Nanaimo councillors voted in favour of not axing the Nanaimo Youth Advisory Council and instead hosting engagement sessions about how to proceed. (File photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Spencer Sterritt

YOUTH VOICES

Youth to have a say in how their voice is heard by Nanaimo council

Oct 22, 2019 | 6:38 AM

NANAIMO — The Nanaimo Youth Advisory Council is facing some changes.

It was to be formally dissolved by Nanaimo councillors at their Monday, Oct. 21 meeting. The decision was based on a staff recommendation to instead have youth input in all committees and as many City decisions as possible.

However, Coun. Tyler Brown successfully motioned the Council not be dissolved and an engagement session be planned to ask Nanaimo youth how to best include them in the conversation.

“We need to make space to talk to the youth, rather than simply talk about them and make decisions on their behalf,” Brown told NanaimoNewsNOW.

Brown said he had a number of important and informative conversations about the Nanaimo Youth Advisory Council after the idea of dissolving it was first discussed. He said it may have been “premature” to shutter it completely.

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“Why not create a space to…ask the youth how they want to be engaged with, how they want to be included in local governance and from there determine if the Nanaimo Youth Advisory Council is the best method or if there’s something else?”

The youth council was involved in advocating on youth issues, tackling child poverty and pushing for available RDN Transit hours to be used on routes most accessible for youth and VIU students.

Representatives from the Regional District of Nanaimo and the Nanaimo-Ladysmith School District will be involved in the engagement sessions, since they intersect with youth issues on a regular basis.

Nanaimo Youth Advisory Council chairperson Michael Ribicic said he hopes the existing structure remains given the work already put in.

“This youth council has become quite strong in it’s last year and seems to be a structure that is working well for Nanaimo. When we’ve presented (at provincial conventions), a lot of cities seemed very interested and almost envious that Nanaimo has this structure and that it’s working.”

A staff report will outline how the engagement sessions would proceed. It’s expected at a later date.

spencer@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit