May 9, 2010

NSW Youth Parliament ­ 2010

Council has received a letter from the Student Representative Teacher Advisor at J.J. Cahill Memorial High School seeking our continued support as sponsor of a student to attend the NSW Youth Parliament for 2010.
 
Mainly at behest of Councillor Slattery, Council has sponsored a student in past years and J.J. Cahill and Councillor Slattery have repeatedly advised that the experience was invaluable for both the student and the school.
 
The Youth Parliament is a highly prestigious leadership program for high school students in years 9 to 12.

The NSW Youth Parliament is an initiative of the YMCA and one strongly supported by elected Members of the NSW Parliament – and indeed by this Council.

The idea of encouraging civic awareness, pride and above all, active participation in the affairs of the community, which is what the Youth Parliament does, is an admirable concept, which this Council agrees with through our support. Only one student may represent each of the State electorates, and through Council’s support that one student will be one from J. J. Cahill. The students can examine just about every policy area for which the State Government is responsible.

The cost of sponsorship to Council is $580, which covers a Training Camp, regional meetings of delegates, a second Residential Camp and then presentation of "student Bills" to MPs and Ministers in Parliament House. The bills produced by the students are presented to both the Premier and the leader of the Opposition and, in the past some of the initiatives presented through the Youth Parliament have found their way into the laws of this State.

Local support for the student applications means that the possibility of a J.J. Cahill representative in the Youth Parliament is considerably increased. Well, the school does have our support – as it has in previous years – and Council will meet the cost of student participation.

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