The newly released Youth Unmet Needs Snapshot has captured authentic voices from young people describing their personal challenges experienced while living in the Isaac region.
The snapshot is a culmination of feedback Isaac Regional Council received from the community, in consultation with Greater Whitsunday Communities (GWC).
The unmet needs require a whole of community approach. GWC will use the information as a vehicle to host an upcoming regional youth summit.
Isaac Regional Council Mayor Anne Baker commended the vulnerability that Isaac’s young people displayed in speaking their own truth through their responses in this historic snapshot.
“Our Isaac youth have strong social values. They have a level of resilience that sets them apart from the rest of our nation. With this resilience comes its own set of unique challenges,” Mayor Baker said.
“Our youth make up 33 per cent of the Isaac region’s population, living in a geographic footprint that is the size of Tasmania. The rurality of the Isaac region makes it hard for them to access key service providers. It also makes it difficult to meet others in a similar age and demographic. We must hear them and act together. We want our youth to feel seen, heard, empowered, capable, loved, and valued in the Isaac region. What worries our youth should worry us all and it should not fall on one set of shoulders.”
GWC Chair, Councillor Karen May of Mackay Regional Council, said this important piece of work seeks out what unmet needs young people aged between 12 and 18 face in Isaac’s 17 unique communities.
“What this snapshot has found is that it needs different layers of government, not-for-profit organisations and industry input, to help solve these issues through workshops planned for the future,” Cr May said.
“This will also set the scene to focus on a regional youth summit. Young people will be invited to take part in a collaborative process to address concerns face-to-face with stakeholders.”
Council will take this collection of voices to social services, industry, and other levels of government, to address the uphill battle of service gaps and barriers and pave a positive path forward.
Mayor Baker said Council looks forward to continuing this work with our youth because they are our region’s future.
“As a community, we must have the fortitude to acknowledge these shortcomings, problems, and unmet needs,” Mayor Baker said. “We must work together as a collective to address barriers. This snapshot is the first step towards meaningful and lasting solutions to empower our youth.”
Sessions will take place with various schools and stakeholders across the region over the next few months.
