Young Mayors Wollongong
A democratically elected forum of young people aged 12-17 in the Wollongong region.
Meet Wollongong’s 2025 Youth Forum!
The Wollongong Youth Forum were elected in November 2024 and will serve a 12 month term in office from January 2025 to December 2025. Together, the Youth Forum will deliver projects, campaigns and events based on a priority agenda developed together early in their term.
Jayden Atherton
Responsibility | Safety | Care
Fatima Al Taleb
Resilient | Kind | Ambitious
Charlie Dwyer
Honest | Inclusive | Respectful
Zelda Goodsell
Empathetic | Enthusiastic | Authentic
Ali Hadi
Thinker | Visionary | Loyal
Stevie Hopkinson
Family | Connections | Determination
Alyssa Jeffries
Passionate | Determined | Approachable
Sean McPherson
Change | Open | Understanding
Avalon Mooney
Determined | Advocate | Change
Larissa Murray-Allen
Leading the Charge
Mariam Sawan
Honest | Respectful | Resilient
Ethan Zappelli
Inclusive | Empowering | Passionate
Youth Forum Updates
The Youth Forum working towards their priority agenda, which will be available here once it is complete.
If you have an issue you’d like the Wollongong Youth Forum to consider, contact tara.broso@fya.org.au.
Wollongong Youth Forum in the Media
Young voices important to our city’s future
Read here
Meet the 8 teens advising Wollongong council on Youth Issues.
Read here
Illawarra teenagers elect ‘young mayors’ in NSW’s first underage democratic vote.
Read here
Young Mayors Program Segment
Watch here
About the Youth Forum
The Youth Forum decides their priorities based on issues identified by young people in Wollongong.
The projects run by youth forums around the world have covered a range of issues, including:
- Campaigns for mental health, LGBTIQ+ equality, poverty reduction, sustainability, safety and tourism
- Youth homelessness support projects
- Lowering the age of travel concessions
- New inclusive forum programs for young people with disabilities
- Forums that bring young people together with local, state, and federal decision makers
- New sports competitions, music programs, and art exhibitions
During the Term in Office, the Youth Forum will regularly consult with their constituents to make sure their work is meeting the needs of young people in the community. Consultation will happen in different ways, including through a mid-term Town Hall Meeting.
The Youth Forum meet once a fortnight. Meetings are 1.5 to 2 hours on a weekday after school.
As well as fortnightly meetings, Youth Forum may have the chance to go to WCC meetings and other events, which are decided as the Term in Office rolls out.
Youth Forum members are paid a quarterly stipend of $250 ($1000 across the Term in Office) to recognise that costs might come up as a part of being involved (eg. transport).
Food is provided for meetings with all dietary requirements catered to.
The Youth Forum has opportunities to meet with and provide recommendations to Wollongong City Forum members and the Mayor throughout their Term in Office.