Council here has lent support to a proposal to form a local youth council.
At the June 23 meeting, council heard from Alison Vasey of the North Wellington Coalition for Youth Resiliency about the coalition’s plans to establish local youth councils within the region. Vasey said the creating the councils is among the key action items resulting form a community consultation hosted by the coalition in February.
She said Mapleton was selected as the first community in the region for the project and she requested that council appoint a member to the coalition’s board of directors. The municipality is also being asked to appoint a staff coordinator, who would assist with such duties as tracking youth volunteer hours, handling problems, monitoring finances and securing locations for activities. Vasey estimated the duties would require between two and five hours per week.
Vasey said the youth council would require a limited budget for meeting supplies and special events, but noted the coalition has some start-up funds available for this purpose.
“Working with young people is a very rewarding partnership, said Vasey, who added, “It’s often said that a measure of a society is how it takes care of its young people.”
“I think this is a great idea and its part of our strategic plan to keep youth involved in Mapleton,” said Mayor Neil Driscoll. “I commend you in your efforts. I think it’s a fantastic idea.”
Council passed a resolution supporting the creation of a local youth council and directed staff to work with the coalition on the project and report back on how best to move forward.
