The Weyburn Youth Council has wrapped up the 2024-25 term. The five-member council, comprised of students from Weyburn Comprehensive School, have participated in Weyburn City Council meetings, as well as their meetings, bringing the perspectives of Weyburn’s youth to municipal issues.
For Secretary Yuan Presto, this was her second and final year on the council, as she is graduating from WCS next month. She explained that her time on the youth council has taught her a number of skills, including communication skills, which have helped with developing respect for different people and different perspectives.
“I also learned time management, because I have other commitments along with being a youth council member, like being a mentor for Big Brothers Big Sisters, and being an SRC member, and also being a big sister to my younger siblings,” said Presto. “I also learned the government system, such as how to make motions and how to take minutes.”
Presto was joined on the youth council by Youth Mayor Jackson Stadnek, and councillors Harper Williams, Mariesa Erasmus, and Bailey Roy.
Learning about governance came in a number of ways, including mentorship from Mayor Jeff Richards, Councillor Kellie Sidloski, and the City of Weyburn’s communications co-ordinator, Paige Tenbult. They were able to take some of the lessons learned and translate them into the Captivator Series in April, which saw the councillors hosting a panel to talk about why youth engagement matters.
The youth council also had the opportunity to hear from other elected officials over the course of the term. In February, outgoing Souris-Moose Mountain MP Dr. Robert Kitchen spoke with the council, reflecting on federal leadership as well as how youth can help to shape national conversations. Then, this past Thursday, the council met with Weyburn-Bengough MLA Mike Weger, where the conversation focused on building stronger connections between young residents and their provincial representatives.
With two members of the youth council graduating from high school, this means there will be two seats at the table to be filled for the next term, which will start during the next school year. Presto encouraged others to take advantage and join the council.
“There’s really no disadvantage to joining Youth Council,” Presto stated. “It’s really fun, and I feel like there’s really no judgment as soon as you step into that room. Everyone’s pretty open-minded, and there’s a lot of room for growth and knowledge, and they ease you into the role and teach you a lot of stuff. You can also be a voice for the youth, and learn about the government system and what’s going on in the city.”