We’re recruiting, come and join our community-building projects!

Carmel Richardson- Board President | 2023 Nov

The Living Streets Association (LSA) continues its very worthwhile project of engaging local young people in interesting and deeply appreciated community activity. As Board Director I was recently invited to address a youth meeting where planning was underway for the September school holidays. The Youth Leaders worked enthusiastically and with impressive confidence to plan holiday activities, including a day’s activities on the Lyneham Commons. Young students visiting from Taiwan joined the meeting to participate in the fun and engaging planning event. The warm and cooperative atmosphere was the perfect context for authentic cultural exchange and proved again the value of peer learning.   

During the recent Board Meeting members identified several priorities for the coming year. Foremost of these is youth member recruitment. Young people are the central focus of the Living Streets Association. All that happens in LSA revolves around a strong community desire to see young people connected to and supported by their own communities. Building ‘belonging’ to a community happens when people feel safe, appreciated and actively engaged. This is especially important during school holidays when opportunities for connection are more limited.

Becoming a youth leader simply involves getting together with other like-minded people to plan and participate in school holiday activities. Rather than a daunting task, youth leadership is an opportunity to meet others and have some fun with lots of personal growth along the way.

Two LSA youth leaders recently hosted the ACT Children’s Week Awards where they met other young people from across Canberra similarly interested in their own communities. Significantly, they were also able to ‘rub shoulders’ with ACT community leaders, including members of the Legislative Assembly. They did an outstanding job and hope to be welcomed back to perform the same roles again next year.  

However, not all youth leaders take on these bigger roles. Most leaders just turn up and offer their time and energy to plan for and help out at local events, like the day spent at the Lyneham Commons. 

It’s not hard work. But it is lots of fun!

If you think you might be interested or know someone who might be interested and aged between 12 and 21, please consider attending the forthcoming youth meeting which will be held on Saturday the 9th December from 1 – 3 pm. It will be a fun afternoon where plans for the summer school holidays will be discussed and made. From my previous experience with these meetings, I know you’re likely to share in some games and also enjoy some delicious snacks to boot!