Rochester Secondary College student leaders have taken part in a training and skills day through the Youth Affairs Council Victoria and Campaspe Shire Council Youth Action Group.
The event was delivered on Tuesday, August 20, by YACVic young peer facilitators with regional backgrounds, hosting training on topics like disaster resilience, media training and youth advocacy.
The day finished with students splitting into groups and pitching their ideas to a panel of community leaders and decision makers.
On the panel were principal Matt Koutroubas, State Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh, State Member for Northern Victoria Rikkie-Lee Tyrrell, Rochester Community House's Amanda Logie and Jenna Harvey and Campaspe Shire Council’s communities director Jo Bradshaw, Cr Tony Marwood and Cr Paul Jarman.
Students presented about improving roads damaged by the 2022 and 2024 floods, rebuilding the Rochester and District War Memorial Pool, improving the 4Rs clubrooms, flood-proofing houses and introducing temporary splash parks during summer.
Campaspe Shire Council youth community development officer Kane Stewart, a key driver behind the event, was impressed with the leadership on display.
“The day went amazingly,” he said.
“It was really great to see so many young people express their ideas and be passionate about that.”
The winning presentation was delivered by Year 9 students Blake Kyne, Harriet East and Georgie Acocks, who pitched temporary splash parks as the local pool is rebuilt.
“While the pool is still being built, the heat of the summer is still active,” the group said.
“This temporary splash park would provide an escape from the heat and not only a social area for teens, but a space for smaller children and families in a safe and well-managed environment.
“The splash park would need to be funded and a pilot program would need to run from December 2024 until January 2025.”
The panel was impressed by their pitch, including councillors and Rochester Community House staff who thought it was original and even potentially feasible.
The event was funded by the YACVic Umbrella Project, aimed at supporting young people in flood-affected communities.
Students’ pitches on the day were reflective of the past two years, looking for ways to protect Rochester from future natural disasters and improve resources damaged by the flood events.
“We came to Rochy as it is a community with a ton of passionate young people with a lot of pressing issues,” Mr Stewart said.
“Today was about building advocacy skills around disaster and emergency recovery to ensure young people are active in their community’s recovery process.”