iTalk set to engage region's youth

Exciting new iTalk Youth Engagement workshops are coming to a school or community venue near you!

iTalk Youth Engagement, an initiative of Tablelands Regional Council, will target youth issues and concerns across the region by working closely with young people in the community and in high schools in 2011-2012, delivering workshops where young people can share their issues and concerns.

The project aims to provide opportunities for young people to raise and address issues of relevance to them. The initiative will identify youth led strategies/projects that will demonstrate to young people that their voices and views are heard and taken into account.

The workshops will be followed up with a Regional Youth Summit in May 2012 which will provide further opportunity for young people to directly input and impact on the development of youth policy within Tablelands Regional Council and other key government and community organisations.

The Regional Youth Summit will also provide the opportunity for young people to investigate avenues for keeping young people connected with their community after they have left to pursue career, study, travel and personal growth.

Tablelands Mayor Tom Gilmore said the aim of the project was to gather as much information as possible for youth strategic planning across the region over the next five years.

"We really want to hear what these young people have to say and this event will give them the chance to do just that," he said.

The process is youth orientated, with workshops encouraging young people of the region to speak out about their issues and concerns.

The following youth workshops will be held to identify important issues for the young people, and to develop a youth strategy/event for 2012 that reflects the aspirations of the young people in the Tablelands region.

Wednesday 14 December 2011 - 11am-4pm: Mareeba McDonalds Restaurant
Tuesday 10 January 2012 - 10am-4pm: Lake Eacham, Malanda
Thursday 12 January 2012 - 9am-12 noon: Kuranda Amphitheatre, Under Stage, Barron Falls Road
Friday 20 January 2012 - 5pm-9pm: Atherton McDonalds Restaurant, Main Street
Friday 17 February 2012 - 7pm-10pm: Ravenshoe Youth Shed, Bolton St, Ravenshoe