Youâve likely heard of the âshadow cabinetâ in the provincial legislature. Come this fall, Salmon Arm will have its own version â a âshadow council.â
Although city council has discussed giving young people more of a voice in city politics, the talk is morphing into action.
Teacher Graham Gomme and six Grade 11 students came to council Monday to outline how a new civics course at the school will bring a youth perspective to city hall in September or October.
Gomme explains that Coun. Tim Lavery, a former educator, approached him about more youth involvement. Then Lavery and the cityâs chief administrative officer, Carl Bannister, came up with the idea of shadowing. Their idea, combined with the flexibility of the school districtâs new curriculum, meant it was a go.
Gomme terms it âcutting edge.â
Once a month, two of five Grade 12 students will rotate in to sit beside staff at the city council meeting, providing comment âif they have done their homeworkâ on the issue and wish to add input.
The hope is to have âstudents make some real suggestions to council, bringing their own ideas,â Gomme said.
While they will be permitted to comment, their votes on issues wonât count â not being legally elected.
While the two Grade 12s will be participating as shadow council members, the other three members of the youth council will be in the gallery watching, as will two Grade 11s who will watch the process in preparation for when theyâre in Grade 12.
A sixth Grade 12 student will act as Gommeâs assistant.
Gomme said the students will have a responsibility both to the community and to the school, where they will report back.
At Mondayâs meeting, all six students present briefly addressed council, most speaking of their wish to be more involved in and learn more about the community.
Gomme said more planning will take place and all the details of the course will be explained in the fall.
âThey said I wonât be able to run my class like a dictatorship,â he told council with a smile.
Lavery expressed his excitement at the shadow council, noting more youth engagement has been a longstanding desire on the part of Salmon Arm Secondaryâs Sullivan campus and staff, as well as this and previous councils.
Following the meeting, Gomme praised Lavery and all of council for their commitment to youth involvement.
âTo be honest, this council is quite interested. Every member. Thereâs been a lot of involvement, not just from the teachers and ex-teachers⊠Thereâs been more interaction in the last two years than Iâve ever seen with the council,â Gomme remarked.
Mayor Nancy Cooper and all of council expressed their enthusiasm for the shadow cabinet plan.
Coun. Chad Eliason noted that in his position with SILGA, the Southern Interior Local Government Association, heâs aware that there arenât very many youth councils in B.C. Salmon Armâs, he said, will be just the third.
âYou guys can effect change at this table anytime. I want to thank Coun. Lavery for all his work. He has really been the catalyst to make this go forward.â
Coun. Louise Wallace Richmond said she is looking forward to learning from the shadow council.
âIâm excited for all the learning youâll be doing, and Iâm also excited for all the things youâll teach us. We all have a great deal to learn from young people.â
Coun. Alan Harrison commented in the same vein.
âI think our most important job is to make sure we listen to what you say, so make sure you speak up.â
Council suggested that one of the students apply for funding through SILGA to attend the Union of BC Municipalities Convention (UBCM) in September, as funding is provided for one Interior-based student chosen.
