CITCO calls for applications for Youth Shadow Council
If you are between the ages of fifteen to twenty-one, living in Belize City and are a youth leader, the Belize City Council would like you to apply for its “Youth Shadow Council.” The Council hopes to attract eleven youth leaders who will be appointed to work directly with the Mayor and Councilors. Belize City Councilor Micah Goodin tells us why the council is investing in this programme and why you should apply:
Micah Goodin, Councilor, Belize City Council
Micah Goodin
“We have always been a council that recognizes the importance of engaging and interacting with the Belize City youth. Initially, when we won the election we quickly established a department of youth and sports. I think it is the only in the country. We have been aggressive in terms of sports but we realize we also have to engage young people in terms of youth governance. So, this is important because we want to groom them, create a sanctuary where we can prepare the next generation of leaders so that when we step away they can step in and take over from us. We are looking for eleven young people. We want each of them to shadow a councilor and the mayor.”
Andrea Polanco
“When you say shadow, what are some of the duties or responsibilities or things they can expect to learn?”
Micah Goodin
“Yes, in terms of what we want them to do is to shadow a councilor and mayor which means that at certain events or initiatives or meetings we want them to have a seat around the table. We want them to be that youth representation. We want them to be involved and share their perspective. We will also have them having council meetings of their own where they will present ideas and pass it to us and then we would sign off on it officially. We also want them to be engaged in the community, doing some community work and we will be providing them with the resources to do so. So, all in all, it is really to get them to understand how the council works and also have them to share their perspectives as young people so that we don’t exclude the youth voice. This initiative, we want it to be non-partisan so that you don’t have to be a U.D.P. youth or a P.U.P. youth or a B.P.P. youth. We want to have it non-partisan. We want to have it diverse. We want real representation in terms of having females – a balance of males and females. So, that is the idea. To have representation and to have it non-political.”
You can apply online or pick up an application form from the city council. The deadline to submit applications is July thirtieth, 2020.
