Listening to and acting on the views of youth –– the taxpayers and community leaders of the future –– was the focus of a recent Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) initiative discussed at committee on June 19.
The lead-in to debate on “ReMembering Youth Project” included delegation presentations from three local secondary school students. Phoenix, Lucia and Maggie-rose recounted to the elected officials their hopes for the future of the Coast and views on the SCRD engagement, based on their participation in the project, which the SCRD undertook with a grant from Vancouver Coastal Health.
The collaboratively designed experiential learning project launched in May 2024, focusing on fostering community connections and belonging for young people. A staff report on the meeting agenda noted the work would “provide information useful to, amongst other initiatives, Official Community Plan renewal."
Students praised the initiative. Phoenix said, “It is extremely important to know about where you live” as he described his favourite part of the exercise, a visit to Porpoise Bay to learn about shíshálh history.
“There were dozens of villages and thousands of people that once lived there," Phoenix shared, noting that knowledge help him view that area as “so alive." His recommendation was for signage to be installed at the site telling those stories, as it would help people make a better connection to the area and Coast history.
Maggie-rose said she wanted to see the work continued. She felt the approach used was inclusive and welcoming (rather than condescending, which she commented was one way that forms of government engagement with youth can feel). Her suggestion: a youth council that could meet with local elected officials to discuss areas of concern for both groups.
Views from elected officials
Pender Harbour area director Leonard Lee agreed that dialogue between local government and area youth was important. Along with youth council-type meetings attended by elected officials, he told the delegates they were always welcome at regional district business meetings.
“This is your place…you can come at anytime and I would appreciate hearing from you,” he said.
Part of the project’s focus also looked at how to engage youth in land use planning. After being advised by staff that membership in advisory planning commissions is not restricted to individuals who are of voting age, Roberts Creek area director Kelly Backs said he would like to see youth represented on those bodies when memberships are renewed at the beginning of each year.
That focus to enhance youth engagement in coming years prompted a reminder from Elphinstone area director Donna McMahon that 2026 will be a local government election year.
“I would love to see youth get involved in the election,” she stated, noting that school district board elections are included in that process. She called for all-candidates meetings, especially for school district trustees, to be hosted in the secondary schools within the jurisdiction. Noting that these elections are “an opportunity to learn about local government,” she expressed hope that greater youth involvement opportunities than have been seen in past years can be included in the elections that are slated for October 2026.
