Blacktown City Council - Media Release - Youth Voices Heard At Council Pop-Up

2 October 2019

More than 20 young people staged a peaceful protest at last

Friday’s Blacktown City Council’s pop-up information session 

seeking support for Blacktown Youth Services.

The group grabbed centre stage at the Blacktown

Night Markets demanding that Council hears their demands 

including a plea for increased funding for Blacktown Youth 

Services.

Blacktown City Deputy Mayor Tony Bleasdale commended 

the group for making their voices heard and said Council 

wanted to hear more from the young people in the 

community.

“Thank you to all of the young people who had the courage 

and made the effort to come to our pop-up and raise this 

issue. Council wants to work with the youth and will continue 

to support this service and other similar services.” Councillor 

Bleasdale said.

A member of the group who did not want to be named said: 

“Besides hardships we have endured, we are determined 

and resilient, and we want a better community for everyone 

including young people. This is why we are starting this 

movement. This movement is fuelled by the possibility of 

Blacktown Youth Services Association (BYSA) ceasing 

operations due to lack of funding.”

Councillor Bleasdale said Council will continue to support 

the young people in this community and asked members of 

the group to work with Council on ongoing programs.

“Blacktown City Council voted unanimously to call on the 

federal government to increase both the Youth Allowance 

and Newstart Allowance,” Councillor Bleasdale said.

Other residents visiting the pop-up season raised a variety of 

issues with Council from traffic issues and development 

concerns to a call for more community programs for seniors.

“I commend everyone who made the time to visit the pop-up 

session and meet the councillors and tell us your concerns.

“Council will take these issues on board and report back to 

these residents on their specific concerns,” Councillor 

Bleasdale said.

Council will host a final community forum in Tregear on 

Tuesday 8 October with presentations on parks and 

reserves in Ward 5 and a report on safety programs in the 

area. Councillor Bleasdale said: “These information and 

engagement sessions are very important for us as 

Councillors to hear what our residents want to make this city 

and their neighbourhoods great places to live and work.”

Council will also host two pop-ups sessions in coming weeks 

– one in Riverstone on Saturday 12 October and one in 

Kings Langley on Sunday 13 October.

Mayor Stephen Bali said: “We want as many people as 

possible to have ‘Your Say’.

“With my fellow Councillors, I look forward to listening to 

your concerns,” he said.

Details
Forum: Tregear Ward 5 community forum
When: Tuesday 8 October 2019
Time: 7 pm to 9 pm
Where: Tregear Community Centre, Ellsworth Road, Tregear

Forum: Riverstone Ward 1 pop-up session
When: Saturday 12 October 2019
Time: 10 am to 12 pm
Where: Rev up Riverstone, Riverstone Village, Pitt Street, Riverstone.

Forum: Kings Langley Ward 2 pop-up session
When: Saturday 13 October 2019
Time: 10 am to 12 pm

Members of Blacktown Youth make their voices heard at Blacktown pop-up session.