FAQ

The Blue Mountains Youth Council was established in 2003

Contact Council’s Youth Services Development Officer on council@bmcc.nsw.gov.au 

Achievements of the Youth Council

The Youth Council have contributed towards community consultations for Blue Mountains City Council. Other consultation has been initiated by Youth Council members on issues such as transport, cycling, recycling of business waste and a pedestrian crossing at Blackheath station. The key highlights from these consultations have been the significant involvement of young people in the following projects:

·  Design of the mezzanine youth area in the new Katoomba library;

·  Initiation of a HSC collection in the Blue Mountains library branches;

·  Involvement in the design and rollout of the Council’s Community Survey and Community Strategic Plan to all high schools across the mountains;

·  Involvement in the Plans of Management for several parks including Melrose Place Katoomba, Kingsford Smith Park Katoomba and Medlow Bath Memorial Park;

·  Springwood Community Facilities upgrade

·  Initiation of a National Sorry Day acknowledgement at Council, and an acknowledgement of traditional owners at Youth Council meetings

·  Contributing towards the updated Mountains of Help youth directory, available in print and online;

·  Creating the Community Christmas ‘Giving Tree’ project that, in partnership with Platform Youth Services, seeks donations for distribution to young people in need in the Blue Mountains;

·  Hosting a visit from the NSW Commissioner for Children and Young People, and making a formal consultation with the Commission on matters of youth health to inform NSW Health policy;

·  Presenting to Councillors on issues relating to the Glenbrook Skatepark Facility;

·  Initiating the SmartStart University Scholarship, a partnership with Blue Mountains City Council and the University of Western Sydney which aims to improve access to University of Western Sydney for young residents of the Blue Mountains;

·  Representation on a number of internal and external committees including: the NSW Commission for Children and Young People's Advisory Committee, the NSW Youth Week Committee, the Blue Mountains World Heritage Advisory Committee, the NSW Youth Parliament, and most recently the NSW Youth Council Conference.

Council is committed to supporting young people's involvement in decision-making, and strives towards creating a positive, healthy, inclusive environment in the Blue Mountains for our young people to grow and thrive.