A local youth champion addressed the Victorian Legislative Council during Thursday’s sitting at Echuca Library.
Echuca Resident Cameron Barnes, who won the 2023 Youth Citizen of the Year award for both Echuca and Campaspe Shire, wanted to highlight the need for more events and activities for youth community members in the area.
Mr Barnes has been an active member of the 1st Echuca Scout Group since 2011 and is currently the Unit Chair and serves as a member of the Youth Advisory Group, which advocates Campaspe Shire Council about issues that affect young people in the community.
When he was asked to address the council on April 18, Mr Barnes was nervous but excited to advocate for youth services in the community.
“It was very nerve-wracking, but I think I did all right; it was a great opportunity,” he said.
“It was great to get a bit of a message across; I spoke to many people about what kind of messages we wanted to discuss with the community.
“It was just about saying what our youth problems are in the community while making it very much light-hearted.”
Mr Barnes was happy for the councillors to meet in Echuca so they could witness what it’s like to live in regional Victoria and see that members of the community don’t have access to the breadth of services available in metropolitan areas.
“It’s great for the councillors to come here and see the differences of living in regional Victoria,” he said.
“We have to travel so far for mental health services, school or different activities when they have everything locally.
“Here in regional Victoria, we have to make up our own fun a bit; we don’t have the array of activities and facilities.
“It’s good for them to realise that things must be developed here to keep youth engaged and active.”
Mr Barnes’ address to the Victorian Legislative Council focused on implementing more events and activities for youth in the community to reduce crime and encourage the younger generation in Campaspe Shire to stay in the area and lead their communities.
“My aim with speaking is to get more activities, events, and facilities to get youth off the street and in safe places and keep them engaged in the community so there is less crime in Echuca.”
“We want to try and keep this generation of youth here longer term because we are an ageing community. The youth here struggle for things to do when they turn 18, so we want to change that and encourage them to stay.”