High school students from the Burt electorate have come together to collaborate on solutions to the biggest issues facing young people today.
Two representatives each from Armadale Senior High, Byford Secondary College, Canning Vale College, Cecil Andrews, Dale Christian College, Harrisdale Senior High, John Bosco College, John Calvin Christian College, Kelmscott Senior High, Southern River College and Thornlie Senior High were chosen to participate in the annual Burt Youth Leaders Forum hosted by Matt Keogh.
Topics addressed included the housing crisis, cost of living, youth mental health, cost of tertiary education, resourcing of schools, importance of the family unit, and the deteriorating geopolitical landscape.
While no one expected they could solve the world’s problems in one day, participants were challenged to critically analyse three key issues and come up with practical measures they could recommend to be implemented at a state or federal level.
Federal Member for Burt Matt Keogh collected their recommendations and will deliver them to the premier and prime minister.
“What we do here matters. Mental health has been the top concern over a decade of doing these forums,” he said.
“And this forum gives me the ability to take this concern and say with confidence ‘what young people in my electorate really want is more support for mental health,” he said.
One of the participants from Byford Secondary College said he was not sure he wanted a career in politics or social policy, but the experience had been rewarding nonetheless.
“It was nice to express our ideas and opinions about things that matter to us and have people listen to us – not just listen, but be interested,” he said.
Photographs – Richard Polden
