Local Youth Council Questions the Mayor
May 22, 2019
A selection of members from the Lisburn & Castlereagh Youth Council (LCYC) recently had the opportunity to question the Mayor, Councillor Uel Mackin in the Council Chamber at Lagan Valley Island.
LCYC is managed by Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council in partnership with the Education Authority Youth Service, the PSNI, the Public Health Agency and the Lisburn & Castlereagh Strategic Community Planning Partnership. It was established in 2017 to offer young people the opportunity to engage in the local decision making process. Over the past two years it has organised events and conferences as well as attended study trips to other cities.
Vice-Chair of the LCYC, Lea Carson leading the discussions with the Mayor tabled a number of items on behalf of the young people including: a request that the youth council could be more involved in youth related council events, their willingness to contribute to public consultations and ability to encourage their peers to also have their say.
Lea Carson said: “The LCYC has had a positive impact within the council area advocating for matters that are important to the younger generation. There is a concern within it about the co-ordinated effort being made through social media to organise anti-social behaviour within the council area. We plan to undertake research among our peers to determine the reasons why such activity is happening in today’s society, identify hot spots for this anti-social behaviour and identify ways to stop such irresponsible actions.
“We will analyse the findings and work through the local community planning process to help young people feel more included and identify safe places for them to meet within local communities, thereby addressing such anti-social behaviour. In the year ahead the LCYC will work collaboratively with the council and its strategic community planning partners to create an inclusive society for young people.”
The Mayor, Councillor Uel Mackin added: “It was encouraging to hear how the local youth council has worked together to identify ways in which they can contribute to existing plans within the Lisburn Castlereagh area. This shows a high level of awareness of local matters which they have obviously researched thoroughly. I look forward to hearing their outputs over the next year. I have agreed to raise with Translink directly at our next meeting with their management team the possibility to try and establish a late night method of public transport around Lisburn so that our local young people can be more independent when socialising and get home safely.”
With the council a number of services are involved in the LCYC including good relations, PEACE IV, PCSP and community development.