A new Junior Mayor and Deputy Junior Mayor have recently been elected to lead the 2023 Mandurah Junior Council.
Thirty junior councillors nominated for the coveted role of Junior Mayor, with each nominee giving a speech to their peers and a packed gallery last month as to why they deserved the role.
The nominees spoke about the importance of being connected with their community, building relationships, being prepared to tackle challenges, and key leadership qualities such as trust, respect, humour, kindness, being inclusive and public speaking skills. The junior councillors then voted on their preferred candidate.
The junior councillors elected Joseva Ganilau from Lakelands Primary School as the new Junior Mayor, and Chloe Ferrari from Mandurah Baptist College as the Deputy Junior Mayor.
The 2023 Junior Council will now decide on an issue to address for their annual project, which is presented to Mandurah Council later in the year.
The Mandurah Junior Council was first established in 1985 to enable young people to have a voice in their community and to learn about local government.
Since its inception, the format has evolved, but the original objective has remained the same; to empower young people within Mandurah and equip them with the skills to step up as leaders today and into the future.
With the addition of Madora Bay Primary School this year, the Mandurah Junior Council consists of 42 year six students from the 21 primary schools across Mandurah, providing young councillors with a unique opportunity to learn about local government and voice their opinions on things that matter to them.
Throughout the year, the Junior Council will learn about levels of government, public speaking, consultations, leadership and values.
Mandurah’s young people are an important part of the community, and Junior Council is one of the ways the City of Mandurah helps to build the skills and capacity of our young people.
