If there is one thing Jessica Ryan has always wanted to see on the Taieri, it is for youth to have more of a say in what goes on in their community.
The 16-year-old Taieri College pupil may get the chance to make that happen after being selected to represent her community on the Dunedin City Council's new Dunedin Youth Council.
The youth council has been established by the DCC's Youth Participation Advisory Group so 12- to 17-year-olds can become better informed about civic issues and participate more in the running of the city.
The council will meet for the first time early next month.
More than 30 secondary school pupils applied for a position on the youth council and Jessica was one of 15 accepted.
She is joined by Tyler Proctor (Otago Boys' High School), Joe Garry (John McGlashan College), Irie Simpson (St Hilda's Collegiate School), Christina Weston (Kavanagh College), Nathaniel Brown (Kaikorai Valley College), Jahoon Mun and Nathan Farr (King's High School), Alana Donkin (Otago Girls' High School), Louise Nicholson (Queen's High School), Emilia Haszard (Bayfield High School), Liberty Thein-Pye (Te Aho Te Kura Pounamu/Correspondence School), Caroline Moratti (Columba College), Grant McNaughton (Logan Park High School) and Kalib Rule (Community College Dunedin).
Two King's High School pupils were selected to ensure continuity of representation through until the middle of next year.
The same approach will be taken with St Hilda's Collegiate and Kaikorai Valley College, whose current representatives are also year 13 pupils.
Group chairman and Dunedin city councillor Aaron Hawkins said he was excited by the potential the group had to be leaders in their community.
''The calibre of the applicants was very high and they were from diverse backgrounds.
''The selection panel had to make some very difficult choices.
''The one thing they have in common is their passion for Dunedin and preserving it for the generations to come.''
Jessica said it was a privilege to have been selected for the council.
''I feel honoured to represent young people on the Taieri.''
The establishment of the youth council is the last of three initial projects to be rolled out.
Cr Hawkins said like the Leaders of Tomorrow roadshow and the recent Youth Vote, the youth council would involve Dunedin's young people in project design and implementation.
''The decisions we make today have a huge impact on our younger citizens, so it's essential that they're active in helping us make them.''
In June, the DCC received $51,500 from the Ministry of Youth Development which would be used to fund a youth council activator (co-ordinator) to support the youth council and its activities, he said.
