Engaging Young People

Here is a fine example for Councillors, to engage with young people, over the McDonalds is coming to town issue... How safer will it be for the young and any other members of the community to be in town, once this establishment is opened ? How is this Plan going to ensure that Councillors can engage the young to ensure a safer healthier environment for them and the rest of us in Picton and Wollondilly ? How will this plan address the issues, in conjunction with the Community Social Plan, in relation to meeting community needs ? and community SAFETY ? Perhaps this plan needs to address how effective are Councillors in engaging young people and then putting into practice ? How effective will this Plan be in assessing the impacts of McDonalds, is coming to town...? Are we expecting too much of the Police, to pick up after the laziness of Councillors and development ? I suppose we will see how effective this Plan really is, or not, over this McDonalds issue ?

Please see the Mcdonalds D.A. proposal on this web site, and please make a comment or vote... Thanks...

Engaging youth is always difficult if we try to do it on our terms - look at this page for instance (give us your comments on engaging young people here) if I was still one of them I would feel excluded. This is a talk about them not with them. I would start with the schools - at least you have a captive audience there. I also think we need to think back to our own youth. Its not so long ago for some of us. Petty crime stems from boredom. Give young people something to do and perhaps something that gives them pride in the community and they will respond well. Im not going to say what - go and ask the kids.

All this focus on youth in a crime prevention plan implies they are the only criminals in our society. If you treat young people that way they will live up to your expectations.