Youth Council

Byron Shire Council's Youth Council

What is it and how can I participate?

Youth Council Application Form 2012

Youth Council Constitution

Byron Shire Council's Youth Council met for the first time in January 2010. It involves 15 young people aged 12 to 18 with many different backgrounds and interests: from political interests, to environmental awareness, and commitment to social justice.

The Youth Council has been established to:

1. Improve young people's access to Council services and facilities by working with Council to help find ways to make its services and facilities as youth friendly as possible, so that young people feel comfortable accessing and participating in services and activities.
2. Address youth issues strategically by assisting Council to make the Youth Policy and Action Plan relevant and youth focussed, and to implement the Youth Action Plan after its adoption.
3. Ensure youth-friendly information and communication by supporting genuine and regular communication between young people and Council including holding youth forums and setting up interest or project groups.
4. Raise community awareness about the real issues that affect young people in the Byron Shire.
5. Advocate on behalf of young people and provide advice to Council, community and community groups, local business and government departments to respond to youth issues.
6. Provide leadership opportunities and strengthen community networks and provide opportunities for young people to build on and expand their skills in leadership, communication, team work, civic affairs, solving problems, public speaking, and networking.

Youth Council representatives are elected for a 12 month term. The Youth Council meets six or more times a year, and has been very active in planning and organising events and activities for young people, including the Byron Shire Youth Week event.

Informal minutes of the Youth Council's meetings are available below.

For more information on the Youth Council, and how young people aged 12-21 can be involved through working groups and other activities, please contact the Society and Culture division on 02 6626 7000.

Youth Activities Grant Round

Each year Council receives many requests to support projects for young people.  In 2012 Council will trial a grant process (called the Youth Activities Grant) to ensure that the support provided for youth projects by Council is accessible and transparent for all community members.

Byron Shire Council is now calling for submissions to the Youth Activities Grant round 2012 -2013. For further information and application forms view the Toolkit.

Youth Police Survey

Byron Shire Youth Council and Byron Shire Council want to hear about your experiences and views on local police.  This survey has been created to capture any issues in relation to community policing and youth behaviour.  

Take the survey here.

Police Officers from the local area command will also be surveyed on their experiences and views of local police.  The results will come back to the Byron Shire Youth Council for review.  Byron Shire Youth Council will work with local police to create strategies for change to improve community safety and create a Youth Police Protocol.

The survey is anonymous, your identity is not recorded, just your age and area of Byron Shire that you live, so please give honest answers based on your experiences.

Please return any hard copies attention to Karim Kaufman at Byron Shire Council PO Box 219, Mullumbimby 2482 or phone 6626 7226 to discuss further.