Decision details

Moved by Councillor Weldon, seconded by Councillor Jarrett –

(A)        Council note:

(i)           young people are the lifeblood of our city. They are our future leaders and youth culture contributes to our city’s vibrancy and dynamism in many ways;

(ii)         not all young people in the City of Sydney have the same opportunities and support and some experience greater adversity;

(iii)        ensuring that young people are engaged, supported and valued is one of the most important investments we can make in the future of our city;

(iv)        the City’s approach is set out in our Youth Action Plan 2017-2027 and the City embeds youth development principles in many areas of our work;

(v)         youth services and programs play a vital role in supporting young people, particularly those facing systemic barriers;

(vi)        the City provides a range of youth programs and events which are developed and delivered in ways that support equitable access and outcomes for all young people and promote inclusive participation;

(vii)      there are many other services, organisations and government agencies working in our local area to support young people. Each have different catchments, focuses, skills and resources;

(viii)     the City provides substantial funding and in-kind support to a range of services and projects for young people. Furthermore, the City provides sector support through the coordination of a quarterly Youth Services Interagency and the Connect Sydney program;

(ix)        the dedication and skills of youth workers and the vital role they play in supporting young people; and

(x)         supporting young people is a whole-of-community responsibility and all levels of government have a role to play;

(B)        Council further note that following community meetings on 30 April, 2 May and 30 May 2024, and a Resolution of Council on 13 May 2024 - the City:

(i)           has increased Community BBQs at Peter Forsyth Auditorium from monthly to weekly, providing more opportunities for young people to have meaningful, activities, connect with services and the community to come together;

(ii)         is adding Glebe to the Youth in the City School Holiday Programs pick up locations from 1 July 2024. There are also 100% fee waivers available to families for the school holidays program;

(iii)        has offered a bus to Glebe Youth Service free of charge to enable them to take young people home on when the After Dark program finishes;

(iv)        has provided a dedicated staff member for six months to work with Glebe Youth service, community groups, residents including local Aboriginal Elders, and within the City to map services for young people in Glebe and to help identify gaps;

(v)         has negotiated with Homes NSW that they prioritise the maintenance of housing in Glebe for families with children and young people; and

is recommending Glebe Youth Services for $1,069,514 million of Community Services grant funding over 3 years; and

(C)        Council commend staff for their ongoing work to ensure young people are engaged, supported and valued, including recent commitments to:

(i)           undertake a mapping of youth services in the City of Sydney to identify existing supports and programs for young people and to help identify gaps; and

(ii)         convene a round table meeting with local youth services to discuss current and ongoing funding challenges and opportunities for sustainable delivery of services across the City of Sydney.

Amended motion carried unanimously.

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