Redland City’s future leaders have come together to share their ideas on key local issues at a free ‘Change Challenge’ workshop held recently as part of the Redlands Coast Young Citizens Program.
Mayor Jos Mitchell said 16 students from Sheldon College, The Industry School, Wellington Point State High School, and Alexandra Hills State High School attended the session on 5 June, giving them an opportunity to put their skills into action and learn more about local government.
“This was a great opportunity to engage with the future leaders of our city and provide them with insights into the many ways Council serves the Redland community,” the Mayor said.
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“It was the first of three workshops to be held in 2025 as part of the Redlands Coast Young Citizens Program, with the next session scheduled to take place at the same venue in September.
“The workshops have been developed by Council to align with the school curriculum and are aimed at empowering our young people to engage on the local topics that are most important to them.
“They also provide a valuable opportunity for students to develop their communication skills, practice peer leadership, and build networks with other students and community leaders.”
Students participated in two activities during the workshop where they were encouraged to discuss different topics in groups, brainstorm ideas, and identify potential solutions.
“Council had representatives from different areas of the organisation participating in these activities and helping to moderate the conversations,” the Mayor said.
“They were very impressed with the passion, diligence and problem-solving skills the students showed in responding to a number of challenging real-life scenarios.
“It’s exciting to think that some of the students who attended the workshop could become our future city planners, wildlife officers, arborists, engineers, or perhaps even an elected representative.
“I know many of our Council officers also enjoyed the opportunity to connect with the students, pass on some of their expertise, and speak about what it’s like to work in local government.”
The Redlands Coast Young Citizens Program has been developed to support the more than 11,500 secondary students in Redland City with opportunities to be actively engaged on local issues.
The program is aligned with goals in the Redlands Coast Young People’s Action Plan 2024–2027 and aims to cultivate a sense of civic responsibility that encourages lifelong participation in democracy.
The next workshop, to be held on Thursday 4 September, will be themed as a debate and is designed to help students think critically about challenges in their communities.
This will be followed by a ‘Quick Connect Quest’ workshop at the same venue on Thursday 5 November, where students will engage in quick-fire conversations about a range of topics with Council officers.
All sessions are being held at Myhorizon, 1-15A Runnymede Road, Capalaba, next to the Redlands IndigiScapes Centre.
For more information, including details about how schools can get their students involved in the workshops, call Council on 07 3829 8999 or email [email protected].
Photos from the Change Challenge event are available online.
