youth committee for the hunter

15 December 2021: Media Release – #youthvoicehunter

The Youth Committee for the Hunter is excited to launch the ‘Youth Voice Hunter’ campaign, the Hunter’s largest youth online survey which will collect the perspectives, ambitions and aspirations of people aged 15-29 across the Hunter.

The online survey will run from 13 December to 23 January and will provide a clear youth voice in the upcoming federal and state elections. Prizes will be on offer for participants who complete the survey.

“The Hunter has found itself at a crossroads,” said Dylan Shoesmith, a member of the Youth Committee for the Hunter.

“It is crucial that we make the case now of what needs to be done so that the Hunter can enjoy continued growth and prosperity into the future. It will be young people in the Hunter who will either reap the benefits or suffer the consequences of the decisions governments make today.”

Alice Thompson, CEO of the Committee for the Hunter, welcomed the opportunity to facilitate the Youth Committee’s advocacy campaign.

“As a future-focused organisation, it is vital that the Committee engages with young people across the region and advocates for the issues that matter to them. We must try harder as a region to help their voices to be heard and give them a role in shaping our region’s bright future.” said Ms Thompson.

The survey available on the Committee for the Hunter’s website on the youth committee page, and is open to young people across the ten Hunter local government areas of Cessnock, Dungog, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Mid Coast, Muswellbrook, Newcastle, Port Stephens, Singleton, and Upper Hunter.

The results of the survey will help to inform advocacy programs and government submissions by the Committee for the Hunter.

Media contact:
Alice Thompson
CEO
Committee for the Hunter
0490 688 125
ceo@hunter.org.au

May 2021: Media Release – Youth Committee for the Hunter

Following a successful recruitment drive across the whole of the Hunter region, the Committee for the Hunter has appointed the first nine members of its inaugural Youth Committee for the Hunter.

The Youth Committee delivers on the Committee for the Hunter’s commitment to expand opportunities for young people and provide them with a voice on regional priorities.

The Youth Committee is a diverse group of motivated young people who are engaged in the issues affecting young people and the region and are committed to working collaboratively to do something about these.

The Committee for the Hunter is pleased to introduce the 2021 Youth Committee members:

• Lauren Armstrong – Newcastle
• Claire Bertholli – Newcastle
• Isaac Conway – Port Stephens
• Melanie Gibson – Maitland
• Kelsey Gray Lake – Macquarie
• Shaun Guilfoyle – Cessnock City Council
• Ryan Maginnity – Lake Macquarie
• Gabriella Maughan – Newcastle
• Dylan Shoesmith – Lake Macquarie

Selection panel member, Wayne Johnson, ARTC Group Executive Hunter Valley Network, Hunter Valley, said that the announcement of the members of the Youth Committee for the Hunter is a positive and exciting step toward ensuring the youth in the region can impact our future initiatives.

“I applaud the enthusiasm and commitment the inaugural members of the Youth Committee bring to this important platform. ARTC sees this as a powerful opportunity for the young people of the community to help shape the future,” said Mr Johnson.

The group will convene its first meeting in May, where it will agree its terms of reference and nominate a representative to serve as a director of the Committee for the Hunter, giving young people a voice on the board.

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Media contact:

Alice Thompson
CEO
Committee for the Hunter
0490 688 125
ceo at hunter dot org dot au