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Last modified: 10 Oct 2022 9:38pm

A group of young people plant a tree underneath a caption Selwyn Youth Council - You can be the change Young people who want to make a difference in their community and provide a voice for youth are being encouraged to put their name forward for the Selwyn Youth Council.

Applications for next year’s Youth Council are now open to those aged 12-24 years, who live in the Selwyn district. Applications are welcome until 31 October 2022.

“Being on the Council is a really good way to advocate for things that are important to young people in the Selwyn District,” Chair Rue Jeche says. “If you want something to change, it’s one of the best ways to go about it.”

Among the issues the Youth Council has worked on in the last year were collecting young people’s views on vaping and smoking, and how youth are celebrated in the district. It was instrumental in helping to decide what would go in the Rolleston town centre youth space, and made decisions on funding for the Selwyn Youth Project Fund. The Youth Council has also attended civil and Council events, including CultureFest.

Prospective youth councillors need to be available to attend meetings and events across Selwyn, and be able to work with other people as part of a team. Overall, the Council needs to broadly represent Selwyn district’s young people in relation to gender, geography, age, ethnicity and skills.

The full Youth Council meets several times throughout the year, but Rue says most members are part of sub-committees that meet every few weeks to deal with specific issues in more depth.

To see the selection process or apply to be on next year's Youth Council, visit selwyn.govt.nz/community/youth-council. Application forms must be completed by Monday 31 October.