Dunedin YOUTH VOTE 2015

Dunedin (Friday, 22 May 2015) – Dunedin’s high school students are being called on to cast their votes and decide how the interior design of the Moana Pool foyer should look as part of a youth initiative.

The Youth Vote is one of three projects designed to give Dunedin’s youth a meaningful voice in the direction of their community. The projects aim to create avenues in which young people can become better informed when making decisions and choices, which ultimately will lead to them participating in Dunedin’s affairs further.

The Dunedin Youth Participation Group has worked with young Dunedin people over the past year to design the three projects. The first of the projects was the Leaders of Tomorrow Roadshow, which took place in March when Group Chair Cr Aaron Hawkins and member Cr Jinty MacTavish visited 10 Dunedin high schools. They talked to students about how local government works and showed a video explaining how DCC activities impact on everyday life.

The second project, the Youth Vote, will start next week giving students a chance to have their say. Polling booths will be set up at 11 high schools where preferential votes will be cast for three conceptual designs for the Moana Pool foyer interior design.

“Students have been involved right through the process as they were asked to submit their feedback and ideas for the foyer area during the design phase,” says Cr Hawkins.

“Architectural designer Crystal Filep then creatively used this feedback to design the three different concepts for how the foyer area could look.”

Dunedin students are excited about the opportunity to use their voting power in the city’s decision making.

“This is an awesome initiative, and as a young person myself, it feels good to get a chance to make a real difference within the community," says Max Chu, a Year 11 Student Otago Boys High School student.

Jodie Llewellyn, a Year 13 student at Columba College says, “The initiative to involve the youth in the decisions that the Council makes strengthens the relationship with them by giving them a voice, and the confidence in that voice being acknowledged. It is an exciting move by the Council which is well received by the youth.”

The third project of establishing a Youth Council for 12 to 17 year olds is scheduled to begin in July.

The wider Dunedin public who visit Moana Pool will have the opportunity to view the design concepts which will be on display at the pool and vote for their favourite.

ENDS

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