A selection of Hunter youths have come together on a new committee that will act as a voice for issues affecting the region's young people.
Independent advocacy organisation Committee for the Hunter appointed nine members for its inaugural Youth Committee, who met for the first time this week and will be on the committee for 12 months. One member will also represent the group on the Committee for the Hunter board.
The initiative came about after City of Newcastle's COVID-19 taskforce developed a Youth Employment Charter, after recognising the pandemic particularly affected young people through under/unemployment.
"We've taken that a step further," Committee for the Hunter CEO Alice Thompson said. "If we're serious about achieving outcomes, we need a vehicle to do that."
The members were selected through an application process, in which Ms Thompson said skills, employment, mental health, the environment and climate change were identified as some of the key issues.
The Youth Committee for the Hunter members are:
- Lauren Armstrong - Newcastle
- Claire Bertholli - Newcastle
- Isaac Conway - Port Stephens
- Melanie Gibson - Maitland
- Kelsey Gray - Lake Macquarie
- Shaun Guilfoyle - Cessnock City Council
- Ryan Maginnity - Lake Macquarie
- Gabriella Maughan - Newcastle
- Dylan Shoesmith - Lake Macquarie
