This October, the Council will be taking into consideration in their upcoming meeting, whether to implement Toowoomba Regional Council‘s new Youth Strategy.

Run by TRC’s Environment and Community Committee,the main focus of the new Youth Strategy is to strengthen the Council’s bond with young people, their families, stake holders, and most importantly other communities. TRC Regional Youth Advisory Committee Chair and Community Development Chair Cr Geoff McDonald believes that the Youth Strategy, which will run for two years, 2019-2021, if endorsed, is a clear statement in showing the Council’s ambitious goals for the young people, who in today’s community are the most precious resource.

“Establishing a Youth Strategy has been a key ambition for the Regional Youth Advisory Committee and I am delighted to see the inaugural strategy released take the next step towards approval,” Cr McDonald said. The Strategy will provide a blueprint of supporting mainly young people aged 12 to 24 across the community and region. Likewise, with about 27,000 people aged 12 to 24 in the Toowoomba region, the Strategy will help involve the young people in the development of the communities and help them shape topics and issues that most matter to them. By supporting young people, particularly the Regional Youth Advisory Committee, the strategy will help identify and coordinate youth initiatives.

“Council developed the strategy with the input of more than 700 young people, service providers, youth support workers, educators, emergency services personnel and Council representatives,” says Cr McDonald. “The strategy includes five focus areas for Council to implement in collaboration with partner organisations and the broader community over the next three years. These focus areas are about helping young people have a voice and participate in government decision-making; linking them with education providers, industry and community groups to enhance their employment opportunities and connecting them with other young people in the region.”

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