Created by young people, for young people, the Murraylands Youth Website is a one stop electronic shop for this region of South Australia.
Located 80 kilometres east of Adelaide, the Rural City of Murray Bridge covers 1,800 square kilometres and has a population of 17,000 people. At the 2001 Census, some 33.5 per cent of this population were aged 24 or under.
Council’s Youth and Indigenous Community Development Officer, Shane Thompson, said Murray Bridge came up with a regional website to inform youth and get them involved in their communities.
“Along with Murray Bridge, the website also covers Mid Murray Council, Coorong Council, Karoonda East Murray and the Southern Mallee,” he said.
Lunched during National Youth Week 2005, the website encourages young people in Murraylands to communicate with each other. The site has latest news and events, how to access youth services and support, and where to find help and access local training and employment opportunities.
Shane Thompson said the website empowers young people in the community to have a say, and more importantly, be heard.
“Throughout its development, the Rural City of Murray Bridge Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) consulted extensively with the community,” he said. “Young people who would normally have no interaction with Council were engaged in significant numbers to be part of this community capacity building project. As a result, they enjoy outstanding ownership of the website.”
Council’s YAC uses the feedback forum to help participate in and influence policy decision making that affects them. The project features over 70 partnerships, covering key stakeholders from health, wellbeing, education, employment and training. Partners from all three spheres of government and all leading community organisations are represented.
Already members of the project team, including YAC members who created the website, have been invited to brief another group in Port Augusta.
This project took out the National Award for Excellence, for a Council with a ratepayer base under 15,000, at the 2005 National Awards for Local Government.
For further information contact Shane Thompson on (08) 8539 1182.
