New additions to Blue Mountains Youth Council

Blue Mountains City Council has welcomed six new Youth Councillors to the 2018 Youth Council – Gabriel Frechtling, Thomas Lenthen, Benjamin Mallin, Ruby Parsons Burns, Eleanor Shortis and Sinead Winn. 

The new Youth Councillors join existing members Maya Costa, Rohan Grant-Dawes, Andrew Gunn, Meg Hill, Alexandria Hinley, Sophie Jansons, Caitlin Marlor, Benjamin McGrory, Paul Mukhin, Michael Pankhurst, Jack Prowse and Brodie Wylde. 

Mayor, Cr Mark Greenhill welcomed the 2018 Blue Mountain Youth Council, saying, “I admire the leadership and enthusiasm that all of our Youth Council members bring in formally advocating for the needs and interests of young people in our community.”  

All Youth Councillors live in the Blue Mountains and are aged 12 to 20 years.

Incoming Youth Councillor Gabriel Frechtling said: “One thing I certainly want to take from being in Youth Council is building and developing my connections with other people. Youth Council is a platform that I believe greatly encourages interconnections, not only between individuals but also across communities.”

New Youth Councillor Sinead Winn added: “I would like to see the Youth Council make programs for young people more targeted and accessible for the people who need them most – after all, there can’t be events and other youth-orientated things without the people they are made for.” 

“I look forward to the continued contribution of the Youth Council to develop policy, services and programs affecting young people”, the Mayor said.

Council would like to thank the outgoing members from the 2017 Youth Council – Maisy Costa, Shannon Grazotis, James Khnouf, Leah Roscoe-Bynon, Delilah Scott, Aleksandrs Titovs, Adam Tjoelker, Alexandra Whatmuff and Caspar Zauner for their contribution.

Outgoing Youth Councillor Adam Tjoelker said: “My term as a Blue Mountains Youth Councillor has allowed me to gain valuable leadership experience in the community, empowering me as a young person to learn and engage in local government.”

The Blue Mountains Youth Council: •    Advocates, provides advice, and makes recommendations to Council on matters affecting young people and the community. •    Coordinates, plans and implements community activities and events. •    Participates in community activities and consultations. •    Promotes awareness to the community on issues impacting on young people, and •    Encourages positive views and opinions of young people and their achievements in the community. For more information about the Blue Mountains Youth Council go to www.bmcc.nsw.gov.au/YouthCouncil.

Go to bmcc.nsw.gov.au/YouthCouncil for more information on the Youth Council

Photo: Leadership by young people for young people. Blue Mountains City Council welcomes the 2018 Youth Council