By Emily-Rose Toohey
Southern Downs Regional Council (SDRC) is working in conjunction with the youth council to implement activities aimed at young people, particularly teenagers.
Community involved Ballandean local Maria attended the village’s Connecting With Council Meeting last Wednesday, and she said that there is a real problem with youth boredom.
“We need something for the youth in town,” she said.
“There’s the good kids but then there’s the bored kids – what can we do?”
SDRC Mayor Vic Pennisi said by working with the youth council, they have identified three strategies.
“The first is transport – how do we deal with getting people around?” Cr Pennisi said.
“They have suggested an Uber system with parents.”
He said that the second proposed item would be introducing more social sport.
“Some kids just want to play for fun, so we’d like to provide non-competitive activities where they turn up and just play,” Cr Pennisi said.
“The third option is ballroom dancing.”
However, Maria said that she does not envision a lot of the struggling kids she knows participating in these events.
“I can talk to some of them to see what they want to do,” she said.
“We try and do stuff for them but they push back – it breaks my heart.”
A council staff member said that he is aware of kids falling through the cracks.
“The big question is, how do we capture those kids to ensure that we have activities for them?” the staff member said.
“It might not be that they don’t want to participate, but that they can’t get there.
“With Uber, that allows them to access different locations, whether it be Killarney, Allora or Wallangarra, but we have to step through the processes to ensure it’s appropriate and safe.”
Moreover, Cr Pennisi said if anyone has any other ideas, he is happy to take them on board and run it by the youth council.
“There’s a lot going on out there as we speak,” he said.
The SDRC staff member said that conversations will also be had with schools regarding the issue.
However, Maria said a lot of the target youth demographic she knows do not attend school.
“They’ve been expelled,” she said.
Earlier this week, Stanthorpe’s Community Development Services (CDS) were awarded $290,236 in funding under round six of the Safer Communities Fund.
This is to improve community safety and help divert local at-risk youth from a life of crime.
Federal Member for Maranoa David Littleproud MP said the program ensures young people can get the support and assistance they need.
“Through existing relationships with local high schools and the current youth program, CDS will run a 28-month training program and targeted education campaign designed to help at-risk youth obtain their driver’s licences,” Mr Littleproud said.
Nonethless, SDRC and the youth council will continue coming up with options that will be implemented in the future, not just for the Stanthorpe area, but Southern Downs-wide.
