City of Stirling Youth Framework 2019 - 2023

Leadership and civic participation Empowering young people to participate in the community and become future leaders by driving positive change through contributing their strengths, knowledge, skills and abilities.

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Guiding Strategies 1. Establish a youth-led Youth Action Collective that engages young people in developing innovative solutions that address youth and community needs. 2. Provide support to youth-led projects that promote youth participation and address issues of concern to young people, such as racism, mental health and drug and alcohol abuse. 3. Encourage and facilitate civic participation

Rationale • Many young people already contribute to our community in positive ways. One in five young people (12 – 24 years) living in Stirling volunteer. This represents 17 per cent of all volunteers in Stirling. • Our experience with youth-led initiatives has taught us that where we give young people the opportunity to take charge, they consistently rise to the challenge. • The creativity, ideas, energy and perspectives that young people bring to the table lead to innovative solutions to complex problems. • Young people understand their own needs and what works for young people better than anyone else. Involving young people in planning and decision-making processes ensures the outcomes reflect their needs and aspirations. • Research shows that when young people are actively engaged and contributing to their community, they are less likely to engage in risky or anti-social behaviour.

by creating and adding value to existing volunteering, mentoring, advocacy and leadership opportunities.

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