Georges River Council - Young people

Young People

Support for young people during COVID-19

Youth Action has a large range of links and resources for young people impacted during COVID-19 including health, mental health, homelessness, employment and education.

Federation for Young Australians (FYA) has a frequently updated list of resources, referrals and services to help young people impacted during COVID-19.

The Centre for Multicultural Youth has translated resources for young people from a migrant and refugee background impacted during COVID-19 including links to one-on-one support and advice.

Headspace has some great resources about financial support for young people impacted during COVID-19.

ReachOut.com provides free online mental health support and has online resources for young people experiencing social isolation and loneliness during COVID-19.

Further support for young people can be found under the ‘Useful Links’ section of this page.

Our approach

We value the unique social contributions that young people make and encourage their involvement in decisions that impact their lives.

In 2016, 16.9% of people in the Georges River area were between 12 and 24 years old.

Council's services are based on the principles of youth participation. These principles include empowerment, purposeful engagement and inclusiveness. Council is determined to empower the young people in our community to impact decision making processes and ensure that the voices of young people are listened to. From this, we are able to ensure the needs of local young people are addressed through appropriate services.

Youth Advisory Committee

Georges River Council is proactive in ensuring that there are opportunities for young people to demonstrate self-agency and have their voices heard on issues that directly impact their lives.The Georges River Youth Advisor Committee (YAC) has been formed to work closely with Council to improve young people’s access to services and to address their needs and aspirations.

The YAC plans and delivers community development programs and events for young people in the local government area. The group has been involved in the delivery of various annual events including Short Stuff Film Festival, Georges River Youth Literary Awards, live music events, movie nights and sporting activities.

The YAC is directly involved in the yearly programming for Youth Week celebrations in Georges River and provides leadership in the development of events, from what will be run and when, through to the selection of venues and talent for events. The YAC also provides feedback and advice on programs held in Georges River Libraries and Hurstville Museum & Gallery to ensure that programs run for young people are in line with current goals and wishes.

Further information on the Youth Advisory Committee is contained in the YAC Terms of Reference and if you’re interested in being a part of YAC, fill in the Application Form and send to mail@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au.

Community Development Programs

Further to the work of the YAC, Council offers a variety of initiatives that showcase and cultivate the positive social contributions that young people make within our community. These include initiatives that build capacity for innovative leadership, creativity, inclusion and diversity.

Council partners with local community organisations to support the learning and development of young people in the area. One such program is the annual Schools Refugee Forum, which provides young people with an opportunity to develop leadership, facilitation and public speaking skills by bringing together schools from across South Eastern Sydney to learn more about the experiences of refugees and what actions young people can take to create welcoming schools and communities.

Another annual event is the Georges River Youth Services School Staff Morning Tea, hosted with headspace Hurstville. This event provides local high school teachers and youth services an opportunity to network, collaborate and find the best supports for the young people they work with.

Council convenes the St George Youth Network (SGYN) on the first Wednesday of the month, bi-monthly. For a full interagency timetable click here.

Contact

For further information on the Youth Advisory Committee or programs and services for young people, please contact Council’s Youth Development Officer on 9330 6400 or mail@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au

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