06 Feb River Ward Young Adult Summit Focuses on Needs of Youth in the Community
February 4, 2017 – Ottawa –City Councillor Riley Brockington brought together young adults from across River Ward on Saturday, February 4, 2017 for the first River Ward Young Adult Summit. Geared towards residents aged 13-20, the Summit provided the attendees with an opportunity to bring their concerns to their City Councillor, to engage in discussion on issues that directly affect them, to challenge each other and to encourage greater collaboration between youth and city leaders. In addition to Councillor Brockington, Mayor Jim Watson attended the Summit, providing greetings from the City of Ottawa.
Topics of discussion included transit services, employment and community safety. Led by moderator Cathy Curry (former Chair of the Ottawa Carleton District School Board), there was a lively discussion of the issues, challenges and potential solutions.
“My aim for today was to have a structured discussion of important issues challenging today’s young adults,” said Councillor Riley Brockington. “They did not disappoint, providing a lively discussion and valuable input on various issues. I look forward to future collaboration.”
Following the roundtable discussions, the Ottawa Youth Engagement Committee, led by Emma Buchanan, spoke to the attendees about their partnership with Youth Ottawa and the City of Ottawa to encourage youth engagement and amplify youth voice and representation at the City of Ottawa. Their current projects relate to building better communication & relationships between Councillors and youth, the environment, and public transportation.
The Summit wrapped up with a courtesy lunch and with a renewed goal of future collaboration and engagement between the community, youth and government.
