have also represented young people on several advisory and steering committees including the Creative City of Gastronomy Advisory Committee, the Bendigo Safe Community Forum, Farming and Agribusiness Advisory Committee, Greater Bendigo Climate Collaboration Committee, Bendigo Regional Manufacturing Group committee, and the City's Economic Development Strategy Committee.
