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Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council working to reach young people in Orangeville

November 16, 2023   ·   0 Comments

By JAMES MATTHEWS, LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER

An Orangeville mayor’s advisory council has an idea of how to bring young people together in the town.

And, as with pretty much everything about youth today, the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council will accomplish that feat electronically.

Aislinn Main, a Grade 11 student at Westside Secondary School and the council’s chairperson, told town council during its Nov. 13 meeting that the group hopes to open up avenues of communication by way of a website, social media presence and an e-newsletter.

“All of these are sort of focused around the idea of central, sort of, form of communication for youth in the town,” she said. “Something that we’ve discussed during meetings is a sort of disconnect between many of the youth groups and organizations within our town.”

Bridging communication gaps is one of the focuses of the group’s 2024 work plan.

Main said the website will be a portal to advertise youth events and showcase various accomplishments. Various social media content will serve that as well.

“It’ll be a central area of communication for youth in our town,” she said.

Jack Bracken, the youth council’s vice president, said the group has started youth council forums, similar to Mayor Lisa Post’s own open house events where residents can bring concerns and feedback directly to their elected representatives.

He said the council held one such event at Orangeville District Secondary School, and another is being coordinated at Westside Secondary School.

“We’re just really, really happy to be able to sort of be a voice for the youth and to connect with all of the groups in our town,” Main said.

Councillor Joe Andrews said he’s “enamoured” to hear about the re-emergence of the youth council.

“There’s no doubt you’re hearing a lot, seeing a lot, and we’re going to end up hearing more in the coming months and coming years,” he said.

He suggested the advisory council avail of the resources at the municipal communications department to help them reach out to other young people in town.

Main said launching a social media platform divorced from the town’s own may draw traffic away from Orangeville’s main page. Given that, she said the group will work with the town to publish some of their information on the municipal portals.

Coun. Tess Prendergast broached the possibility that a physical space may complement the virtual presence in bringing young people together.

“Just one thing to consider,” she said.

Prendergast is a member of the Sustainable Orangeville Committee. She extended an invitation for the youth council to reach out and pitch any partnership ideas.

“We are looking to partner more,” Bracken said. “As the youth advisory council, we are a representation of the youth in our community and we want to live true to that.”


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