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Young councillors network meets to bolster governance and engagement
The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) young councillors network met to discuss how to bolster governance and engagement.
The meeting on 5 March 2024 served as a platform to examine the findings of a recent survey, deliberate on mentoring initiatives to improve governance and brainstorm strategies to encourage young people to volunteer and become involved in the community.
The network analysed the outcomes of last year's survey, delving into actionable insights aimed at bolstering membership, refining meeting agendas, and sourcing speakers for forthcoming meetings. Additionally, the discussion pivoted towards developing a toolkit and providing easily digestible training resources through explainer videos. The network responded to overwhelming feedback on meeting times and swiftly announced plans to host an evening session on 19 March 2024 between 6 pm and 7.15 pm. This adjustment aims to accommodate the availability of its diverse constituency of young councillors.
The network also recognised that mentoring must be more utilised within council frameworks. Participants advocated for its integration as a viable support mechanism to streamline council operations and fortify governance structures.