Recognising the contributions of Geelong’s youth

WE ARE fortunate that in Geelong and the Bellarine we have such incredible youth who are determined to pave the way for a better future for our region.

I have had the pleasure of working with youth councillors in the past and listening to many Youth Council reports presented at meetings during my time as a councillor, and I am always so impressed by the way they handle themselves.

It is for that reason I was delighted to see that nominations recently opened for the 2024 Geelong Youth Awards.

These awards commenced in 2008 and aim to recognise and celebrate young people aged between 12 and 25 who live, work, learn or play in Greater Geelong.

There are nine award categories across areas of cultural awareness, leadership, community work, innovation, arts, music, sport, and youth development.

It is so important that the achievements and efforts of our youth are acknowledged in an appropriate manner.

Nominating someone you know who is doing outstanding things in the community for a Youth Award is just one of the ways to show your appreciation.

Simply encouraging them to continue making a positive contribution to the community can be reward enough for some people, but it is always nice to receive recognition too.

The Youth Council is involved in the Youth Awards process, developing the Unsung Hero Award category and participating on the judging panel as well as speaking at the awards ceremony.

Nominees will receive a certificate and award winners will be presented with a trophy and a $500 contribution to support their ongoing interests and education.

Nominations can be made by visiting the www.geelongaustralia.com.au/youthawards website.

Our Climate Actions

It is no secret that our climate is facing extraordinarily challenging times.

As such it is vital that council continues to work towards achieving a brighter future for our environment and the generations of people that will follow us.

Our strong commitment to tackling climate change is reflected by our Climate Change Response Plan 2021-2030 and our target of net zero by 2025 for our organisation’s emissions, combined with our broader municipality target to reach net zero emissions by 2035.

So, we recognise the growing importance of taking care of our environment.

Recently council launched the ‘Our Climate Actions’ interactive site.

This initiative provides an opportunity to explore how the city and the community are working together to protect our local area and deal with the changes happening in our climate.

It is a wonderful space where you can discover things like renewable energy projects that help reduce pollution, smart ways we are running our buildings and facilities, efforts to save local plants and animals, and programs that teach people about climate change and how they can help.

Whether it be biodiversity, emergency preparedness or climate adaptation, there is an opportunity for the community to be a part of the solution by increasing their understanding about multiple projects and initiatives.

Using more clean energy, protecting nature, and spreading awareness about climate change are only small steps, but they can lead to greater community input in other ways.

I encourage everyone to visit the Our Climate Actions Interactive site and see for yourself not only the great work that has been achieved, but the future plans in this crucial space.

Cr Jim Mason

Bellarine Ward,

City of Greater Geelong