An innovative kit designed to assist Councils when working with young people was launched in February. Titled ‘Bikes, Bands and Strategic Plans’, it was launched by Redcliffe City Council Mayor, Cr Barry Bolton and Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) Executive Director, Greg Hallam.
Produced by the LGAQ with the assistance of a number of Councils, the kit contains policy guidelines and practical examples of how Councils can help counter youth problems by recognising and planning for the needs of young people. Redcliffe City Council was an active contributor to the project, with Council’s youth activities providing a number of examples included in the kit’s Good Practice Guide.
Redcliffe Mayor, Cr Barry Bolton, said that Bikes, Bands and Strategic Plans was a user friendly guide on how to incorporate the needs of young people into Council planning practices.
“Although youth affairs has traditionally been the domain of Local Government’s Federal and State counterparts, our role in the area of youth affairs has grown significantly in recent years,” he said. “Councils are now the prime suppliers of recreational, sporting, art and culture activities. Councils also provide local employment opportunities and, in many cases, provide specialist youth services.”
Bikes, Bands and Strategic Plans highlights ways that Councils can take a proactive approach in tackling youth issues such as unemployment, recreation, public space, housing, transport, crime, vandalism/graffiti and arts and culture.
The kit’s emphasis is on planning and partnership and provides many practical examples as well as a policy framework. Greg Hallam, Executive Director LGAQ said that the kit was not about Councils taking over the responsibilities of State and Federal Governments for young people.
“It is about building youth needs into Council planning and policy processes, and about developing local strategies in partnership with others,” he said. “The kit encourages Councils to look at the prevention of youth problems by recognising the needs of young people when planning communities.”
Bikes, Bands and Strategic Plans is available from LGAQ, contact Liz Upham telephone (07) 3334 2222.
