Leaders from three local high schools were invited to present to Councillors on key issues – and possible solutions – for our Shire.
Each school prepared and presented a separate topic that they felt was of key importance to young people in their local area.
For Mia, Brianna, Isabelle and Ollie from St Paul’s College, lack of staffing and access to care in the Kempsey medical sector was of major concern.
They described how people must either wait to see a health professional or travel out of the area. In addition, the cost of living impacts the ability of early career health professionals to live regionally.
The St Paul’s students acknowledged this was a larger problem than Council’s ability to solve, but they suggested that Council could offer an education scholarship or post-education support in the form of waivers on Council costs.
Kempsey High School leaders, Alice and Alex, discussed the idea of a multipurpose cultural and sports centre that would offer a range of indoor and outdoor activities, be a safe and interesting place for young people to gather and develop a range of skills, and act as a hub for intergenerational connection.
The students suggested the Bunnings building could be repurposed using grant funding and emphasised that accessibility by public transport was essential.
The issue of providing facilities for young people was also close to the hearts of Abigail, Senimelia, Rhy and Bridgette from Kempsey Adventist School, who were motivated to find solutions to keep more 18-24 year olds in the Shire.
These savvy students surveyed their classmates and discovered that 90% intended to leave Kempsey within three years of leaving school, looking for education and career opportunities as well as fun and adventures.
They suggested that a safe and fun place to gather and socialise with friends would be helpful, as would more support for local businesses to offer apprenticeships and traineeships.
The Adventist students also identified road safety issues as a matter of importance for young people learning how to drive.
This initiative was introduced to Council by our youngest Councillor, Cr Kinne Ring, who is a wonderful advocate for young people in the Shire.
