Advisory Council

SJYAC logoThe SJ Youth Advisory Council (YAC) is an energetic group of young people who volunteer their time to address local youth issues.

Currently we have members aged 12–25 years, from a range of schools, tertiary institutions and work places.

YAC aims to help influence policy, programs and services specific to youth affairs within the Serpentine Jarrahdale Shire.

Ideas and projects are developed by YAC to address issues that affect young people. Council supports YAC with a Community Development Officer who regularly attends YAC meetings.

YAC provides a voice for young people to help Council make the local community a better place for everyone to live. YAC contributes to various community events such as the annual Australia Day Celebration and a range of school holiday activities.

YAC has organised a number of successful youth specific events in the past, for example the Battle of The Bands, a youth bands competition, and also the inaugural Youth Photography Competition which will become an annual event following its success in 2009.

YAC kidsPlans are under way to organise a Byfordz Big Night Out youth bands jam which we hope will become one of the biggest youth-focussed events in the region.

By participating in YAC, young people develop leadership skills which can be used throughout their lives, such as decision making, working in a team, developing creative ideas and finding out how local government operates.

To join YAC please contact the Shire’s Community Development Officer Andrew Stuart, who is also the YAC Coordinator, on 9526 1147 or email youth@sjshire.wa.gov.au

Serpentine Jarrahdale Shire Youth Strategy

YAC kidsThe SJ Youth Advisory Council has completed its forward planning with the production of an award winning SJ Shire Youth Strategy which will:

  • help plan for the future of youth in the SJ Shire
  • provide information to young people about what is happening and what is planned (eg. like the school holiday activities program)
  • help identify activities and services that young people would like
  • identify partners and organisations able to help implement new activities and services for youth
  • provide a strategic framework for the Shire that identifies how young people would like to be supported in their endeavours

Download the full strategy document (796KB).

SJ YAC member comments

YAC kidsHi! My name is Taitiarna and I have been involved with Serpentine Jarrahdale Youth Advisory Council for six years now.

We're a small group of young people from within the Shire who meet up once a month to discuss local youth issues and work towards creating activities for the local youth to be a part of (i.e. Byfordz Big Night Out).

On the first Thursday of each month a dinner is also provided prior to the formal YAC meeting. The SJ YAC helps with organising the Australia Day celebrations and the Anzac Day parade but we also have fun activities for ourselves to do including camps and Adventure World trips.

We are always seeking new members who want to voice their opinions about what should happen in the Shire in terms of youth activities and who want to help in making these changes a reality.

Taitiarna Brown