AS part of its commitment to increasing youth engagement and input into municipal decisions, the City of Surrey is recruiting youth representatives for each of eight of its City-led committees. This is part of a one-year pilot project arising out of a recommendation from Surrey’s Child and Youth Friendly Strategy.

“Our world is constantly changing, and youth bring perspective and experiences that are unique to their demographic,” says City of Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts.  “With one-third of our residents under the age of 19, adding the voice of youth to municipal governance helps to ensure that decisions made are representative of our community.”

Research has shown there are distinct benefits to including a youth voice in municipal governance. Young people offer intelligence, creative thinking, and valuable perspectives on the world. By treating youth as equal partners in the governance process, a stronger relationship is built between young people and their city; this in turn creates a positive cycle for further effec­tive youth engagement.

The Committees seeking youth representatives are:

* Agriculture and Food Security Advisory

* Cultural Development Advisory

* Diversity Advisory

* Environmental Sustainability Advisory

* Public Art Advisory

* Parks, Recreation and Sport Tourism

* Social Planning Advisory

* Transportation and Infrastructure

Applicants must be aged 18-25 years of age and residents of Surrey. Interested applicants are asked to submit written expression of interest to clerks@surrey.ca by 4 p.m. on February 14.