Young people want their voices heard at a higher level

Mental health, road safety and smoking and vaping dangers are among the topics on which the members of Comhairle na nÓg – Westmeath’s junior county council – are currently focused.

But, they have revealed this week, they want their voices heard at a higher level, and funding assistance to help them with their work.

Putting the comhairle’s case before the members of Westmeath County Council at the council’s April meeting, Comhairle na nÓg members Maeve Staunton from St Joseph’s College in Rochfortbridge and Elliott Walsh from St Finian’s College in Mullingar said the comhairle was “the voice of young people”.

Funded by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, coordinated by Westmeath County Council, facilitated by Youth Work Ireland Midlands and supported by all 13 secondary schools in Westmeath, the comhairle has 30 members locally, and one who represents the county at national level.

“Our mission is to ensure young people’s voices are heard and acted upon in Westmeath. We do this in many ways, from conducting surveys to organising events,” Maeve said, explaining that they describe themselves with the acronym ‘SMART’: “We are specific, multi-talented, achievers, realistic and talented – or, at least that’s what we try hard to be,” she said.

Maeve told councillors, that by listening to young people, the comhairle can create programmes and events to meet their needs. “Our goals, aims and objectives are to enable young people and to influence change,” she said.

Elliott, in his presentation, told the council that at last year’s AGM and Youth Conference, young people decided that exam and school stress is an issue that affects many young people and this has become a main focus. The comhairle also holds an annual road safety event in Athlone and runs a ‘Not Around Us’ campaign which aims to denormalise smoking and vaping for the next generation and promote an environment where it is easier for those who smoke and vape to quit for good.

Ross told the council that what it could do to support Comhairle na nÓg would be to amplify the voice of Comhairle, and include Comhairle na nÓg representatives in its decision-making processes. He also urged the council to promote collaboration with the Comhairle, and to assist it with funding.

Cllr David Jones complimented the young people on the work they are doing, particularly around smoking and vaping; Cllr Frankie Keena suggested the comhairle consider making submissions on the area plans for Mullingar and Athlone, and he encouraged the young people to think about getting involved in politics.

Cllr Denis Leonard said he hoped the young people would keep their voices in Westmeath and not emigrate, and remarked that he was sure today’s young people would have a huge impact on the climate crisis.

Cllr Vinny McCormack was impressed at the determination and perseverance displayed by Maeve and Elliott and said he was confident the council, in its nest round of pre-budget discussions, would be positively disposed towards looking at what it could do to assist the comhairle.

The suggestion of Cllr John Dolan was that the comhairle prepare a submission for the council’s budget, setting out its aims: “It makes it easier for us if we have a proposal in front of us,” he said, before going on to suggest that a representative from the comhairle be appointed to one of the council’s SPCs – possibly the environmental SPC.

Cllr Niall Gaffney felt young people could also get involved in the various Town Teams set up around the county, while Cllr Paul Hogan commented that the Athlone Municipal District would be keen to hear the views of young people in Athlone, while both Cllrs Ken Glynn and Alfie Devine stated that the Mullingar Kinnegad Municipal District would also be interested in hearing from its local young people, and added that the council, in its budgetary process would be very amenable to supporting young people.

Cllr Aoife Davitt said climate concerns and road safety issues are among the top topics in the council chamber, and noted that these were issues of interest to the young people also. “Anything that we can do to try from the foundation up to get people interested, involved and knowledgeable about those things is really important,” she stated.

Referencing the road safety work done by the young people, Cllr Tom Farrell said young people were more likely to respond positively to the message when it came from people in their own age group. Cathaoirleach, Liam McDaniel said the comhairle was “an excellent group”, and that the council had benefited from learning what issues they felt were important.

Chief executive Barry Kehoe also praised the young people and recommended that they follow through on the suggestion that they get involved in the consultation process on the two town plans, “because they’ll directly impact on you and, in time, on your children”.