Students from Ben Venue Public School were given a glimpse into the world of Local Government with a tour of Armidale Dumaresq Council facilities.
The NSW Primary School Syllabus includes the study of Local Government and Year 3 students from Ben Venue saw and heard firsthand some of what they are learning about in school.
The tour included the Civic Administration Building where they learnt about governance, water conservation and waste and recycling, the Armidale Dumaresq War Memorial Library, Visitor Information Centre and the community services provided by Kent and Hughes House.
Armidale Dumaresq Mayor Councillor Laurie Bishop said the school visit is an important step for a young person to be introduced to how government at the local level operates.
“The more knowledge a young person has about Local Government the more likely they are to engage and show an interest later on in life.
“Good engagement is important to ensure the community is heard and Council plan for a future that reflects the community’s needs.
“If we can get more young people thinking about what they want their community to be, the better off we will all be.”
Year 3 teacher from Ben Venue Rhiannon Trott said the students were excited about their visit and meeting the Mayor.
“Students now have a better understanding of how the community that they live in provides basic services like water, waste collection, recycling and library services.
“They also learnt about how rules and regulations are governed in the wider community and the role the Mayor and Councillors play in applying those rules – just like the rules at school.”
