TAMWORTH’S youngest leaders are stepping up to tackle some big issues facing their peers and the town.
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The Tamworth Regional Youth Council took over Fitzroy Street on Monday to talk about what matters most to them.
It was all about promoting positive mental health and highlighting what help is available.
The day was the brainchild of youth councillor Oliver Keft-Gill who wanted to tackle mental health as a priority from his first day on the youth council.'
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“Within my family, mental health has been a massive thing,” he said.
“I knew if I got to youth council and I said something about it, I knew something was going to happen.
“I really wanted to create awareness in the community so that young people knew there was someone always there for them.”
The Year 12 student said the youth council were using events “to address different issues in the community”, but he said there was a need for more services tackling matters of the mind.
“We’ve got the markets every once a month, if we had a couple of stalls there, maybe just something like that to ensure there is always someone there to create that supportive environment,” he said.
Tamworth Regional Council volunteer coordinator Veronica Filby-Martin said a day like Monday would help highlight what is currently available.
“There is a lot of services in town but it’s the access and getting people aware of those services,” she said.
Having worked closely with the youth councils, she said there was a lot to be gained from organising the event.
“We’re trying to raise more awareness around firstly mental health with youth,” she said.
“It is about developing skills as much as it’s about raising awareness and leadership.”
According to beyondblue, around one-in-35 people aged 4-17 experience a depressive disorder, equivalent to 112,000 young people