Newtown and Llanllwchaiarn Town Council are pleased to welcome Gemma Wallis as the new Community Youth Representative.
The main role of a community Youth Representative is to represent the opinions of young people within the Newtown area to the Newtown and Llanllwchaiarn Town Council. It also offers a great opportunity to lean about local democracy.
The main responsibilities of being a Community Youth Representative include:
- Feeding back ideas and views from the young people in the town.
- Helping to engage more young people in Town Council activities & events
- Attending meetings and taking part in discussions & debates.
- Visiting youth groups and organisations within the town to gather young people’s views and act as a link with the Town Council.
- Learning how the Town Council works.
- Helping to promote the work of the Newtown and Llanllwchaiarn Town Council to young people.
During council meetings Youth Representatives do not have the right to vote on decisions but are able to raise topics, inform councillors and take part in discussions. The town council will be supporting Gemma in her new role with a mentor, who will be Cllr Richard Williams, Mayor of Newtown and Llanllwchaiarn.
Gemma lives in Newtown and is currently taking her GCSEs with aspirations to continue her studies to become a midwife. Gemma is a member of the Newtown Air Cadets and registered with Credu Young Carers where she is a member of their Junior Start Well board representing young people in Powys giving them a voice to Parliament. Commenting on joining Newtown & Llanllwchaiarn Town Council, Gemma says “I’m very excited to join the council and to help give young people of my area a voice. I can’t wait to start helping young people.”