Young Mayors
Democratically elected youth councils of 11-17 year olds across the country.
There are Young Mayors in place around the world. Hundreds of thousands of young people have taken part in elections to put them into office.
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In the UK the Oldham Youth Council reached thousands of young people through award winning driver education workshops and had speed cameras installed on a dangerous road. |
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The Bristol Youth Council tackled Holiday Hunger, so young people who rely on school breakfast clubs wouldn’t starve over the break. |
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And in Greenwich, the Youth Council hosted a summit and series of think tanks with young people and decision-makers to explore the issue of knife crime and how to tackle street safety. |
Nows its your turn.
Find your local councils:
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young people voted in elections
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elected representatives sitting on youth council
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youth-led projects kick started in community
What is Young Mayors?
The Young Mayors program is the chance for young people to make an impact on their local community. With training, guidance and money to run local projects and campaigns, Youth Councils don’t just have a voice – but a platform to take action.
We’re kick starting this program in local councils in QLD, VIC and NSW – backing young people who want to take an active role in their local community.
Elected by young people, Youth Council members work together and in consultation with their constituents to define priority action areas. Together, the Youth Council serve a 12-24 month term working with their council to implement projects and events and influence decisions that impact their community.
Thousands of people aged 11-18 across the world have taken part to elect young people to these councils. The programs have ensured that council policies and programs better reflect the concerns, needs, and desires of local young people.
The Young Mayors Program is being delivered in partnership with Local Councils and Electoral Commissions toshift young people from being passive advisors to active decision makers, embedding young people in the decisions that impact their lives at local government level.
We want to shift young people from being passive advisors to active decision makers.
Want to know more or stay up to date?
Fill out the contact form to send us a message and/or sign up for more information.
Frequently asked questions
If you’re based in one of the council areas signed up to the program, we’d love to hear from you! Please head to your council page:
Don’t see your Council on this list? Sign up to hear when nominations open in your area.
The Young Mayors program is being piloted in a limited number of Local Councils in NSW, QLD and VIC. We are not currently accepting applications for the pilot, but we would love to hear from any Council interested in the program. Please express your interest here.
The program is running in VIC, QLD and NSW.
We’re working hard to bring the program to WA, NT, SA, ACT and TAS in future years. We would love to hear from any Council, in any state, interested in the program. Please express your interest here.
Each Youth Council decide their priorities based on issues identified by young people in their community. The themes Youth Councils have focused on so far include:
- Bus safety awareness
- Mental health
- Life Skills and Job Opportunities
- Tree Planting
- Recreational Activities
Young people running for election have access to workshops and guidance to support their campaigns..
Once elected, Youth Council do a thorough induction, guided by a thorough curriculum and resource library, and are supported by a staff member based in the Council area.
The Young Mayors program works with young people aged 11 to 17 years. We recognise this program puts young people in the public spotlight, and this can create vulnerabilities.
A well-being plan tailored to each community is developed at the beginning of the program, based on a thorough co-design process undertaken with each local government area.
The well-being plan includes, but is not limited to specific actions and support available to keep young people safe, processes to report harm, and clarity on expectations young people can have of each other, partners involved and the general public.
FYA and our partners are required to have Working With Childrens’ Checks and adhere to a comprehensive set of safeguarding policies and legislative requirements.
We are working hard to make every part of the program as accessible to as many people as possible. This includes using wheelchair accessible venues, having the option to provide Auslan Interpreters for events, providing single and gender neutral bathrooms, creating social scripts and maintaining COVID safety.
We are committed to supporting all access requirements and welcome suggestions for any access needs not covered here. Please email Tahlia Azaria (she/her) at [email protected] or call FYA on (03) 7046 3837 to book a time to chat.
Many Local Councils have programs that give young people the opportunity to share their opinions and ideas to help shape their community. Most often, young people apply to be part of the program, and the views shared are limited to the people around the table.
The Young Mayors program democratically elects young people to the Youth Council. This gives all young people in the community a chance to vote for the people they want to represent them, and requires the elected Youth Council to regularly consult with their constituents to make sure a diversity of views are heard.
The Young Mayors program centers young people in decision-making, so they are not only sharing their views, but making their priorities happen through running campaigns, projects and events.
FYA is building the program over a number of years, overseeing all elements of the design, set up and delivery, working hand-in-hand with our Local Council partners.
The electoral commissions in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland are guiding our elections, and we’re working with local schools, community organisations, Traditional Owners and media to ensure the program is tailored and place-based..
The program is made possible with generous support from the Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation and has previously been funded through Victorian-specific funding from the Victorian Government Department of Families, Fairness and Housing.
The program is in pilot mode, with some of our initial Council partners continuing to test new approaches as we learn from the foundation phase of our work
Our dream is for the program to scale up across the country gradually and intentionally, reaching as many of the 537 local councils who are ready and equipped to embed young people in the decisions that impact their lives at local government level..
We know Local Councils will need backing from funders and external partners to make sure their youth council is properly resourced and supported for many years to come, and we’re building a consortium approach to investment that will need cont
We’re always on the look-out for people and organisations who want to support the Young Mayors program. If this is you, please contact our Development Manager at [email protected]
If you want to propose a collaboration, please get in touch.
We’re constantly updating our FAQ with new topics as the program rolls out.
If you have a question that hasn’t been answered here, check if we’ve answered it in your Local Council page FAQ.
If you still can’t find the answer you’re looking for, please get in touch via the contact form or by sending an email to [email protected].