Bendigo's young people are a force to be reckoned with, according to the new incumbents of the City's Youth Council.
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The City of Greater Bendigo's Youth Council has elected Victoria Tangey as the 2022 Youth Mayor and Ryan Peterson and Remus Brasier as Deputy Youth Mayors.
The Youth Council represents the region's under 25s, providing input to council policies, plans and projects and providing young people a voice in key city decision-making.
Twenty-year-old commerce student Ms Tangey will step in as Mayor, filling the large boots of outgoing Youth Mayor Jack Smith.
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Ms Tangey has been a part of the Youth Council since its inception in 2019, taking on a role as Deputy Youth Mayor in 2021 before her 2022 leading appointment.
"It's a really awesome opportunity to impart wisdom on some of the younger youth councillors" she said.
"I just really want to enable the rest of the Youth Council to share their voice and ideas and create a positive environment for enacting change in our community."
Ms Tangey said the Youth Council had achieved a significant amount in its short time, and was excited to build upon their success in her term as Youth Mayor.
"What comes to mind is the Health and Wellbeing Plan that we put forward for late last year," she said.
"Council adopted everything we suggested, which was mostly focused on including LGBTQIA+ people in the plan, which then allowed projects like the pride flag mural that's just been painted on Bull street to go ahead."
"As a collective we were really proud of that."
The new Youth Council Mayor said she hoped this year the council would manage to further understand the issues that young people face and how to address them within the community.
"What issues do they want us to advocate for?" she said.
"What is there a need for and how can we help?
"I think engaging with a wider group of young people across the region as well as our advocacy work will both be major focuses this year, especially continuing the work we are doing for LGBTQIA+ young people."
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After several years in the community and on the Youth Council, Ms Tangey said there's been a tangible sense of change in the way young people are engaging with the world.
"There's so many things young people are talking about," she said.
"Importantly at the moment it's the climate crisis, mental health, youth unemployment and definitely LGBTQIA+ issues.
"It's such a broad range which is why it's so important to have a Youth Council that is dedicated to advocating for young people."
Ms Tangey also said she was thrilled to work with newly elected Deputy Mayors Ryan Peterson and Remus Brasier, as well as the five new members of the council - Alicia Bertani, Brandon Trickey, Emma Clayton, Sean Cox and Xavier Gerdsen-Underhill.
Greater Bendigo Mayor Andrea Metcalf said Council is looking forward to working with the Youth Council in 2022.
"The first three years of the Youth Council have been very successful with Youth Councillors providing input into over 30 City plans, strategies, policies and projects, including the Council Plan 2021-2025, Healthy Greater Bendigo 2021-2025 plan and the Kangaroo Flat Skate Park project," said Ms Metcalf.
"The Youth Council will represent the views of young people on City plans and programs that impact them and advise the City's Mayor and Councillors.
"They will also represent young people at civic events and activities."
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