Jay Mason, left, Elizabeth Kalas and Angela Scarpali are part of Keilor MP Natalie Hutchins’ Youth Action Council. 79921 Picture: JOE MASTROIANNI
By LAURA WAKELY
A NEW group will bring the voice of Brimbank’s youth to the community with a series of campaigns.
Keilor MP Natalie Hutchins set up the Youth Action Council last month as a way of getting young people to speak up about the issues they care about in their local area.
Sydenham’s Jay Mason is one of the 40 young people taking part in Ms Hutchin’s council.
Over the past year, the 20-year-old had been looking for a way to become more involved in her community.
That opportunity arrived in the letterbox one day, with the details of the Youth Action Council.
“I just really wanted to have a say and represent the youth in parliament and in the community,” Jay said.
“We can’t really complain we’re not happy if we’re not doing anything about it.”
Meeting for the first time last month, the council has identified access to public transport, safety, tolerance for different religious, ethnic and sexually-oriented groups and a lack of places to exercise as some of the major issues for young people in Brimbank.
A lack of options for secondary schools in the Keilor electorate and tertiary education were key issues for Jay, who is studying a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Melbourne with the view to becoming a high school teacher.
The group will vote on the two issues they care about the most at their next meeting.
Ms Hutchins said she would take those issues to Parliament and help the council create and run a campaign for positive change.
Jay said she was looking forward to making a difference.
“People our age should consider becoming involved, and it seems like it’s going to be a great thing,” Jay said.
For more information, contact Natalie Hutchins on 9449 1511 or email natalie.hutchins@parliament.vic.gov.au
